Programs Descriptions

The Center for Contemporary Arts, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation, was founded in 1989 with the support of the Abilene Cultural Affairs Council to provide enriching and educational experiences for the region’s communities through the promotion and support of artists.  The Center serves the community through three major programs:

Exhibits
During 2010-11 the Center will present 26 exhibits in four galleries:

The Jane Adams Breed Gallery, our main gallery, will feature solo artists selected from our 70+ artist members including: painter, Ash Almonte, husband and wife artist duo Larry and Kathie Walker-Millar, and potter Brandon Phillips.

Gallery II, the Center's photography gallery, will feature The White Board Project by Michael Itkoff, Reclaiming the Beauty of the Battlefields by Ann McDonald, and the Texas Photographic Society's annual exhibit.

Gallery III provides group exhibition opportunities for Center artists, the Texas Art Education Association V.A.S.E. competition, and groups like the West Texas Photographic Society and Creative Arts Club. 

Gallery IV, our newest space, offers flexible scheduling for small solo and visiting exhibits, from non-traditional photography to three-dimensional installations. 

ArtWalk
ArtWalk, a major program of the Center, was initiated in 1993. Held the second Thursday of each month, this celebration of visual and performing arts draws thousands of people each year to Abilene's historic downtown area. In 2009-10, the Center's ArtWalk Program enabled over 100 businesses and 12,000 visitors to enjoy the monthly mini-arts festival.

In April 2009, the Center opened up our "Earth Day ArtWalk" to international students at Abilene Christian University to allow the international students the opportunity to share their heritage and traditions with members of the Abilene Community. Over 25 students actively participated in the event that brought in 900 visitors to the Center that evening. Participants commented on the energy, talent, and variety of art available at the ArtWalk that evening. In 2010, the Center again collaborated with the students to present "International ArtWalk" where over 850 visitors celebrated the culture and customs of Abilene's talented international students.

This year, the boards of trustees and the staff at the Center have reconfigured our ArtWalk Program to allow a broader audience-base to become involved in the event. Due to this effort, the Center will collaborate with agencies/businesses such as the Abilene Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Abilene Christian University, Abilene Downtown Association, Abilene Performing Arts Company, the Alzheimer's Association, Arrow Ford, Dyess Air Force Base, Lawrence Hall Abilene, Rescue the Animals, STAR Dodge-Hyundai, The Park People, and many more to bring the community a wide variety of themed ArtWalks.

A new addition to the ArtWalk Program is the inclusion of monthly gallery talks. Exhibiting artist(s) present to ArtWalk visitors insight into their exhibits and lead public discussions containing topics such as art history, technique, and self-expression.

The gallery talks continue to be very popular among our visitors and the Center will continue to research how to better educate and reach our audience through the ArtWalk Program.

ArtWalk continues to serve as a model for other cities seeking revitalization through the arts, as evidenced by Odessa, Irving arts organizations, and the interest of San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts in creating a similar program. It is through collaborations with such organizations as the Grace Museum, The NCCIL, and Frontier Texas that the Center, has become a critical stimulus for mutual support and promotion through ArtWalk.

ArtReach
ArtReach, the Center’s arts education and outreach program serves the special needs community including the elderly, mentally/physically challenged and at-risk youth.  Paid artist members and instructors will serve more than 1,500 individuals from social agencies and area schools with the following ArtReach programs:

ArtViews
Video documentaries of exhibiting artists now accompany all Breed Gallery exhibits.  “ArtViews: Bridging the Gap” is accessible in the gallery providing visitors insight into the processes, techniques and biographical/geographical factors that influence the creation of art.