The Art Center of Highland Park
A not-for-profit visual arts organization since 1960, The Art Center – Highland Park (TAC) provides a visual arts education to Highland Park and its surrounding communities, assuring access to the arts for all ages and cultural interests. This vigorous community-centered organization inspires everyone from tots through seniors to achieve and transform their world through more than 400 classes offered annually in photography, oil and acrylic painting, watercolor, pastel, mixed media painting, ceramics, jewelry making, metalsmithing, digital arts, fiber art, mosaics, assemblage and more. TAC also brings national and regional art of established and emerging artists to our galleries through 20 exhibits of contemporary art each year to the surrounding community and Chicagoland area.
Our Mission
The Art Center – Highland Park (TAC) is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to education in the contemporary visual arts through classes, outreach programs, gallery exhibitions and events. TAC is a community-based organization whose goal is to ensure access to the arts for all ages and cultural interests. The Art Center Highland Park is an Illinois 501 (c)3 not for profit organization.
Quick Links:
LINKS ◊ BOARD ◊ FACULTY ◊ STAFF ◊ MEMBERSHIP ◊ DONATIONS
ANNUAL SPRING GALA ◊ CRAFT FESTIVAL ◊ RECYCLED ART SALE
CLASSES ◊ CAMP ◊ EXHIBITS ◊ RENT THE FACILITY
Our Programs
- Classes and Workshops: over 400 visual arts classes and workshops are offered annually, serving over 1200 adult students and 500 children.
- Scholarships: more than 200 need-based scholarships are offered each year for classes, workshops and summer art camps.
- 20 Contemporary Art Exhibits are held throughout each year in our museum quality galleries, featuring emerging through established artists.
- The Highland Park Festival of Fine Craft, an annual June showcase of the region and nation’s finest in craft with over 25,000 attendees.
- Gogh Green! Recycled (Pre-Owned) Art Sale every summer, featuring thousands of donated art pieces for sale to benefit TAC’s scholarship program.
- Outreach Educational Programs partnering with the NSSRA, Tri-Con Nursery School, Highland Park Community Nursery School, Family Network, Nuestro, the Center for Enriched Living, the Highland Park Senior Center, and more.
- TAC Community Exhibit Outreach Program, mounting exhibits in libraries, restaurants, Heller Nature Center, and Java Love Coffee.
- February “Focus on Youth” Art Month, devoting all of TAC’s galleries each February to exhibiting the work of the talented students of Highland Park High School, Deerfield High School, and all District 112 elementary and middle schools.
- Emerging artists and TAC members exhibit in juried shows and TAC’s annual “In View: Member and Faculty” exhibit.
Board of Directors
Jonathan Plotkin, Board President
Elise Frost, Vice President
Terri Olian, Vice President
Lawrence P. Brown, Treasurer
Nancy Becker, Secretary
Ellen Wallace, Ex-Officio
Sherry Kaufman, Member at Large
Ia Backstrom
Scott Borre
Meg Callahan
Colleen Chandler
Becky Chodes
Michelle Field
Andrea T. Fraerman
Janice Goldblatt
Deborah Hall
Jill Takiff Hirsh
Penny Keeshin
Al Klairmont
Jackie Kott-Wolle
Pamela (PK) Kurkland
Kate McQueeny
Karen Paige
Seth Pines
David Rousso
Sal Veltri
Daniel Warsh
Nicki Woldenberg
Staff
Gabrielle Rousso, Executive and School Director
grousso@theartcenterhp.org
Erin Saltsgaver, Executive Assistant – School, Exhibits, Grants
esaltsgaver@theartcenterhp.org
Jacqueline Chilow, Events Coordinator
jchilow@theartcenterhp.org
Jennifer Barrows, Office Manager / Registrar
jbarrows@theartcenterhp.org
Renee Diedrichs, Bookkeeper
rdiedrichs@theartcenterhp.org
Efren Olivares, Maintenance and Exhibits Preparator
Mario Castrejon, Maintenance and Exhibits Preparator
Faculty
