Programs
CCAC programming directly delivers the arts to artists and residents of Cattaraugus County and surrounding regions. With free or low-cost workshops offered throuhgout the region, as well as more intensive fee-based courses offered at our Community Art & Pottery Studio (CAPS), community members have a wide array of new opportunities to explore creativity and have some fun! Our other major programs, Routes to Art and Southern Tier Biennial, bring culture in our area, while stiumlating economic development for regional artsits and communities as a whole.
Community Art & Pottery Studio Classes
The Community Art & Pottery Studio offers a diverse range of indepth art instruction, ranging from painting and pottery to jewelry design and cooking classes. See our list of current classes.
To register for classes, visit our list of current classes for online registration. To register by phone, call 716-372-5996 with the class you'd like to take, your name, address, phone number, email address, and if you are CCAC member. Payments are requested in advance to secure registration, and may be submitted online or mailed to P.O. Box 406, Olean, NY 14760. Please read our cancellation policy before registering.
For discounted rates on CAPS classes, become a member! Also, see our ever-growing list of previously offered classes. Popular classes will be repeated! If you need directions to CAPS, visit our contact page.
Workshops
CCAC sponsors hands-on, free and low-cost workshops in libraries and other venues throughout Cattaraugus County. Our workshops are sometimes the only opportunity many residents will have to participate in art instruction that is presented in a fun and nurturing environment. The library art workshops have been attended by thousands of Cattaraugus County residents in the past seven years. Workshop topics have included: oil painting, guitar playing, metal sculpture, art books, creative writing, acting, origami, basket weaving, pottery, photography, landscape painting, jewelry making, watercolors for kids, and belly dancing. See our list of current workshops.
Routes to Art
During the weekend of May 17 - 18, 2008, CCAC debuted Routes to Art, an open studio weekend and month-long exhibition. Across the country, art tours have helped increase artist recognition and revenues, and CCAC is proud to present this opportunity to the region's artists. By joining Routes to Art, artists are a part of these powerful marketing tools: a four-color brochure, a website, an exhibition at the Quick Center for the Arts (openning April 18th and running through May 30), and a professional development workshop. Visit RoutestoArt.com for event and artist information, as well as directions to each studio.
Southern Tier Biennial
The Southern Tier Biennial allows artists in the Southern Tier to experience a juried art competition and exhibition biannually. The 2005 and 2007 shows were extremely successful, showcasing the vitality and diversity of contemporary art in New York State's Southern Tier region. This project is a collaboration among the Cattaraugus County Arts Council, Olean Public Library Gallery, and Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation. For the 2007 Southern Tier Biennial, we were pleased to be able to present each artist accepted into the show with a $100 stipend to help allay costs associated with travel, shipping, and production. In addition, five cash awards totaling $3,000 were presented: $500 for Best of Category in each of four categories and $1,000 to the Best of Show winner. The Best of Show winner will also be presented with a solo show in spring of 2008 at the Olean Public Library Gallery with a four-color catalog, a $1,000 honorarium, associated travel expenses, up to $1,000 for professional development (workshops, training, etc.), and up to $1,000 for show expenses (framing, displays, etc.). Accepted artists are also included in a full-color catalog. All artists who enter the competition will receive one copy of the catalog. Accepted artists will receive five copies. Catalogs will be offered free of charge to visitors at the Olean Public Library.