Virginia MOCA in Virginia Beach is a non-collecting contemporary art museum and community arts center centered on rotating exhibitions, public programs, and the annual Boardwalk Art Show. Its origins reach back to 1952, when a local artists’ benefit grew into the Virginia Beach Art Association. The institution evolved through mergers, new facilities, and changing names before adopting its current name after museum accreditation in 2010 and opening a new home at Virginia Wesleyan University in 2026. Its history also includes a 1962 segregation controversy involving artist and educator A.B. “Alec” Jackson, whose later admission and recognition reflected change within the organization.