Meet Center for Contemporary Arts Santa Fe
The Center for Contemporary Arts Santa Fe (CCA) is a community-supported arts center that showcases the best in cinema, contemporary chamber music, immersive theater, contemporary art, and more. CCA offers a year-round schedule of activities and numerous weekly events. If you live in Santa Fe, or you’re visiting from out of town, there’s always an engaging artistic experience for you at CCA.
CCA Cinema
CCA Cinema is Santa Fe’s only independent, nonprofit cinema and is a popular destination for film enthusiasts. Featuring two screening rooms — a 109-seat theater and a 49-seat theater — CCA Cinema curates first-run independent and foreign films and documentaries. The theater also hosts several monthly film series, such as:
- Closer Looks: A series that looks at arthouse classics, accompanied by post-screening discussions.
- Amplified: A selection of music films and documentaries.
- Cult Films: A showcase of visionary, underappreciated films that have garnered dedicated followings since their initial, often overlooked, release.
In addition to these regular series, CCA Cinema presents special limited-time programs, such as a year-long series dedicated to the work of legendary documentarian Frederick Wiseman. The CCA Cinema Gallery in the lobby between the Cinema and Studio theaters highlights emerging Santa Fe artists. It also features the CCA Cinema Library, which houses a collection of quarterly and monthly film publications to which CCA subscribes.
CCA actively participates in the annual Santa Fe International Film Festival and hosts screenings for the Jewish Film Festival, as well as various local nonprofits and school programs. Discounted tickets are available for students and individuals with limited economic resources to ensure accessibility to independent film.
Collaborations with Other Nonprofit Organizations
CCA collaborates with other nonprofit organizations that call the Center their Santa Fe home. These include Chatter, The Exodus Ensemble, and the Tia Collection, each contributing to the center’s broad cultural offerings.
- Chatter: On 50 Saturday mornings each year, Chatter presents contemporary chamber music concerts in the CCA Muñoz Waxman Gallery. Each performance features an hour of music curated by Chatter’s artistic team and a reading from a guest poet or writer.
- The Exodus Ensemble: This theater company stages contemporary productions in the CCA Spector-Ripps Gallery. Exodus is known for its bold adaptations of classic works, blending live performance with cinematic elements and audience interaction. These performances, rated Theatre-MA, are intended for audiences aged 18 and older.
- Tia Collection: Established in 2007, Tia Collection is a global art collection based in Santa Fe. Through its lending program, partner exhibitions, and publications, Tia aims to foster dialogue, stewardship, and scholarship of art. The organization curates a bi-monthly exhibition in the CCA Muñoz Waxman Gallery, with each installation designed to offer fresh perspectives on contemporary art.
About the Center for Contemporary Arts
Founded in 1979, the Center for Contemporary Arts Santa Fe was established as a grassroots organization with a mission to enrich the community through the arts. Over the decades, CCA has remained a cornerstone Santa Fe’s creative landscape, drawing thousands of visitors annually to its independent films, music and theater performances, exhibitions, and educational programs.
As one of the longest-running artist-centered organizations in the American Southwest, CCA provides meaningful experiences that contribute to the cultural landscape Santa Fe.
The Center for Contemporary Arts Santa Fe, Inc. is a New Mexico nonprofit corporation organized under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code. CCA is funded solely through the generosity of its donors and the Santa Fe community. They welcome new members and donations through the CCA website.
CCA is located at 1050 Old Pecos Trail in Santa Fe and offers free parking for all events hosted at their facility. Doors open half an hour before the first showtime of the day. Except when booked for special events, CCA is open seven days a week.