MOCA is a contemporary art museum with gallery locations across Los Angeles. While its website does highlight the fact that we are in a pandemic, and its galleries are currently closed, much of the content is focused on continuing to engage with the community online.

In adjusting to the pandemic, MOCA has created a series called Virtual MOCA. There are a number of different programs that fall under the Virtual MOCA category, such as virtual studio tours done in discussion with various artists and a number of different panel discussions, but I think the most notable are the artist v. artist series and the family programming. MOCA has two programs for families - printable family activities based on a particular work of art, and zoom workshops focused on crafting or art making for students. In these cases, the activities are based on art within the MOCA collection, but the focus is really on giving children the tools and prompts to inspire them to be artists themselves. I think the Artist v. Artist series is interesting because its based on conversations from local artists about their work and the work of an artist within the museum. As it has adapted to the conditions of the pandemic, the focus has shifted to outdoor art.

Other programming emphasizes MOCA’s connection to community, outdoor space, and education of relevant current events. Recent and upcoming panels focus on the use of public space in addressing issues such as environmental activism, homelessness in Los Angeles, and social injustice.

The MOCA website has some features likely more appealing to the regular art enthusiast. Reminders of current and recent exhibitions focus on artworks that are visually striking, like a piece by Barbara Kruger which takes up an entire exterior wall of one of the buildings, or another that features a set of rooms lit with colored lights. They also screen experimental and video art twice a month through their MOCA Screen program, and feature various artists and their studios through their Virtual Studio tours. The relative balance between these parts of the website with the other community focused events seem to prioritize connection through art over the experience of art in and of itself.