We stand with you.
Over the past few weeks, MOCA GA has been shaken by the social injustices our country has witnessed. The murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McBride, Breonna Taylor, among countless others, bare witness to the faults ingrained in a system supposedly designed to protect. We stand in solidarity with protesters and loudly proclaim: black lives matter.
We acknowledge that the detrimental effects of racism are not limited to policing systems. Policies influenced by racism are foundational to institutions nation-wide, manifesting in housing policies, education systems, and within our beloved arts and cultural institutions. At this time, we pause to listen to our community, reflect on our past contributions, and ask pivotal questions of ourselves: How can we become a sanctuary for contemporary ideas that promote the eradication of systemic racism? How can we create institutional policies that will uplift artists of color and other leaders in Georgia’s art community and beyond? While we may not have the solutions we need at the moment, we believe in progress. We believe in our own ability to be a beacon for change as we believe in and support the work of Georgia artists.
Over the past 20 years, MOCA GA has committed to amplifying the work of local artists, in part by prioritizing diverse voices in our exhibitions, permanent collection, archives, guest curators and administration. We will endeavor to do more to promote institutional change in our community so as to help erode the implicit structures that were built on the foundations of racism. MOCA GA sees this as both a serious challenge and a great opportunity as an arts institution to promote cultural change. Our goal is to design programs that can effectively promote equity in our art community, so everyone benefits.
– MOCA GA Staff and Board of Director