Center for Creative Photography

The CCP building and galleries will be closed from July 3 through August 7 for exhibition installation.

El edificio y las galerías del CCP permanecerán cerrados del 3 de julio al 7 de agosto para la instalación de la exposición.

Today CCP highlights Summer Williams, who has been volunteering with the Center since 2025.

“Hello, my name is Summer Williams. I moved to Tucson from Oklahoma in 2025, where I worked in sales and early child development. When not at work, photography was what I loved doing most!

“Before moving to Tucson I was able to tour the city which is when I visited the CCP for the first time. As a long time lover of the arts, especially photography, I am very grateful that I get to be surrounded by such beautiful works of art while volunteering my free time with Lynn Richards and Aimee Baker, assisting them with exhibition preparations. It has been a pleasure getting to see the CCP from behind the scenes and seeing all of the detailed work that goes into the exhibitions for the public to enjoy.”

Thank you for all that you do, Summer!

Now Open: CCP’s Summer Chill Zone!

The Chill Zone is a relaxed, self-guided space for visitors to slow down and explore at their own pace. Discover new projects each week, browse art books, and create artwork of your own in a cool, creative environment. Drop-in workshops and hands-on activities will be offered throughout the month, making the Chill Zone a perfect summer stop for curiosity, creativity, and connection.

The Chill Zone is open from June 1 to July 2, Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Please note: the CCP will be closed on June 19 in accordance with the University’s observance of Juneteenth.)

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Also, join us this week for the first Chill Zone activity:
“Portraits & Stories: Story Time Inspired by Dorothea Lange”
Thursday, June 4, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

CCP’s Head of Collections, Kappy Mintie, will read aloud “Dorothea’s Eyes.” Inspired by the life and work of photographer Dorothea Lange, this beautifully illustrated book introduces young audiences to the power of observation, storytelling, and photography. Following the reading, visitors of all ages are invited to participate in portrait-inspired art activities exploring the many ways we see ourselves and others. This family-friendly program encourages close looking and hands-on making in a welcoming gallery environment.

See the full list of Chill Zone activities on the final slide. All activities are free and open to the public.

In 1991, photographer Rollie McKenna published her autobiographical book, “A Life in Photography,” which combined her writing with selections from her lifelong career in photography. Some three decades later, curators Jessica D. Brier and Mary-Kay Lombino of the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center at Vassar College published the first career survey of McKenna’s photography, including essays by Luísa Valle, T. Barton Thurber, and the CCP’s Rebecca Senf.

McKenna’s 1991 publication is out of print, but you can peruse an original copy in the CCP’s galleries during the final days of “Making a Life in Photography: Rollie McKenna,” closing this Saturday, May 16. Copies of Brier and Lombino’s newer publication are available for purchase at the Welcome Desk.

The Center for Creative Photography (CCP) at the University of Arizona is honored to announce the nine recipients of its several fellowships for the 2026–27 cycle. This year’s cohort of fellows demonstrates a range of creative interdisciplinary research projects that advance our understanding of and experience with the histories and practices of photography. The 2026–27 CCP Fellows are:

Ansel Adams Research Fellowship
Kaitlin Booher, William and Sarah Ross Soter Associate Curator of Photography, Columbus Museum of Art
Adam Monohon, PhD Candidate in Art History, University of California, Los Angeles

Kenneth J. Botto Research Fellowship
Lewis Young, PhD Candidate in Art History, University of Nottingham

Josef Breitenbach Research Fellowship
Ekalan Hou, PhD Candidate in History of Art and American Studies, Yale University

Michael Hawley Artist Research Fellowship
Aspen Mays, Chair of Photography, Print media, Painting, and Drawing, California College of the Arts

Harold Jones and Frances Murray Research Fellowship
Gary McLeod, Assistant Professor, Institute of Art and Design, University of Tsukuba

Photographic Arts Council–Los Angeles (PAC-LA) Research Fellowship
Saretta Morgan, Poet

Todd Walker Research Fellowship
James Honiball, Artist
Levi Sherman, PhD Candidate in Art History, University of Wisconsin-Madison