About Us
OUR MISSION
The mission of NICAA is to have a membership organization for the purpose of encouraging the appreciation of art as well as to support and promote education in the visual fine arts and performance arts in the communities served by NICAA, with emphasis on adult learning initiatives and interpretation projects.
Vasily Kandinsky, Improvisation No.30 (Cannons),1913.
Ref #1931.511.AIC, Public Domain.
HISTORY OF NICAA
​NICAA was created in the summer of 2019 following the decision by the Art Institute of Chicago to eliminate all Community Associates. A dedicated group of Northwest Indiana members, armed with the knowledge that those of us in our neighboring communities fervently believe in continuing our communal dedication to the arts, set out to develop, organize and implement what has now become our own local art association, providing excellent programs, bus trips and a study group series. While the debut 2019-2020 season began successfully with enriching art experiences, luncheons in beautiful venues and a higher than anticipated number of members, it was cut short in March by the onset of the Covid 19 pandemic. Utilizing Zoom and YouTube, our program and study group committees expeditiously reorganized our programs so that we could continue the shared experiences we have come to appreciate, albeit in a far less social atmosphere.
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We carefully opened our events to in-person lectures and luncheons, following CDC and Indiana State guidelines for our 2021-2022 season. Study Group continued on YouTube until the Lake County Library opened its doors to the public. Once again, our NICAA members supported these efforts. The 2022-2023 season was a resounding hit with all events fully open.
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This past season our membership numbers reached a new high as the Program and Study Group Committees once again brought us a wide variety of speakers and entertaining subjects which included Green Architecture, Charles Schultz, "Picasso's Women", UNESCO Buildings, Art in Music and a trip to the opera Aida.
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As NICAA begins our sixth season, all of us on the NICAA Board would like to thank you for your continued support, kindness and positive comments. As NICAA's President, I would like to also thank all of my wonderful Board members who have worked so hard each year to bring us such quality presentations. We are excited about the outstanding and unique art-related programs that we will be sharing with our NICAA members during our 2024-2025 season. These experiences, along with the opportunities to meet new and interesting people and continue old friendships among the NICAA community, will, hopefully, help make this our best season yet!
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Carrie Curran, Indiana Farm. PleinAir.
Outdoorpainter.com
"Art is unquestionably one of the purest and highest elements in human happiness. It trains the mind through the eye, and the eye through the mind. As the sun colors the flowers, so does art color life."
John Lubbock (1834-1913), "The Pleasures of Life"