HISTORY

For more than 150 years, painters have visited the picturesque towns that make up Cape Ann, finding inspiration in the seascapes, quarries, and marshes along with the fishing industry. Rockport has played host to many of the very best, most celebrated artists in America from the 19th century to now, including Aldro T. Hibbard, William Lester Stevens, Theresa Bernstein, Harry Vincent, and many more. The RAA&M Collection houses an array of paintings by several of these artists.

By 1900, many artists were arranging to spend their summers in studios on Bearskin Neck. According to local history books, those early days were communal times. Without modern distractions, the creative community seemed to spend more time just talking, and certainly some of the talk must have been about art, for on July 22, 1921, a group of these artists formed an organization that would support their endeavors.

Since 1921, the Rockport Art Association & Museum has been a gathering place of New England artists. With a long and distinguished history, the RAA&M welcomes thousands of visitors from all over the world with the promotion of year-round programs and exhibitions. The RAA&M remains dedicated to making fine art appreciation accessible to all.

The RAA&M continues to be one of Cape Ann’s most prominent cultural beacons. Since its founding, the Association has steadily increased in size and currently includes approximately 250 artist & photography members, and hundreds of contributing members. Each year, the RAA&M hangs over 40 diverse exhibitions and offers a variety of educational programs including workshops, children's classes, sketch groups, artist demonstrations, gallery talks and artist lectures.

As the Rockport Art Association & Museum celebrates over 100 years in existence, the impact on community life continues to be stronger than ever.