The Chicago Photography Center (CPC) grew out of a photography program started at the Jane Addams Community Center in the fall of 1969 and has been operating out of its current Lakeview space for close to ten years. In mid-2002, a small group of students and volunteers rented space at 3301 N. Lincoln Avenue and began to envision the space and community that exists today. The group worked closely to customize its new space for a photography program, including build-out, design and the installation of darkrooms. It opened its doors for classes in 2003, featuring film photography classes and some specialty courses such as lighting and matting.
Just a year later, CPC offered its first digital photography class. Since that time our curriculum has expanded to include a variety of digital classes, a lighting series and a wide range of specialty courses, workshops and boot camps. Students who are true beginners, advanced amateurs and anywhere in between will find something interesting in our offerings. Many of the volunteers who helped this vision come to life have remained with CPC to this day, serving its community in a variety of ways, including in our digital labs, darkrooms, on the board of directors and more. Our instructors come from a wide variety of photography backgrounds, sharing their professional and personal experiences with our students. CPC also supports the community through its youth and community outreach programs, using photography as a means to connect and grow through art, learning and sharing.
CPC’s goal is to provide a vibrant and flexible learning environment for beginning, emerging and accomplished amateur photographers throughout the Chicago area. We bring people together in an informal setting in which they can share their perspectives and develop their photography skills.
