The Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) is looking to combine artistic forces with the University of California, Irvine in an agreement that would bring the museum under the stewardship of the university.
“A nonbinding, exploratory letter of intent has been signed, and the two organizations continue to develop a definitive agreement, pending approval of the University of California Board of Regents,” UCI said in a June 10 statement.
The negotiations come almost three years after OCMA reopened in a 53,000-square-foot facility—double the size of its former Newport Beach location—next to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. It was the culmination of a $94 million development that was some 16 years in the making.
If approved, UCI will provide the “academic depth, programming expertise, financial backing, and institutional infrastructure” of its existing Jack and Shanaz Langson Institute and Museum of California Art (Langson IMCA) to OCMA. The Langsons have made substantial gifts to UCI for the museum.
The university’s financial backing and magnified educational aspect will be important to OCMA, according to Board Chair David Emmes II.
On the other hand, “we have the curatorial experience, the recognition, the reputation and the location,” Emmes told the Business Journal. “They’ve never run a museum” of this kind before.
As a nonprofit organization, the museum reported 12-month OC revenue of $10.3 million for 2023, down 29% from the year before, which was the year its capital campaign peaked. OCMA generates almost all its revenue from donations. It recorded 240,000 visitors served in OC for 2024, off 7.7% from 2023.
“The effort combined is a better outcome,” Emmes said, adding that the arts is in need of more funding right now.
“As we are still in the exploratory phase of this process, many of these details will be determined in the coming months,” UCI spokesperson Michael Roger Uhlenkamp said.
The decision will be up for approval this fall when the UC Regents meet in September. If approved, Emmes said the deal will be able to close quickly after.
Art Collections to be Combined
Emmes, who has been on the OCMA board of trustees for 28 years, said he approached UCI about the partnership earlier this year.
He believed that when UCI accepted the two collections that now make up Langson IMCA’s major holdings – The Irvine Museum Collection donated in 2016 and The Buck Collection gifted from the trust of Gerald Buck in 2017 – it showed the university’s commitment to the arts in Orange County.
After the two acquisitions, Langson IMCA was established in 2017 and has since been in the process of identifying a permanent location for the construction of the museum. It is currently operating out of the former Irvine Museum location at Von Karman Avenue across the street from Bistango (see story, page 19).
A location at the school’s North Campus site had been selected in 2022. However, UCI currently has a “go or no-go” decision on whether to build the museum, according to Emmes.
Engaging in a partnership with OCMA would be a possible solution to the search.
“Should UC Irvine and OCMA reach an agreement that is subsequently approved by the UC Regents, the university would no longer pursue construction of the Langson Institute and Museum of California Art (IMCA) on the UC Irvine campus,” Uhlenkamp said. “Instead, the Langson IMCA collection and programming would be incorporated into and housed at the OCMA facility.”
“I’ve been very committed to the success of this museum,” Emmes added. His father co-founded the South Coast Repertory, another artistic inhabitant of the Segerstrom Center campus.
“This is a huge boost for the visual arts,” he said of the possible combining of collections.
Langson IMCA’s holdings currently include over 4,500 works and OCMA’s collection holds over 4,600.
Both museums have a focus on art made in or inspired by California and artists with ties to the Golden State.
“OCMA has long contributed to the cultural vibrancy of our region, and UC Irvine is honored to explore this promising partnership,” UCI Chancellor Howard Gillman said in a statement.
“As a university committed to discovery, creativity, and public service, we see great potential in combining our strengths to expand access to the arts, deepen engagement with California’s artistic legacy, and support new generations of creators and scholars.”
“This represents a thoughtful next step in OCMA’s evolution,” Emmes said.
Final Stages, Lugano Gift
In April, OCMA’s Heidi Zuckerman announced she would be exiting as chief executive and director at the end of her contract this year. She will instead focus on her media company HZ Inc., which includes a podcast and website called “About Art.”
Zuckerman added more than 100 new objects to OCMA’s permanent collection during her almost five-year tenure. She raised more than $85 million in support of the museum’s facilities, exhibitions, programs and operations since she was appointed CEO in 2021.
Emmes said the ongoing search for a new director is close to the final stages. An announcement can be expected in the coming months.
After the museum broke ground in September 2019, Zuckerman helped secure sponsorship from Newport Beach-based Lugano Holdings, which donated over $3.5 million to the museum to ensure free admission for the first decade.
While he couldn’t comment on whether the gift has been fulfilled, Emmes said UCI is committed to free admission at OCMA and will most likely work out the details to keep it.
OCMA reported having more than 500,000 visitors since it reopened in Costa Mesa.
