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Institute of Contemporary Arts

Established	1947
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Location	Carlton House Terrace, London SW1, England
Director	Ekow Eshun
Nearest tube station(s)	Charing Cross, Piccadilly Circus
Website	www.ica.org.uk

The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) is a modern art centre on The Mall in London, England. It is located within Nash House, which is part of Carlton House Terrace, near the Duke of York Steps and Admiralty Arch and contains galleries, a theatre, two cinemas and a bar.

It was founded by Peter Watson, Herbert Read, Geoffrey Grigson and Roland Penrose in 1946. The ICA's founders intended to establish a space where artists, writers and scientists could debate ideas outside of the traditional confines of the Royal Academy. The first exhibitions were held in rented premises organised by Penrose, '40 Years of Modern Art' was followed by '40,000 Years of Modern Art' reflecting his interest in primitivism.

The ICA's first regular premises were in Dover Street. In its early years, the Institute organised exhibitions of modern art including Picasso and Jackson Pollock, it also launched Pop art, Op art, and British Brutalist art and architecture. The Independent Group met at the ICA in 1952–1962/63 and organised several exhibitions, including This is Tomorrow. Lawrence Alloway acted as assistant Director during the mid to later 1950s. With the support of the Arts Council, the ICA moved to its current site in 1968. It has subsequently been claimed that the ICA was being used as a front for the CIA. For a period during the 1970s the Centre was more known for its often anarchic programme and administration.

In 2002 then ICA Chairman Ivan Massow criticised what he described as 'concept art' leading to his resignation.

The ICA appointed Ekow Eshun Artistic Director in 2005 following the departure of Philip Dodd.

The annual Beck's Futures prize is exhibited and hosted there.

It has hosted the onedotzero digital film festival for over a decade (from 1996).

The ICA appointed Mark Sladen as Director of Exhibitions in 2006 to replace Jens Hoffmann

• Jens Hoffmann, former Director of Exhibitions
• Norman Rosenthal, former Director of Exhibitions
• Alexander "Sandy" Nairne, former Director of Exhibitions

• ICA website
• onedotzero

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Coordinates: 51°30′24″N, 0°07′50″W