The Society for Contemporary Art was founded at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1940 to promote a better understanding and appreciation of the art of our time. Monthly programs provide members access to an exciting roster of leading national and international artists, dealers, critics, historians, and curators, as well as visits to distinguished private collections locally and abroad.

On an annual basis, acquisition committee members review a carefully selected group of contemporary works and present them together as an exhibition. The entire membership then votes to purchase one or more objects for the museum's permanent collection. Over the years, the SCA has become one of the museum’s most significant donors, contributing over 150 works by artists such as Carl Andre, Lee Bontecou, Larry Clark, Tacita Dean, General Idea, Leon Golub, Dan Graham, Jasper Johns, Guillermo Kuitca, Joan Mitchell, Jackson Pollock, Lorna Simpson, Nancy Spero, Wolfgang Tillmans, James Turrell, and Christopher Wool.