State funds will support sustained artistic residencies in Riverside’s Eastside

Riverside, CA – The California Arts Council announced its plans to award $9,978.80 to the Riverside Art Museum (RAM) as part of its Artists in Communities program.

Artists are integral to healthy communities, and the arts are a societal cornerstone that brings people together, builds community, and fosters social progress. The Artists in Communities program supports artistic residencies by centralizing artists and their artistic processes as vehicles for community vitality. Funded projects are artist-driven and engage community members as active participants.

With support from the California Arts Council, RAM will engage with the diverse residents of the city’s Eastside neighborhood via planning workshops and hands-on art-making happenings facilitated by artist Juan Navarro in collaboration with the Eastside Heal Zone. Through his creative vision and in conversation with the community, the artist will facilitate large-scale art installations to activate under-utilized public spaces in Eastside neighborhoods.

“We are so grateful for this funding to continue our work with residents of the Eastside, alongside our great partner Eastside Heal Zone,” says Drew Oberjuerge, RAM Executive Director. “This work is one of the most inspiring and exciting mission-driven programs we have the privilege to do.”

The Riverside Art Museum is one of 71 grantees chosen for the Artists in Communities program. The award was featured as part of a larger announcement from the California Arts Council.

“When artists and community come together, powerful ideas are forged,” says Nashormeh Lindo, Chair of the California Arts Council. “They create a symbiotic relationship, where each engages and inspires the other toward a common purpose. The partnership between the Riverside Art Museum and Navarro established through this Artists in Communities project will be an invaluable asset to the Eastside neighborhood.”

To view a complete listing of all Artists in Communities grantees, visit http://arts.ca.gov/programs/files/FY1718_ProjectDescriptions_AC.pdf.

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 at the Riverside Art Museum, visit www.riversideartmuseum.org/cheech. Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/riversideartmuseum), Twitter (RAMRiverside), Instagram (@riversideartmuseum), and Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/ramarts).

The mission of the California Arts Council, a state agency, is to advance California through the arts and creativity. The Council is committed to building public will and resources for the arts; fostering accessible arts initiatives that reflect contributions from all of California’s diverse populations; serving as a thought leader and champion for the arts; and providing effective and relevant programs and services. Members of the California Arts Council include: Chair Nashormeh Lindo, Vice Chair Larry Baza, Phoebe Beasley, Christopher Coppola, Juan Devis, Kathleen Gallegos, Jaime Galli, Donn K. Harris, Louise McGuinness, Steven Oliver, and Rosalind Wyman. Learn more at www.arts.ca.gov.