Chicago Photography Center

Outreach

CPC is invested in giving back to the Chicago community. Photography is about more than capturing a moment in time with a camera. It's about learning a skill, expressing a vision, growing as an artist, connecting with people and places, and more. Through our Community Outreach Programs, volunteers take photography to people who might not otherwise have access to it. Together we teach a little, talk a lot and take some wonderful photos.

CPC volunteers work with people in local supportive housing programs to:

• Provide meaningful opportunities for creative self-expression
• Reduce the social isolation that many participants experience
• Bring photography to members of the community who might otherwise not have access to it
• Promote a culture of volunteerism among CPC photographers

Each weekend, CPC volunteer and program participants meet to explore Chicago neighborhoods, parks, the lakefront, the Lincoln Park Zoo and other destinations. Equipped with cameras provided by CPC, the group captures the city on film and memory cards while also learning about photography, the city and each other. CPC volunteers collect the cameras at the end of the outing and print the photos, which are given back to the program participants at the next walk-about and used to foster conversations about photography as the group prepares for that day's outing.
 
If you are interested in learning more about our community outreach programs, please contact us at outreach@chicagophoto.org.