Courtesy of the ICA/ Vornado Realty Trust
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The Institute of Contemporary Art moved to a striking location in Downtown San Francisco in 2024. The building, called The Cube, marked a significant change for the museum, which showcases contemporary art and always offers free entry.
Now, just a year after its move, the art museum has announced another change: ICA will adopt a “nomadic model” with pop-ups throughout the city. The new pop-up model will focus on installations throughout the city to make contemporary art accessible to a large public audience. Organizers expect the installations to start in 2026, after the current exhibitions at The Cube close on December 7, 2025.
“When ICA SF moved from Dogpatch to The Cube last October, something clicked. For three years, we’ve invited artists and audiences to think differently about how contemporary art can be experienced, and that journey has reshaped our own thinking. We always knew The Cube was a temporary home, a chance to bring our vision to a new part of the city and test new possibilities. That time confirmed an evolving vision: art doesn’t need a single permanent space to make a major impact. Now, with support from the Mayor’s Office, we’re fully embracing that model—becoming a truly citywide institution. In this next chapter, resources flow directly into people and projects, keeping ICA SF agile, artist-centered, and deeply responsive to the communities we serve…” Said Alison Gass, Founding Director and Chief Curator of ICA SF, in a recent statement.
Courtesy of ICA
The new model will pair existing artwork with culturally and historically significant sights in SF and commission original, sight-specific works. The first project will be during San Francisco Art Week, which starts on January 17, 2026. ICA is partnering with SHVO to showcase Stratagem sculptures by Tara Donovan in the Trans America Pyramid’s Annex Gallery. This is just the first of the ICA’s plans for the new model, with projects planned until 2027.
The ICA was founded in Dogpatch in 2020 by Ali Gass. The art museum has undergone many changes over the years, and is currently displaying works by Masako Miki, David Antonio Cruz, and Tau Lewis until early December. You can learn more about the ICA and the upcoming changes here.