Fall in love with Monca: act 2

Five years ago, in 2017, the Museum of Northern California Art (monca) fulfilled a dream by creating a community space not only for art but for being an inclusive arena bringing all people together for healing and “safe” conversations. During those past years, we have created 44 exhibitions focusing on Northern California artists and their work and also concentrating on making the space inclusive by reaching out and hosting exhibitions from the Hmong community; the Black community historically and contemporarily; the Spirit of Pacific Western Traders; Stonewall and the LGBTQ community; the Veteran community of artists; and the educators that teach and promote the groundwork of providing the next generation the desire and knowledge to attend and support art museums.

The museum’s permanent collection was started with a generous donation by Reed Applegate from his large personal collection of Northern California artists. Since that first gift of art, the collection has grown to reach approximately 250 works including paintings, printmaking, photography, sculpture, fiber, and ceramics. With the somewhat limited exhibition space, we are currently unable to exhibit this collection as often as we would like.

monca’s concentration and efforts over the many years of creating excitement and wonder have always kept education in the forefront, whether that is in the youth or adult worlds. Foremost in every exhibition is the opportunity to stretch the mind and keep open the paths for ongoing learning. Whether this is through field trips from K-12 schools, Upward Bound students in the summer program, Chico State and Butte College interns and volunteers or Olli classes for Adult Learning, monca is there and always eager to “teach.”

Through a VETART.ORG grant in partnership with MHSOAC (Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission), monca has reached out to the Chico Veterans offering opportunities to exhibit their artwork, have conversations over music and food, participate in a “crochet jam,” or watch and converse with a veteran ceramic artist from the Bay Area. This year, we will be working with unhoused and recovering veterans through the avenue of interacting with art. We will also be hosting another Veteran artist exhibition coinciding with Veterans Day in November and December of this year.

The museum is housed in a county-owned building and has been generously provided encouragement and support by its owner in the renovation of the first four-thousand square feet that we have called “home” for the past five years. In that space, in conjunction with the art exhibitions, we have also hosted weddings, celebrations of life, holiday and birthday parties, concerts, board retreats, and a summer camp for youth and grant workshops. Under the careful guidance of David Griffith of Griffith Architects in Chico, we have preserved the beautiful Classical Revival architecture of this 1927 building while updating and refreshing the overall use as a museum. monca has now reached the point where we are outgrowing the initial space and are finding difficulty in fulfilling all the requests and needs of an expanding museum. Our lease with the county has allowed us to begin plans for the renovation of the large nine-thousand square foot space behind our existing exhibition area. We are excited to imagine the new uses and opportunities that will be made available with this pursuit and hope you will partner with us in this journey.

We ask you to close your eyes and imagine the creative needs that can be fulfilled with added space and a carefully thought through renovation plan. Already housing a stage with seating for 230, you can hear concerts, view theatre and dance programs, or host a seminar for your business. When the seating is rearranged, you have the ability to have a wedding or birthday celebration. Two classrooms will provide much needed space for teaching classes for all ages and ensuring that art is more ingrained in our lives rather than just a quick stop in to see what is happening at the museum. Summer art camps for kids and adult opportunities to explore art knowledge and practice are what the museum is yearning to provide and grow for the community.

The Chico area lacks a space to conduct business conferences, strategic planning meetings, and educational arenas for students to present their learned knowledge. This new space will not only offer expanded space for exhibitions and art related activities, but it will be the catalyst for allowing business, education, and the arts to grow within the Chico and Northern California area. With the addition of a kitchen, restrooms, and ADA compliant facilities making it accessible to everyone, the area becomes an even more necessary community hub.

At present, we are a completely volunteer- run nonprofit whose passion allows the museum to exist. As we continue to grow, we realize that a more standard arrangement will have to be created. Our members, donors, and grants have carried us to where we are today . . . voted Chico’s Best Museum every year since 2018! Having hosted over 48,000 visitors since our move to the Esplanade, we notice more and more out-of-town visitors are finding us, not only enjoying their visit to the museum, but then proceeding downtown to shop or eat. We are a vital entity that invites relaxation, learning, and a chance to heal.

We are eager to find partners who believe in this project and see themselves as becoming a part of the journey. Families, individuals, companies, and social groups all have an investment in making this dream come true. Leaving a legacy and investing in the future are such positive ways to navigate through this complicated world of which we are all a part. We are creating naming opportunities for rooms and areas in the new space which lend themselves to honoring, remembering, or commemorating special people or businesses in your life.

Let your creativity run wild—plan an event like game night or a social with your best friends. We challenge you to have your event rent free and use the museum as your backdrop with all your fundraising going to monca and its future space.

Our vision for the future of monca is evident in the graphics created by Griffith Architects which depict the entire building including the present gallery space, art library, and museum shop. The new grand approach to the entrance on the Washington Ave. side of the building will provide ADA access to an interior lobby before entering the large space beyond. Also, contained in this newly renovated area will be a catering kitchen, restrooms, and a lounge area for meetings and special events.

The museum is eager to call you a partner in this collaboration. We can be reached at: www.monca.org or by calling the museum at (530) 487-7272 for more information on scheduling a fundraising event, a tour of the space or having a conversation about our future.