For 70 years the CAC has been a forum for progressive art and ideas, serving the city of Cincinnati, the region, and the art community at large.  Founded in 1939 as the Modern Art Society by three visionary local women, the CAC was one of the first institutions in the United States dedicated to exhibiting contemporary art.

From the very beginning, the CAC has been an admired leader in the international art world.  In 1940 it was one of the first American institutions to exhibit Picasso's Guernica (1937), which traveled throughout the United States from 1939 to 1952.  Throught the ensuing decades the CAC continued this pioneering tradition by featuring the work of now-famous artists such as Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Nam June Paik, I.M. Pei and Laurie Anderson, early in their careers. In 1990, the CAC was at the center of an important First Amendment legal case, when it successfully defended the right of Cincinnati's citizens to view an exhibition of the photographs of Robert Mapplethorpe.

The CAC is a non-collecting institution that focuses on new developments in painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, performance art and new media. We remain committed to showcasing contemporary art and artists relevant to diverse audience, and developing programming that examines and reflects the importance of the art we exhibit.

We hope that you are able to find all the information you need including membership information, in-depth exhibition information and of course, all the facts you need to know about the Richard & Lois Rosenthal Center for Contemporary Art, the building that architect Zaha Hadid designed, which opened in May 2003 at 44 East 6th Street.

If you have questions or suggestions regarding information found on our website, please e-mail experience@contemporaryartscenter.org.