Capital City Arts Initiative

HISTORY

Visual artists, Sharon Rosse and Jon Winet, founded CCAI in 2002 in recognition of a need for a contemporary arts program and in response to a citywide 2001 Carson City arts assessment that requested “more art by artists from outside the area and additional exhibition venues for local artists”. The young organization incorporated these assessments into its ongoing mission. CCAI was an active participant in the 2015 – 2016 update of the city’s Arts and Culture Master Plan through the Carson City Cultural Commission.

Launched in 2003 with its Nevada Neighbors program, CCAI has presented 80 public talks by artists, curators, scholars. From 2003 – 2019, the in-person presentations took place at the city’s Community Development Building or at the Carson City Library. The speakers also gave their in-person talks at local high schools and colleges, including at Sierra Nevada University from 2007 – 2019. The Carson City Library co-sponsored the series from 2003 – 2015. As of 2020, the talks are recorded digitally and archived online. 

The Initiative launched its Exhibition Program in 2004 in the CCAI Courthouse Gallery, located in the second floor atrium of the city’s functioning Courthouse, home to the Judicial and District courts. The Initiative has presented exhibitions annually in the Courthouse Gallery, since 2004; in the city’s Community Development building, “the Brick”, since 2010; and in the Community Center’s Crowell Board Room (formerly the Sierra Room), since 2015, the site for all city official board and commission meetings. CCAI began doing the exhibitions in Western Nevada College’s Bristlecone Gallery in 2020. These venues bring art to the buildings’ visiting public and resident staffs. Since 2004, CCAI produced exhibitions by local artists in other non-traditional art venues including a thrift store, a Harley-Davidson showroom, a coffee shop, a garden shop, and in collaboration with St. Mary’s Art Center, Virginia City (2008 – 2015). From 2004 – 2023, CCAI produced 160 exhibitions in these venues.

CCAI commissions essays by arts writers for the Courthouse and Bristlecone exhibitions [since 2004] and previously for the St. Mary’s Art Center residencies. The essays are available in the galleries during the exhibits and archived on this website.

Through its Artists In Education program since 2004, CCAI artists work with art students at Carson High School in Carson City, Douglas and Whittell high schools in Douglas County, and Dayton High School in Lyon County. CCAI also works art students and faculty at Western Nevada College, Carson City.

CCAI has had numerous Artists In Residence. Artist Justin Favela worked with over 30 volunteers who helped install his Saludos Amigos exhibition the week before the opening reception in October, 2019. Artists Teri Barnes and Kara Savant taught a series of art workshops for all students at Silver Stage Middle School, Silver Springs, NV, in fall 2019 and spring 2018. Artist Zoe Bray worked with Silver Stage Middle School’s G.R.E.E.N. Team in fall 2019 making art from recycled objects that the students collected. In fall 2016, UNR grad student and ceramic artist, Tom Drakulich, was in residence with the ceramics program at Douglas High School. Photographer and UNR Journalism Professor, Howard Goldbaum, produced a residency project in spring 2011, with Douglas High photography students and teacher KC Brennan. From 2008 – 2015, the Initiative produced an annual artist residency/exhibition project at St. Mary’s Art Center in Virginia City, Nevada; participating artists came from California, Iowa, and Nevada.

In April 2019, Nevada Humanities honored CCAI with its “Friend and Champion of the Humanities”, a state-wide award for cultural contributions. https://www.ccainv.org/humanities-award/

CCAI presented its Books & Writers series, in co-sponsorship with the Carson City Library, from 2010 – 2014. Artists from Nevada, California, Texas, and Colombia, SA gave readings and workshops to the local community and in area schools.

Financial History Highlights: The National Endowment for the Arts [NEA] has awarded six Challenge America grants to the Initiative for exhibitions in 2024, 2019, 2018, 2015, 2013, and 2012. The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts awarded CCAI multi-year grants in 2015 – 2016, 2010 – 2011, and 2006 – 2007; CCAI was the first Nevada recipient of a prestigious Warhol Foundation grant. Note: CCAI operates on a July 1 – June 30 fiscal year and its EIN is 20-1343468.

Thank you for your support. The Capital City Arts Initiative is a 501c3 nonprofit organization for both federal and state tax purposes. Contributions are tax-deductible.