The mission of the Coalition of Museum and Art Centers (CMAC) at Syracuse University is to celebrate and explore the visual and electronic arts through exhibitions, publications, public presentations, education, and scholarship.

CMAC will accomplish this goal by supporting the creation and presentation of work by emerging, mature, and internationally recognized artists while promoting innovation and excellence, embracing diversity, and fostering creative collaborations with local, national, and international communities, and by actively supporting the acquisition, presentation, and interpretation of works of art from across the broad spectrum of visual art practices and histories.

CMAC will bring together the programs, services, and projects of several different art centers and museums in the campus community in a collaborative effort to expand the public’s awareness, understanding, appreciation, and involvement in the visual and electronic arts.

CMAC will seek to create a new model for the administration and operation of art centers and museums by combining the best practices of each artist space, community arts center, museum, and university gallery involved. They will forge a dynamic structure that encourages innovation and teamwork while reducing bureaucracy and sharing resources. This new model will place a premium on the work and influence of artists and encourage the vision and creative problem solving of curators and educators. This model will create opportunities for smaller organizations to tap the resources, expertise, and audience of larger organizations and will create opportunities for larger organizations to better adapt to change and innovation.

The overall umbrella of Syracuse University will provide the infrastructure, educational platform, resources, and influence to make the Coalition possible while expanding the role and responsibility of the university in the Central New York community and beyond.

• Goals, needs, innovation, teamwork, diversity, and shared resources will be the hallmark of the Coalition.
• Artists and their work will be the engine of the Coalition.
• Excellence, quality, integrity, and professionalism will be standards throughout the Coalition.
• Preserving the integrity and focus of each organization while improving all areas of their operation will be the measure of success.
• All programs will aspire to engage multiple communities and will aspire to be models and leaders on the local, national, and international level.