SECA timeline

1970

The first SECA Vernal Equinox Special Award to recognize conceptual and experimental projects is presented to Bonnie Ora Sherk and Howard Levine. The program is suspended after 1972.

1973

SECA Film as Art Awards, revived occasionally until 1998, begin.

2012

Final SECA award before five-year suspension during major construction.

2017

SECA Art Award reinstituted. Awardees are Liam Everett, Alicia McCarthy, Sean McFarland, K.R.M. Mooney and Lindsey White.

1960

Jack Hume, president of the board of what was then called the San Francisco Museum of Art, proposes a contemporary art collecting society that “would draw a number of men into a specific interest in the museum and directly benefit the museum.”

1961

The Society for the Encouragement of Contemporary Art, with 75 male members, is formally founded. Its mission is to “seek out promising young artists, jury an exhibition and encourage members of the community to collect the work of emerging artists.”

1965

Women are admitted to membership in SECA.

1967

The first SECA Grant Award is presented to sculptor Mel Henderson.

1980

Special awards for photography, video, electronic media and design are instituted sporadically over the years until 2001.

1988

What had been (with only one exception) an annual award schedule becomes biennial.

1994

Controversial transfer of formal authority for SECA Award selections from SECA membership to SFMOMA curators.

Joe Rosenthal / The Chronicle 1965 What was then called the San Francisco Museum of Art was housed in the War Memorial Veterans Building in 1965.

© Bonnie Ora Sherk 1970 Bonnie Ora Sherk discusses her and Howard Levine’s performance art piece “Portable Parks II” with Caltrans officials.

Courtesy SFMOMA / © Nayland Blake “Work Station #5” by Nayland Blake, a 1990 SECA Art Award winner.