institute of modern art

What institute of modern art does

The Institute of Modern Art (IMA) is a non-collecting contemporary art gallery founded in 1975 in Brisbane, Australia, and recognized as the country's oldest independent contemporary art space and one of the Asia-Pacific's most important forums for visual art. The organization presents rotating exhibitions of contemporary art by Australian and international artists, hosts public programs including artist talks, panel discussions, workshops, and performances, and produces publications such as exhibition catalogues and artist monographs. Its primary venue is the ground-floor gallery at the Judith Wright Arts Centre in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, with additional off-site exhibitions and touring presentations across Australia.

The IMA serves three primary constituencies: the general public and art enthusiasts visiting free exhibitions; contemporary artists (both emerging and established) who participate in exhibitions, commissions, and programs such as the Churchie Emerging Art Prize, Platform, and Fresh Cut; and corporate supporters and patrons who provide philanthropic and sponsorship backing. Notable international artists presented include Jon Rafman and Ho Rui An, and the organization maintains a track record of bringing pioneering global artistic practice to local audiences.

The IMA is a registered charity and non-profit organization. Its revenue model combines government arts funding (Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, the Australian Government through Creative Australia, and the Visual Art, Craft and Design Partnership Framework), tax-deductible charitable donations, merchandise sales through the IMA Shop, and proceeds from the annual Gala and Benefit Auction (tickets priced at $315 each). The organization maintains strategic partnerships with cultural institutions including the Van Abbemuseum, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Monash University Museum of Art, Nowness Asia, and Museums and Galleries Queensland, alongside corporate supporters such as The Calile Hotel, Brisbane Airport Corporation, and the Gordon Darling Foundation.

Name

institute of modern art

Legal name

Institute of Modern Art

Website

https://ima.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Institute of Modern Art is a non-profit contemporary art gallery founded in 1975 in Brisbane, Australia, presenting free exhibitions, public programs, and publications. It serves the general public, contemporary artists, and arts patrons through commissioning, awards, and an annual benefit auction.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contemporary Art Gallery

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums (712110), Museums (71211), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts & Culture Appreciation (Art History, Film Appreciation, Music Appreciation) (EDAAAGAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Arts Education Instruction (Visual/Performing) (EDAJAFAK)

Keywords

• Contemporary art exhibitions
• Public art gallery
• Artist commissions
• Arts education programs
• Art publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Giving: The IMA is a registered charity with tax-deductible donations accepted. Donations support the organization's mission of shaping culture in Queensland through commissioning new, ambitious projects from Australian artists.
2. Annual Gala and Benefit Auction: Queensland premier charitable gala for contemporary art featuring fundraising auction. Previous artists include Archibald Prize winners Julie Fragar and Mitch Cairns, and leading Australian artists Richard Bell, Sam Cranstoun, Paul Yore, D Harding, Vernon Ah Kee. Tickets priced at $315 for the 2026 gala.
3. Merchandise Sales: IMA Shop sells publications, editions, books, homewares, jewellery, clothing, accessories, and stationery. Categories include Music, IMA Publications, IMA Editions, Books, Homewares, Jewellery, Clothing & Accessories, Stationery.
4. Government and Institutional Funding: Principal funders include Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, Australian Government through Creative Australia, and Visual Art, Craft and Design Partnership Framework. Additional support from organizations including Gordon Darling Foundation and Brisbane City Council.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Institute of Modern Art (IMA) is a free, non-collecting contemporary art gallery that presents rotating exhibitions of Australian and international contemporary art, accompanied by public programs (artist talks, panels, workshops, performances), education resources and kits, a publishing program of catalogues and books, an annual Gala and Benefit Auction fundraiser, and a retail gallery shop selling publications, editions, homewares, jewellery, clothing, and stationery.

