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June 2026 | Dolores Mitchell

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 DOLORES MITCHELL

June 9 - July 17

Reception: Friday, June 26, 5:00-7:00 PM

Dolores Mitchell is considered by most to be a Chico arts icon. This exhibition provides a cross-section of the many subjects, styles and media Mitchell has practiced over decades.  Included are San Francisco fantasies as well as North state rice fields, orchards and bird refuges, and a Chico Icon series with Bidwell Mansion, the Senator Theater, bungalows and bar scenes.

Although Dolores Mitchell set her paints aside while teaching Art History at CSUC from 1970 to 2000, she continued to practice figure drawing and to sketch outdoors and in museums. She has a Bachelor’s degree in painting and a PhD in Art History from UCLA. After retirement, Dolores co-founded Avenue 9 Gallery with Maria Phillips and Giovanna Jackson, which gave her the incentive to paint seriously again. Mitchell is a regular contributor to Upgraded Living Magazine and promotes artists and art events in her newsletter, Art Talk. To sign-up for Art Talk, use this link.

Order an exhibition catalog here
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April 2026 | Creative Fusion

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April 7 - 24

Reception & Award Ceremony: Friday, April 24, 5:00-7:00 PM

Voting for People's choice awards starts on the first day of the exhibit and ends at 5:30 during the closing reception.

Awards will be announced at 5:45pm.

This exhibit brings together Chico's young, creative talent. Every year, our secondary school Art Teachers are tasked with selecting their student's most expressive and skillful artworks and preparing their work for exhibition. This is the only annual exhibit in our area to display the formative, 8 year span of our youth's creative development. Please join in celebrating creative minds at work in arts education.

$50 and $25 Cash prizes for 14 students are generously donated by Pennie Baxter and Teresa Gisske, Lisa and Jon Freeman-Wood, and Made in Chico.

Chico Jr. High

Chico Country Day

Chico High

CORE Butte Charter School

Inspire School of Arts & Sciences

Pleasant Valley High

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FOR TEACHERS

This is the 22nd year that Chico Art Center has produced this exhibition, started by Reta Rickmers! We are so proud to present the creative collaboration that happens in your classrooms.

Art & design work are welcome!

Cash prizes (donated by local patrons) will be awarded to outstanding artworks.

  • 10 artworks per teacher

  • 2D work must be ready to hang. Framing is not required. If it’s not framed, it must have a way to be hung. If mounted with a mat board, 4 Command strips per artwork is ideal.

  • 3D artworks must stand with no wobble.

  • Artwork is encouraged to be for sale. It sells as is. Frames are not removed.

 

IMPORTANT DATES

Deliver Artwork: Friday, March 27, 11:30am-4pm, Sat-Sun, March 28-29,10am-4pm

Exhibit On View: April 7 - 24

Reception & Awards: Friday, April 24, 5-7PM. (You may take home work after 7pm)

Pick Up Artwork during gallery hours (weekends 10-4): April 25-26 or after the reception ends on Friday.

WALL LABEL INFO

  • A short statement (3-5 sentences) from the student about the process/technique/digital program and their intent will really help jurors.

  • Student’s phone number so that they may be texted reminders about the reception. (This does not apply to Jr. High students).

Students may fill out this entry form

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March 2026 | The Art We Live With

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March 10 - 27

Selected works from the collections of Idie Adams & Alan Carrier, Ron & Sally Ginochio, Nathan Heyman, Lois Perkins and Marilyn & Earl Souza.

Reception:
Friday, March 13, 5:00-7:00 PM

 

Featuring artworks by:

Ellen Akimoto
Natasha Bittencourt-Silva
Jose Bodas
Sal Casa
Chunhong Chang
Jessica Eastburn
Wyatt Hersey
K@ng
Portia Lyde

Dave Lane
Richard Lea
Lauri Luck
Jeff Nebeker
Mariam Pakbaz
Ann Pierce
Steve Reoutt
Stan Sours
Richard Whitehead

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Museum Weekend 2026

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Chico Art Center's Special Offerings: 

Saturday, Feb. 28 - The Makers Cafe

Our free and family friendly maker space will supply you with plenty of free materials and tools you can use while you’re at Chico Art Center to create your own art. Enter our 1947 Pullman train car for a fully creative experience.

This particular café will be an open maker space for you to come and make art was such a wide variety of materials, cover a dinosaur in googly eyes, make a tiny diorama, go wild with the hot glue guns. Sky’s the limit!

This event is completely free to attend and family friendly though little ones will definitely need adult supervision on hand. Drop in anytime you like, we’re so excited to see you this Saturday!

 

Sunday, March 1 - Free Draw Station

Come draw at our easels placed in the gallery and on the deck. Ever tried Urban sketching? Draw the landscape outside, including our 1947 Pullman train car, people viewing the exhibit or the artwork itself. All ages welcome. Drawing supplies provided.
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Art Trivia Night

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At Chico Art Center!

The format is single player competition. There are four rounds of questions and there will be prizes for different rounds as well as a grand prize. Players are given an answer sheet. Questions or projected on the screen and they have a certain amount of time to answer, and then we move onto the next question. Come give it a try!

For questions contact Reta Rickmers at rrickmers@hotmail.com

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70th Anniversary Gala

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SILVER GALA ART TICKET
Tables are sold out! Thank you!
Purchase tickets- Sold Out! Thank you!
SILVER GALA ART MEDIUM SIZE

Honoring the Past,
Inspiring the Future

Celebrate 70 Years of Creative Community
with Chico Art Center!

Join us for an unforgettable evening as Chico Art Center (CAC) celebrates 70 years of artistic vision, collaboration, and community spirit in Chico and Butte County!

For seven decades, our community of artists, teachers, volunteers, students, and supporters have shaped CAC into a vibrant creative home. Together, we’ve built a legacy of artist-led classes, exhibitions, and events that have inspired generations - and we’re just getting started.

Dress to Inspire!

Embrace the theme with suggested attire. Arrive as your favorite artist or simply in your favorite color. Bring friends, bring family, or come solo — you’ll be welcomed into a joyful celebration of local creativity and the people who make it thrive.

What to Expect:

  • A delicious fully catered dinner by OM Foods
  • One complimentary drink ticket (with additional beverages available for purchase)
  • A silent auction featuring unique, locally sourced art and a raffle for locally sourced treasures
  • Honoring supporters who help keep creativity alive
  • A video tribute showcasing CAC’s 70-year journey
  • Live painting by local artists 
  • Fun photo opportunities
  • Live music with Shigemi Minetaka (keys, flute), Aman Cowell (trumpet) and Aron Linker (bass)

Why This Night Matters

Every ticket, every bid, and every moment of celebration helps support CAC’s ongoing programs and expansions — ensuring that creativity, community, and artistic expression continue to flourish for the next 70 years.

Let’s come together in gratitude and inspiration for the future.

We can’t wait to celebrate with you!