The Institute for Contemporary Art was set up in 1999 as a not-for-profit institution to facilitate and organise exhibitions of local and contemporary art. At present this work is co-ordinated through an office in Cape Town, with exhibition space being secured on a temporary basis according to the specific needs of each project.

The main object of the ICA is the presentation of a strong, focused program of exhibitions and discourse which will engage with the social context in South Africa and increase awareness and interest in contemporary art within the public and private sector. Through this program we hope to encourage local authorities, non-governmental agencies and private businesses to become partners in a capitalisation project which would see a permanent Centre for Contemporary Art built in Cape Town by 2010. This centre would contain exhibition spaces, an auditorium for public lectures and performances, a cinema, a resource library open to the public as well as a studio and residence for visiting artists.