The History of Center for the Creative Arts

FoundED in 1979 by Marilyn L. Proctor

Center for the Creative Arts (CCArts) was founded in 1979 by Marilyn L. Proctor for “the purpose of establishing and maintaining a Center where people may have the opportunity to enjoy and participate in the arts as an enrichment to their lives and of the community.”

Marilyn L. Proctor was born in 1932, in Terra Haute, Indiana. She graduated as valedictorian at Indiana State University with a degree in art education. After marriage, Marilyn move to Wilmington, Delaware to raise her family while providing instruction in portraiture, pottery and weaving. Marilyn served as the Executive Director of CCArts until 1995.

Shortly after the organization’s founding, CCArts relocated to a rental space in our current facility at 410 Upper Snuff Mill Row, which was once the Yorklyn Elementary School building. CCArts officially purchased the old school building—which had been originally built in 1932—from the Red Clay Consolidated School District in 1981. 

Within the first few years of its inception, CCArts solidified itself as a vital gathering space within the community, offering an accessible space where people of all ages and abilities were welcomed and encouraged to explore a vast array of visual and performing arts programming. By maintaining a safe and comfortable space where peoples from all backgrounds could gather, connect, and create, CCArts developed a supportive and passionate creative community which has remained to the present day and only continues to grow.

Have any stories, images, or old publicity materials from the early days of CCArts (also known as CCA to those from our earliest beginnings) — please email them to us at info@ccarts.org :)