Organized originally as a grassroots effort by an ambitious group of local artists to provide a showcase for the arts. MCA has evolved into an active, diverse arts center committed to an enriched quality of creative life for all. These men and women came from Allegheny College and the surrounding Meadville area. They had a dream to offer a home to budding and established artists in which they could express their artistic abilities.

Once a raw attic space, MCA has since been able to provide community members with an abundance of resources involving the arts as it has sprouted and grown from its humble beginning. Today, the walls of Meadville Council on the Arts are lined with memorabilia and signifies of community building in Meadville through the arts.

Located on the 2nd floor of the historic Meadville Market House, MCA houses an art gallery, a theatre/performance space, and art and dance studios offering exhibits, concerts, readings, lectures, workshops, & classes. MCA continues to change and evolve, with new programs, gallery events, classes, and more.