Chesapeake Arts Center Celebrates 25 Years of Inspiring the Community

The multidisciplinary facility has become a hub for arts education, exhibits, and performances in North Anne Arundel County.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 7:42pm

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Since opening its doors in 2001, the Chesapeake Arts Center (CAC) has firmly established itself as a creative home for all ages in the Chesapeake region, offering arts education, exhibits, and performances. Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, the center continues to break down barriers and make the arts accessible to everyone in the community through scholarships, free programming, and outreach efforts.

Why it matters

The Chesapeake Arts Center has played a vital role in providing enrichment opportunities and fostering a sense of community in a part of the county that previously lacked access to the arts. By ensuring the arts are available to all residents regardless of their financial means or experience level, the center has become an essential hub for personal well-being, creative expression, and community connection.

The details

Originally housed in the former Brooklyn Park High School, the 58,000-square-foot Chesapeake Arts Center underwent a major renovation in the late 1990s to transform it into a multidisciplinary facility with professional-quality resources. The center now features two theaters, two gallery spaces, a makerspace lab, and studios for classes and rehearsals. Since its establishment as a nonprofit in 2001, the CAC has offered scholarships and free programming to break down financial barriers and make the arts accessible to all.

  • The Chesapeake Arts Center first opened its doors in 2001.
  • The center is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026.

The players

Chesapeake Arts Center

A multidisciplinary arts facility that provides arts education, exhibits, and performances for the North Anne Arundel County community.

Donna Anderson

The executive director of the Chesapeake Arts Center.

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What they’re saying

“We're trying to make sure we are meeting people where they are and breaking down barriers. People say, 'Oh, I'm not an artist,' but one of the things we like to say is that everybody can be an artist and everybody is an artist. Everybody can do art — it's about the process, not the product.”

— Donna Anderson, Executive Director

“Art provides that respite where you just come and create. There's no rules.”

— Donna Anderson, Executive Director

What’s next

The Chesapeake Arts Center is planning to expand its reach beyond its walls through partnerships and off-site programming, with the goal of reminding residents that creativity belongs to everyone.

The takeaway

The Chesapeake Arts Center's commitment to accessibility and community engagement has made it an essential hub for personal growth, creative expression, and connection in North Anne Arundel County, proving that the arts can thrive and enrich a community when they are made available to all.