For the past twenty years the MCASD's premier membership groups-the Contemporary Collectors and the International Collectors-have provided significant funds for the acquisition of new works for the Museum's permanent collection through their annual membership dues. Many of the strongest works in the collection have entered the Museum as a result of these groups. Thanks to the Collector's support over two decades, the Museum has been able to add over seventy works to the permanent collection, many by young artists who have since gone on to wide renown, such as John Currin, Lorna Simpson, and Bill Viola.

This year's selections feature a variety of works assembled by MCASD's curatorial staff to be voted on for purchase at the Collectors' annual selection dinner. Featuring an array of media, including sculpture, painting, and installation, the proposed selections will be works by both established and emerging artists. The exhibition of these works is accompanied by other major pieces purchased by the Collector groups over the past twenty years, demonstrating the importance of these groups as the Museum continues to grow its collection, as well as enhance its strengths and expand in new directions. The support of the Contemporary and International Collectors has allowed our curators to discover new artists, enrich the permanent collection of MCASD, and build an engaged and informed community of collectors in San Diego.