Gallery Exhibitions
Located in the historic, 1892 Train Depot, CAC boasts an 900 square foot gallery space with professional lighting and a high, open beamed ceiling. Group shows, as well as solo exhibitions, presenting all media, are presented throughout the year. Through exhibitions at the Center, the diversity of talent that surrounds us is highlighted and recognized. Visit the Exhibitions page for the schedule.
Calls for Art
Calls for art elicit a wide range of proposals. Group shows, as well as solo exhibitions, representing all media are presented throughout the year. Annual and biennial community art exhibits include the Puzzle Show, Small Works, Pizza My Art and the Creative Fusion Junior High and High School Art Exhibition. The Discovery Series is designed to encourage regional artists in the exploration of their respective media and conceptual development. The All Media Exhibit invites artworks from all visual disciplines. The Member Show invites one work by current members.
Gift Shop
Purchase the latest works of art and hand crafted gifts for under $100 by CAC members. Just one more reason to visit! Credit Cards accepted.
Open Studios Art Tour
This annual, October, self-guided tour through local artists' studios gives curious art lovers the opportunity to watch the artists at work in their private, creative space.
Member's Exhibition
Chico is home to talented artists, many of whom support the arts through their membership in the Chico Art Center. All member artists have the opportunity each year to display their work in the gallery during the annual Member Show. This event showcases the interesting and diverse talents of our members.
Art Instruction
Four times per year a full schedule of artist-led classes are offered. CAC also offers special workshops, lectures, and demonstrations by guest artists. Our newsletter is distributed to all members, and includes announcements of upcoming events, and class or workshop registration information. Click here for more info.
Artists and the Community
Since its inception in 1956 as a non-profit community-based organization, Chico Art Center's mission is to foster and promote the visual arts. The Center has a long history of offering fine art instruction, professional gallery shows, and events that connect the public with artists. The intent now, as always, is to help the community appreciate the importance of visual art in our society. We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. We offer free arts programming through volunteerism and grant funding at our center, at free events such as the Downtown Thursday Night Farmers Market, Maker Muse Street Fair, ARTober Fest, Chico ART Festival in May, and in community settings, free of charge, to a diverse population.
Cultural Equity
The Chico Art Center believes that all members of our communities have the right to celebrate and engage in relevant and meaningful arts and cultural experiences. Our entire community should have opportunities to experience arts which nourish our self-esteem, while also reflect our diverse backgrounds and cultures. For example, an annual exhibition in November includes “offrendas” and other cultural traditions of Dia de los Muertos.
Our Art Center and those involved with management and its activities, strives to ensure racial and cultural equity in its art outreach, scholarships, leadership, resource allocation, partnerships with education, and within our arts programs and exhibitions.
We understand that equity is more than just inclusion and representation; and we acknowledge that access to resources created uneven starting points for many individuals and groups within our community. We work toward providing equitable and fair treatment, access, and opportunity for all members in our community, while continuing to identify barriers that may have prevented the full participation of some within these communities.
The Chico Art Center acknowledges that equity does not currently exist in the arts, and that this lack of equity crosses cultural, economic, and gender biases. Chico Art Center offers one year memberships in support of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) artists and makers. Members sell artwork in our Gift Shop, pay discounted fees for exhibit entry, enter the annual member exhibit and receive invitations to exhibits and events.
We are committed to an ongoing evaluation and review of the effectiveness of our cultural equity practices within all of our outreach and programs, and we maintain an open policy to all members of the community.
