In 2016, the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Bogotá (MAC) celebrates 50 years of existence with an event that will include the participation of several guest curators. The event will celebrate two anniversaries that are very special for this cultural venue: its institutionalization and opening. On August 15 of 1966, the MAC was founded by priest Rafael García-Herreros and Germán Ferrer-Barrera, who secured the donation of works by several artists of the time. Since the beginning, and as part of its mission, the museum has aimed at "promoting the participation and inclusion of publics to generate socially-oriented thinking and meaning through the lens of culture, as well as irradiating and transforming academic, local, national and international communities," which has fostered a special relationship with the adjacent public. To mark the occasion, a cultural party was planned for July 16 that included performances, dance, concerts and video projections. Also, on November 25, 2016, another important date of vital importance for the MAC will be celebrated with artistic activities. The ocassion will mark the 50th anniversary of Museum's official opening to the public with an exhibition of the 55 works donated by artists for the foundation of the collection in a hall of the Colegio Minuto de Dios. Some of these artists included: Alejandro Obregón, Antonio Grass, Bernardo Salcedo, Cecilia Porras, Eduardo Ramírez-Villamizar, Feliza Bursztyn, Manuel Hernández, Neife del Valle, Raúl Marroquín, Ricardo Gómez-Campuzano, Santiago Cárdenas, Beatriz González, Beatriz Daza, David Manzur, Enrique Grau, Francisco Cárdenas, Gastón Bettelli, and Lucy Tejada. In 1970, the increase in the activities and new donations for the collection led to the construction of a new building designed by architects Eduardo del Valle and Jairo López that became the first building in Colombia specifically designed for a museum During its 50 years of existence, the MAC has significantly contributed to the dissemination, study, and appropriation of contemporary artistic practices in Colombia, through exhibitions like: "Salon of August," "Salon of Fire," "Salon of New Visual Expressions," "Festival of Contemporary Electronic Arts," and "Thesis Project," which will have its 23rd edition in September of this year. The Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Bogotá boasts a permanent collection of more than 1,300 works—by artists from Colombia, Latin America, Europe, and the United States—produced between the second half of the 20th century and today. In addition to the celebrations of those two dates, and with the intention of maintaining a continuous dialog with its various publics in different parts of the country and achieving an even greater international projection, the institution offers a special program of events throughout the year. More information is available at: http://www.mac.org.co/