Director's Welcome

Founded in 1973, the University Art Museum (UAM) at California State University, Long Beach, is a unique cultural institution that champions new and often challenging ideas through wide-ranging exhibitions and provocative programs. The UAM curatorial vision focuses on tension and interplay at the nexus of contemporary art, technology, and society.

For over 30 years, the UAM has introduced numerous artists from diverse fields to a broad audience, both nationally and internationally, and has showcased many of the most significant artistic and cultural developments of the past 50 years. The UAM program of dynamic solo exhibitions and landmark group presentations define key moments in contemporary art, reflect the global nature of art today, and span a vast array of cultural activities and media.

The UAM staff and I hope you enjoy the new virtual presentation of the UAM. It is our desire and hope that this new website will be informative, educational, and insightful, but not a substitute for visiting us in person. We guarantee that you will always find engaging and meaningful exhibitions and programs that will make your trip to the campus worthwhile

Christopher Scoates
Director

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Mission

The mission of the University Art Museum is to present education and exhibitions programs that blur the boundaries between visual arts and design, technology, music, and contemporary culture.

Vision

The University Art Museum provides a forum for the investigation of contemporary visual culture and seeks to transform the traditional art museum experience, from the ordinary to the extraordinary and personal.

Fact Sheet

UAM facts at your fingertips, download by clicking on the this link: Fact Sheet (pdf file)

 

 

 

 

 

 

© University Art Museum 2010
webmistress Sarah G. Vinci

 

History of UAM

The University Art Museum, located on the campus of California State University, Long Beach, is one of the leaders in presenting exhibitions and projects that both push the boundaries of the definition of art and document important trends of the visual arts in the 20th century.  Through dedication to scholarly and artistic excellence, the UAM has earned a reputation for its high-quality exhibitions and award-winning publications.  The museum also plays a vital role in training future museum professionals, art educators, arts administrators, and artists.

Begun as a significant campus gallery in 1973 and accredited by the American Association of Museums in 1984, the UAM faced a series of major budget cut-backs in 1989, which reflected the growing economic crisis in California.  Eight years later, however, the museum remains a vigorous and important resource in the field of visual arts for the largest comprehensive university system in the nation.  In 1993, the university recognized the need for a new museum facility and the CSU Trustees voted to include a new museum as part of their capital improvement programs for that year.  By combining funds from the CSU Chancellor’s office with a lead gift from a local philanthropist, the UAM was able to celebrate its grand opening in a new space in 1994.

Ranking among the top ten-percent of the nation’s 7,000 plus museums, and praised as one of the top museums in the state by the California Arts Council, the UAM maintains a permanent collection of works on paper and site-specific outdoor sculpture that has brought recognition to the university and the city of Long Beach.  The works of the most important contemporary masters are part of the museum collection and are presented regularly as major exhibitions to be viewed and studied by students, scholars and the general public.

The museum regularly offers concerts, spoken-word events, gallery talks, lectures, and tours for both the campus and the community.  In addition, UAM staff work with students as interns (and through paid positions) as part of their training for future careers in the arts. In short, the UAM continually seeks to serve the university and the regional community through the presentation of exciting exhibitions of contemporary art and design; the training of young people interested in the arts profession; the augmentation, enhancement, and display of the permanent collection; and unique opportunities to interact with artists through residencies, workshops, and lectures.