A message from our executive director and board president
Hello Friends,
In 2025, Richmond Art Center celebrates 89 years. It’s remarkable to imagine that through significant events like World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, and incredible technological advancements, the art center has remained here in Richmond, providing space for the community to make and experience art.
In today’s polarized era, many people are feeling uncertain and fearful about what the future holds—and we share those concerns.
During times of change, our goal is to continue offering programs that promote the benefits of art-making for people of all ages and backgrounds. We also aim to support artists who address our discontents, offering critique, provocation, hope, and healing.
As we look toward 2025, we ask for your support to help Richmond Art Center continue as an anchor for art and community in Richmond.
100% of funds raised this Giving Tuesday will go to our Scholarship Fund
December 3 marks Giving Tuesday—a global day of generosity that kicks off the holiday season.
This year, please consider contributing to Richmond Art Center’s Scholarship Fund. Your support helps students access no/low-cost art classes and attend summer camp for free.
“It is very rewarding to see our Richmond community have access to learning new artforms and blossom in these classes regardless of their financial circumstances.” – Elaine Moreno-Jolly, Scholarship Program Manager
Over the past twelve months, we awarded over $34,000 in scholarships to more than 130 children, youth, and adults. Now, our fund is running low, and we need to raise at least that much to continue these opportunities in 2025.
Mail a Check: Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Ave, Richmond, CA 94804 (note on the check’s memo line “Scholarship Fund”)
More About Our Scholarship Fund: Making art accessible to all is at the core of Richmond Art Center’s mission. Through our needs-based Art Boost scholarships, we offer free art classes and camps to community members who cannot afford them, including children, teens, and adults. We also collaborate with community partners – like the West Contra Costa Unified School District – to reach under-resourced populations, ensuring they can participate in our programs at no cost. In 2024, we awarded over 100 scholarships to youth and adults. Scholarship funds cover teacher salaries, materials, and some operating costs.
Thank you for being part of Richmond Art Center’s creative community. Your generosity ensures our programs remain accessible to everyone!
THANKSGIVING: Richmond Art Center will be closed Thursday, November 28, 2024 through Saturday, November 30, 2024.
WINTER BREAK: Richmond Art Center will be closed from Saturday, December 21, 2024 through Wednesday, January 1, 2025. Staff will be onsite again starting Thursday, January 2, 2025. Please see the exhibition and class calendar to find out when programs resume.
Class Registration Opens Wednesday, November 6, 2024, 10am
Winter classes run January through March 2025
Tips for Enrolling in Classes Online
Get Ready: Class listings are now available for preview on our website, so you can browse now and decide which class you’d like to join. If you see ‘Fully Booked,’ don’t worry—it will update once registration opens at 10am.
Don’t Panic When the Listings Disappear: It’s only temporary! Classes will disappear from view around 9am on 11/6 as we prepare to open them for registration.
Just Refresh Your Browser at 10am: At 10am (or as close as we can get), refresh your browser to see the classes reappear.
Be Patient: Our team is working as quickly as possible—thank you for your understanding!
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made our Día de los Muertos celebration this past weekend such a beautiful success! Fall Family Day was alive with art-making, music, dancing, and food—a community event to cherish.
This day wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible talents of artists Vane Hernandez, Luis Garcia, Joell Jones, Kim Thoman, Rachel-Anne Palacios, and Julia LaChica, as well as intern Ronaldo González, who designed the coloring pages!
And shoutouts to Lily Ochoa for her event photography and Gladys Vasquez for designing the beautiful event poster.
A big thank you to our partners at ArtsCCC for their support (we see you, Esther Rojas Soto, Jenny Balisle, and Silvia Ledezma!).
And finally, we send many thanks to Danza Azteca Teokalli who created the community altar and then showed us how they dance is how they pray. We are grateful for the opportunity to link hands with all of you as we sought permission from Mother Earth and the Four Directions in preparation for Día de los Muertos.
