MCA Denver's new executive director loves art, ideas and "chance encounters." And he's bringing something else to the job: the Lab at Belmar.

The hiring of Adam Lerner, announced Tuesday, also offers the potential of more collaboration with the Denver Art Museum.

MCA began a search for a new leader when Cydney Payton left that post in late October - a year after she opened MCA's sleek new $15.9 million building in the Central Platte Valley.

Lerner, who starts at MCA on March 16, founded the Lab at Belmar in 2004 and moved into its actual space two years later. He wants to transport the Lab's attitude, if not the name, to MCA, where he also will guide the curatorial program.

"It's about not taking yourself so seriously, about loving art and loving ideas and loving chance encounters," he said of the tone that has marked the Lab.

The MCA board was taken by that approach, said the chairman of the search committee.

"I think what struck us immediately was Adam's depth of knowledge, his innovative ideas and his emphasis on collaboration," said Alan Becker, who also is vice president of the MCA board. "He had thought through 'How do you make art relevant to people today?' "

The MCA board will absorb several members of the Lab's board in a merger designed to play off MCA's curatorial strengths and the Lab's diverse programming.

"To merge these two institutions is like a dream," said the 42-year-old native of Queens, N.Y. "It's the best of all possible worlds."

In a note to Lab members, Lerner said the Lab will continue programming at its current location until April 26. After that, events will be at the new MCA building.

Before the Lab, Lerner was master teacher for modern and contemporary art at the Denver Art Museum. He still carries the title of affiliate curator for experimental programs there, though he termed that "a more symbolic connection."

Lerner received his doctorate from Johns Hopkins University and his master's degree from Cambridge University.