Collection as foundation, network as strength: Muhka chooses an artistically ambitious network museum

Governing Body determines strategic direction after intensive participatory process

Antwerp, 16 July 2026 – The Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp (Muhka) made a clear strategic choice at its Governing Body meeting yesterday: the museum aims to develop into an artistically ambitious network museum, with its international collection as its foundation and collaboration as its driving force. A new artistic director will also be appointed. This decision will guide the transition period and the policy plan for 2029-2034. Muhka will remain an autonomous museum of contemporary art, with its internationally significant collection as its foundation.

An honest diagnosis as a starting point

The roadmap underlying this decision is the result of three parallel research tracks carried out in spring 2026: an internal organisational analysis, an external ecosystem consultation, in-depth interviews with artists, museums, curators and academies, and a series of thematic labs. An international expert group of museum leaders validated the conclusions before they were submitted to the Governing Body. The roadmap was developed in collaboration with MINO Agency.

The analysis is clear. Muhka has strong foundations: an internationally significant collection, established research expertise, a recognised position within the arts sector and committed staff. The challenge is not a lack of quality, but the need for greater coherence and collaboration. The analysis shows that, in the coming years, Muhka can build further on its strengths by placing the collection more centrally within its operations and embedding collaboration more firmly in its relationships with artists, partners and the wider arts sector.

Opening up more: the collection as a public resource

Muhka holds a rich and diverse collection of more than 8,000 artworks, artists’ archives, documentation and heritage collections built up over decades. Together, they offer unique perspectives on the history, present and future of contemporary art. This collection is not a static possession, but a public responsibility: to preserve, research, share and continually reconnect it with artists, audiences, the city and society. The collection also holds considerable potential to connect the various parts of the museum’s work more closely. The chosen direction makes the collection the active engine of the entire organisation: registration, collection storage, conservation, research, digitisation, presentation and mediation will be more closely connected; the collection will receive greater weight in terms of mandate and resources; and it will open up further to artists, researchers, academies, schools and the public.

Sharing more: Muhka as a partner in the arts sector

Muhka is also making a conscious choice to adopt collaboration as a structural working method: not as an addition to its own activities, but as their core. This starts in Antwerp, where the museum explicitly aims to position itself as a partner to other art institutions in the city. These institutions form a strong ecosystem whose potential is not yet fully used. This approach then extends to the Flemish museums of contemporary art and to the international network through L’Internationale, the European museum confederation of which Muhka is a co-founder. Collaboration does not mean giving up its own identity: Muhka remains an autonomous museum of contemporary art. It does mean that its collection, knowledge, infrastructure and international contacts will also be placed at the service of artists, partners and the wider arts sector.

Next steps

On 1 October 2026, Muhka will submit a transition plan to the Flemish Government, setting out how the chosen direction will be implemented in terms of organisation, collection management, public engagement, partnerships and infrastructure. In parallel, discussions will be held with the Flemish Government on a long-term accommodation solution that can sustainably support the museum’s full range of activities.

Timeline