Why Give

CCAP creates innovative arts programming that impacts students, families and communities throughout Chicago.

The Center for Community Arts Partnerships (CCAP) was founded on a mission to link the academic departments of Columbia College Chicago with diverse communities throughout the City of Chicago. Since its inception 10 years ago, CCAP has become a leader in building unique partnerships between college and community. As a result, CCAP’s programs and initiatives are improving the quality of education for young people throughout Chicago. Last year alone, CCAP served over 3,500 at-risk youth through more than 75 Community Schools programs and 56 arts integration residencies at 10 school sites, and 19 art projects in partnership with 23 community-based organizations throughout Chicago.

Rather than simply designing outreach projects, CCAP develops and implements arts education programming that cultivates sustainable, reciprocal partnerships between college, schools and community. CCAP’s work takes many forms. There are programs that support the students, teachers and parents of K-12 Chicago and Evanston Public Schools through its Community Schools, Project AIM, Illinois PIRC and Saturday Scholars initiatives. CCAP’s Urban Missions program and Arts in Youth and Community Development graduate program create important collaborations with community-based arts organizations throughout Chicago. Columbia College students and faculty are also provided with avenues for real world, experiential learning, thanks to service-learning components developed through CCAP's partnership with the academic departments of the college. Through all of these programs and initiatives, CCAP helps improve student learning and engagement.

So, why give to CCAP?