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• Center ME Contemporary Art

Center for Maine Contemporary Art - offering one of Maine's most active year-round art exhibition schedules

The Center for Maine Contemporary Art (CMCA) is a contemporary art scene that exhibits work by 300-400 living artists each year. This nonprofit organization works to establish and sustain a network for Maine artists, offering exhibitions, educational programs and professional development workshops.

The CMCA began as the Maine Coast Artists, a small group of artists who came together in 1952 in Rockport, Maine, to put on a small summer art exhibition. Over the next 50 years, the Maine Coast Artists evolved into the Center for Maine Contemporary Art. Today, the Center welcomes more than 14,000 visitors each year to its facility in Rockland Maine. Located in the heart of downtown Rockland across from the Farnsworth Art Museum and adjacent to the historic Strand Theatre, the new CMCA has over 11,500 square feet of space, including three exhibition galleries (one which doubles as a lecture hall/performance space), a gift shop, ArtLab classroom, and a 2,200 square foot courtyard open to the public

Exhibitions cover a spectrum of styles and genres. Every year since 1970, CMCA has offered a juried exhibition of artists with ties to Maine. Other exhibitions have included: “Work of the Hand” Crafts Show and Sale; “Just Look at Yourself!” an exhibition that explored self-portraiture; Works by Karen Lewis; Annual Benefit Art Auction Preview; Works by Brenda Bettison; Photography of Thomas Peter Michelena; “Comic-al” an exhibition exploring the aesthetic, stylistic and conceptual influences comics have on art; and “On and Off the Midway” where 25 photographers celebrated 26 annual Maine state fairs and festivals.

CMCA actively supports local educational institutions and their students. Its exhibition and educational are an anchor for the city’s growing reputation as a year-round arts destination. With its focus on the art of current and future generations, CMCA’s exhibitions and educational programs are designed to inspire and serve people of all demographics, including local and statewide residents, visitors from throughout New England and beyond, and particularly the young creative people of the region.

CMCA also offers their facilities for certain special events, including weddings, parties, reunions, and business events. The scenic views of Rockland harbor and the inspiring, artful ambiance of the center make it an ideal location for many social or business occasions.

CMCA offers different levels of membership, several of which are fully tax-deductable and all of which offer tantalizing member privileges.

General admission is $6 per person. Admission is free to members and children under 12. The facilities are wheelchair accessible. Call 207-701-5005 for more information.