Lake Superior Art Association History

The Lake Superior Art Association is the largest and oldest arts association in Upper Michigan. On September 25th, 1951, a group of artists met at the Hotel Northland (now the Landmark Hotel) in Marquette to plan and discuss the idea of forming an arts and crafts association called the Lake Superior Creative Arts Association, later to become Lake Superior Art Association in Marquette, Michigan.

Then in 1959, led by LSAA member, Anita Meyland, Lake Superior Art Association  established Art on the Rocks. This art fair was held around the statue of Father Jacques Marquette. The name was derived from the location–on a black rocky hillside. There were 35 artists showing their work near the new Marquette Chamber of Commerce building on South Front Street.  It was held at this location from 1959-1964.

In 1965, the site of the outdoor art fair was moved to Presque Isle Park to enable more artists to exhibit and better parking.  Then from 1966-1968, it went back to Father Marquette Park. In 1966 with national recognition, TIME magazine, July 22, 1966  featured Art on The Rocks in a full page commercial ad showing an artist’s painting of the unique show site. Since then, Art on The Rocks has been on the top of many art show lists in America.

Eventually,  from 1969-2008, Lake Superior Art Association held Art on the Rocks at Presque Isle Park. It grew from 35 artists approximately to 150 artists yearly. Eventually, in 2008 Art on the Rocks moved to Mattson Lower Harbor Park for several reasons–no parking, increase in bus costs and coal dust from the electric plant on artwork.  In 2020 and 2021, there was no Art on the Rocks because of COVID19!

In 1985, Lake Superior Art Association received the Bronze Award of Excellence for its annual Art on the Rocks event at the first Michigan Governor’s Arts Awards.  Also, the Anita Meyland Gazebo on Presque Isle Park was dedicated on July 28,1985 funded by Lake Superior Art Association and gifted to the City of Marquette.

Prior to having a gallery space, exhibits were held throughout the community. In the late 1990’s LSAA encouraged the City of Marquette to create an arts and culture center. At this time, the Peter White Public Library was planning an expansion and LSAA supported an art center in the new edition. In 2000, the City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center opened and LSAA had a permanent home for the very first time. LSAA rents exhibit space but has free space for monthly meetings and workshops. More importantly, this alliance made it possible for other art groups to have a home as well. LSAA, INC became a tax exempt non-profit in 1989.

After more than 70 years, Lake Superior Art Association continues to be a premier organization in the region which promotes and supports the visual arts throughout Marquette County. It is a non-profit organization that donates back to the our art community to support various art related activities– programs, exhibits and a scholarship to Northern Michigan University.

The research on the Lake Superior Art Association has been reconstructed from numerous Mining Journal articles, Xerox lists of members and memorabilia from the four donated scrapbooks at the Marquette Regional History Center. There is a wealth of information on Lake Superior Art Association.