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The Copper Country Community Arts Center (CCCAC) is located in downtown Hancock at the base of the Keweenaw, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Established in 1992 as a sales gallery, the CCCAC steered by community interest and thoughtful leadership, unfolded as a venue that includes three gallery spaces, a well-lit classroom, a professional photo darkroom, a clay studio cooperative, and a working letterpress studio with a teaching printer-in-residence.
The Artists Market sales gallery represents 100 local and regional artists through a juried process, reviewing new work five times a year and serving as a market entry point for new and emerging artists. The Kerredge Gallery features monthly curated exhibitions. A mix of regional and visiting artists are invited to exhibit with programming and residencies designed to engage with other artists and the community. There are two theme-based community calls for art. One is in collaboration with the city of Hancock for its Finnish mid-winter outdoor festival. The other is for art related to the copper mining history which continues to have a strong presence. These exhibitions are an invitation to participate. The Youth Art Gallery is dedicated to celebrating art by young people and is a connecting point to public school art programs and provides activity-based exhibitions for youth and families.
The educational program runs year-round with afterschool classes for youth as well as adult classes in various mediums including watercolor, printmaking, letterpress, clay, fiber art, book arts as well as foundational classes in drawing, color and design – all by professional teaching artists.
The CCCAC started building a Permanent collection in 1998 to preserve and tell the story of art in the Copper Country through individual artists living here as early as the 1930’s to the present. The collection includes paintings, photographs, pottery, and woodwork and has grown to include 130 pieces by 26 artists. We continue to collect the work of past artists while building the collection of contemporary Copper Country artists. Recognizing the value of public art, the city of Hancock installed eight full sized weatherproof reproductions from our permanent collection along walking paths and green spaces throughout town.
The CCCAC is a Regranting Agency for the Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC) ensuring state funding reaches the six western counties in the UP. Grant programs include Arts Projects, Professional and Organizational Development, and support for school arts programs. Additional outreach includes ongoing conversations to strengthen support for Folk and Traditional Arts and Creative Aging.
The Copper Country Community Arts Center is owned and operated by the Copper Country Community Arts Council, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization established in 1972 whose mission is to Foster an Environment Where the Arts and People Grow Together. It employs two full time staff. Programs are supported in part by grants from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. It is free and open to the public February through December. Hours are Tuesday through Friday 11-6 and Saturday 10-2.
Visit www.coppercountryarts.com to learn more and connect on Instagram @coppercountryarts or @cc_artists_market
Celebrating 10 Years (2013- 2023) 