Economic Mobility grant helps Riverside Art Museum share stories, teach history, and engage at-risk youth in collaborative murals

Riverside, CA – The Riverside Art Museum (RAM) will further mission-driven work in the community with support from a recent $5,000 Bank of America economic mobility grant. The funds help families explore exhibits that share stories about their culture, children learn about history through art projects, and at-risk teens collaborate to create community murals.

“Bank of America’s funding helps the museum to continue and strengthen its contributions to the vitality and livability of our community through education, exhibitions, and community outreach programming,” says Drew Oberjuerge, RAM Executive Director. “We have a long-standing relationship with Bank of America, as well as common goals to make the arts more accessible and relevant to our region as we strive to build a thriving community.”

Relative to this partnership and commitment, RAM was also pleased to host a Bank of America Student Leader this summer, Zainab Qadir. During her paid internship, Zainab developed an interactive Play-the-Museum exhibit to engage diverse, multigenerational audiences in learning more about art and our community.

“Bank of America sees the arts as an important economic and cultural driver for a community, and we’re thrilled to continue our support of arts and cultural institutions like RAM. Whether it’s providing opportunities for youth, or enhancing the creativity and economy of a community, when businesses and nonprofits partner, the impact of the work is multiplied many times over,” says Raul Aballi, RAM Trustee and Senior Resident Director at Merrill Lynch, Riverside.

RAM also participates in Bank of America’s Museums on Us program, providing Bank of America and Merrill Lynch debit/credit card holders with free admission on the first full weekend of each month.

The Riverside Art Museum integrates art into the lives of people in a way that engages, inspires, and builds community by providing high quality exhibits and art education programs that instill a lifelong love of the arts. RAM relies on the generosity of members and donors to support its exhibitions, education programs, and special events. A 60-plus-year-old, non-profit cultural arts institution housed in a National Historic 1929 building designed by Hearst Castle and AIA Gold Medal-winning architect Julia Morgan, the museum welcomes over 50,000 visitors a year. The museum is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, 12:00 noon – 4:00 p.m. For information on exhibits, events, classes, memberships, or sponsorship opportunities, visit www.RiversideArtMuseum.org. For information about the proposed Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art, Culture & Industry of the Riverside Art Museum, visit www.riversideartmuseum.org/cheech. Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/riversideartmuseum) and Twitter (RAMRiverside).