Founded by artists and grown from a grassroots art exhibition in 1986, the Contemporary is the first and longest-running nonprofit space for contemporary art in San Antonio. The Contemporary arose from the need to provide a platform for the work and ideas of contemporary artists. In the years since its inception, its programs have grown, activating positive change in the art community and community-at-large. As an artist-centric, educational, forward-thinking, inclusive institution that strives to exceed expectations, over 18M residents and cultural tourists experience contemporary art with the Contemporary each year through our exhibitions, public art projects, and education programs.