MIMA

http://www.visitmima.com/

Opened in 2007, MIMA is set in a contemporary square at the heart of the city. Designed by architects Erick van Egeraat Associates, MIMA brings together collections from the former Middlesbrough Art Gallery and Cleveland Gallery.

There are a number of modern works by British artists, including Walter Sickert, Duncan Grant and Victor Pasmore. MIMA is most noted for its strong collection of 20th and 21st century drawings, reflecting the impact of the Cleveland International Drawing Biennale. The contemporary collection includes drawings by Francis Alÿs, Graham Gussin, Tracey Emin, Toby Paterson, Paul Noble, George Shaw and Bob and Roberta Smith and a permanent wall painting by Turner prize winner Richard Wright.

All of these works were purchased as part of the Contemporary Art Society's Special Collection Scheme. MIMA has recently received the Art Fund International Award for the development of its drawing collection in partnership with The Drawing Center, New York.

The craft collection was inherited from the Cleveland Art Gallery and includes two main strands of practice: 20th-century studio pottery and jewellery designs from the 1960s onwards. MIMA's collection is displayed in a series of themed exhibitions throughout the year that are curated in response to the lively temporary exhibition programme.

Editor's note:
This is an astonishing new contemporary museum. MIMA is a visionary achievement for the town, bringing great art through their exhibition programme and their acquisition policy to this part of the North East. It is a success story for the regeneration of a town through a real commitment to contemporary art.