Product overview

The Institute of Modern Art is a non-collecting contemporary art gallery offering a diverse portfolio of programs and services. Core offerings include rotating exhibitions of contemporary art, public events and educational programs, published catalogues and books, an online retail shop, and annual fundraising activities. Key programs include the Platform emerging artist exhibition, the Churchie Emerging Art Prize, and Fresh Cut for Queensland graduates. Resources include audio descriptions, podcasts, and education kits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IMA: The Institute of Modern Art (commonly abbreviated as IMA) is a free public art gallery in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Products and services

• Exhibitions Program
• Events and Public Programs
• IMA Publications
• Education Programs
• Resources and Education Materials
• IMA Shop
• IMA Gala and Benefit Auction
• Platform Emerging Artist Exhibition
• The Churchie Emerging Art Prize
• Fresh Cut

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 50 years of continuous operation as a critical contemporary art institution
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.

• The Calile HotelmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner and supporter of the IMA. Venue sponsor for the 2026 Gala and Benefit Auction event.
• Contemporary Art Organisations AustraliamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe IMA is a member of Contemporary Art Organisations Australia, a network of leading independent contemporary art spaces.
• Nowness AsiamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioning partnership for 'Now You're Speakin' My Language' digital commissions, introducing Australian artists' works to global audiences through a global film platform.
• Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-commission partner for major exhibitions including Yhonnie Scarce's 'Missile Park' (2021).
• Museums and Galleries QueenslandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTouring partner for exhibitions including Natalya Hughes' 'The Interior' organized by IMA and toured by Museums and Galleries Queensland.
• VAULT MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner and supporter of the IMA, listed among partners and supporters.
• 4ZZZ Community RadiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity radio partner and supporter of the IMA.
• Van AbbemuseummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational institutional partner for co-commissions and co-presentations including Karrabing Film Collective exhibition and Nicholas Mangan survey.
• Monash University Museum of Art (MUMA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-institutional partnership for major exhibitions including Nicholas Mangan's 'Limits to Growth' (2016) developed in partnership with IMA, MUMA, and KW Institute for Contemporary Art Berlin.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA): Melbourne-based non-collecting contemporary art institution that is a co-commission partner of the IMA. Directly comparable as a fellow member of Contemporary Art Organisations Australia presenting rotating exhibitions of Australian and international contemporary art.
• Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA): Perth-based non-collecting contemporary art institution and fellow CAOA member. Directly comparable in operating model — free-admission rotating exhibitions, public programs, and education focus — but serving a different regional market.
• Gertrude Contemporary: Melbourne-based non-collecting contemporary art space with a strong emerging-artist residency and exhibition program. Directly comparable mission and operational scale to the IMA's emerging-artist commissioning work.
• Artspace: Sydney-based non-collecting contemporary art institution focused on commissioning and exhibiting Australian artists. Closely comparable operating model and audience proposition as a fellow CAOA peer.
• Heide Museum of Modern Art: Melbourne-based modern and contemporary art museum with a strong history of commissioning Australian artists. Comparable as a contemporary-focused institution with exhibition, education, and public programming operations of similar scale.
• Buxton Contemporary: Melbourne-based contemporary art museum at the University of Melbourne. Comparable as a contemporary-focused presenting institution with exhibition, education, and publishing programs of similar mission and modest scale.

Broad incumbents

• Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA): Sydney's flagship contemporary art museum. Comparable as a leading Australian contemporary art presenter with a stronger permanent collection component and substantially larger visitor base; competes for the same artists, audiences, and donor pools.
• Queensland Art Gallery / Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA): Brisbane's flagship state art museum and Australia's largest contemporary art institution. Comparable as a contemporary art presenter sharing the IMA's home market, with substantially larger collection, visitor base, and government support.
• National Gallery of Australia (NGA): Australia's national collecting institution for visual arts. Comparable as a co-commission partner and major Australian contemporary art presenter, with vastly larger scale, endowment, and government support.
• Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW): Sydney's major state art museum with significant contemporary art programming and collection. Comparable as a co-presenter and competitor for premier Australian exhibitions, donor capital, and touring partnerships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/InstituteOfModernArt
• Instagraminstagram.com/instituteofmodernart
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institute-of-modern-art

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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