Location: Richmond Art Center (courtyard and galleries), 2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond, CA 94804
Each year, Richmond Art Center hosts our annual Fall Family Day, a free celebration open to the public with art activities, food, and live performances. This year’s event will celebrate Día de los Muertos and is happening on Saturday, October 19, from 12pm to 3pm.
To make this event a success, we rely on the support of amazing volunteers. Volunteers help set up booths, assist Teaching Artists, serve food, and greet visitors. We still need volunteers for this year’s event and would love to have your support!
HOW TO SEE THE VOLUNTEER POSITIONS & SIGN UP
Click the IVolunteer button below
Scroll Down to the section titled ‘Fall Family Day’
Read through positions and time slots and find the one that works for you
Thanks to a generous donor, if you donate by October 31, 2024your donation will be MATCHED—dollar for dollar—up to $10,000!
In spring 2025, Richmond Art Center will present Time and Tide, the first major exhibition showcasing Richmond-based artist John Wehrle’s 50-year career. Curated by Jeff Nathanson, the exhibition will feature replicas of Wehrle’s landmark Richmond murals, like The Plunge and Revisionist History, as well as original work from his time as a Vietnam War combat artist.
Can you help us bring this exhibition to life? Please consider making a donation to support Time and Tide.
Thanks to an anonymous supporter, donations made before October 31 will be matched dollar for dollar.
Click the button below to donate online, or contact José R. Rivera at 510-620-6777 or jose@richmondartcenter.org.
Together, let’s celebrate John Wehrle’s art and legacy.
As a 501c3 non-profit, Richmond Art Center depends on your financial contributions to achieve our mission. Your donation is tax-deductible as allowed by law. (Tax ID 94-6104204)
A space to explore, buy and make zines at the Holiday Arts Festival!
Sunday, December 8 | Free Admission
Zine Zone: 10am-4pm
Cut + Paste Workshop: 11am-2pm
Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond, CA
Guess what? There’s going to be a Zine Zone at this year’s Holiday Arts Festival! This vibrant space celebrates zinemakers and indie artists who, through their creativity, remind us to stay connected to the arts, community, healing, and social justice. The Zine Zone will feature guest artists Alex Martinez, Avy Jetter, and Flood Tide Zines, along with a free, drop-in zinemaking workshop, and plenty of community zinesters.
Friendly reminder, we ask everyone entering the Zine Zone to wear a mask. If you forget yours, don’t worry—we’ll have extras available.
In spring 2025, Richmond Art Center will present Time and Tide, the first major exhibition to offer a comprehensive survey of the work of Richmond-based artist John Wehrle. This exhibition will narrate Wehrle’s 50-year artistic journey, featuring replicas of his murals and gateways throughout Richmond, as well as original paintings and sketches he created as a combat artist during the Vietnam War. Curated by Jeff Nathanson, Time and Tide will showcase over 40 early studies, sculptures, photographs, and large-scale paintings, supported by public programs, a print catalog, and online content.
We need your help to bring this ambitious project to life!
Wehrle’s murals, like The Plunge and Revisionist History, are Richmond landmarks. This exhibition will offer a unique chance for both long-time fans and new audiences to appreciate his complete body of work. But we need the community’s support.
Your donation, any amount, will help us:
Publish a 40-page full-color catalog with new essays and interviews
Offer public programs such as panel discussions, youth art tours, and a family day
Provide Spanish-language materials to ensure accessibility
To donate, CLICK HERE (select ‘John Wehrle Exhibition’ as the designation) or contact José R. Rivera at 510-620-6777 or jose@richmondartcenter.org. Any contribution, large or small, will make a difference.
Together, let’s celebrate John Wehrle’s art and legacy.
Discover the expressive potential of pastels. Working from various floral arrangements, students will explore techniques that bring their artwork to life. Each week, instructor Jennifer Linderman will provide a range of pastels for students to experiment and play with. Beginners welcome.
Students in this class will also have the opportunity to exhibit their work in our galleries. The Across Land and Sea exhibition will feature artworks from Jennifer Linderman’s fall classes—’Oceanic Adventures with Acrylics and Mixed Media’ and ‘Floral Expressions in Pastels’.
