26 Aug Richmond Art Center Celebrates Community and Creativity Ahead of 90th Anniversary

The Richmond Art Center at 2540 Barrett Ave., which traces its history to the 1930s, offers ample opportunities to enjoy, make and learn about art.

Story and photos by Joe Porrello

The Richmond Art Center has a little something for everyone.

The 24,000-square-foot space on Barrett Avenue is home to four galleries and seven studios, and offers art classes for all ages, scholarships, community events, and member perks.

Community Engagement Director Amy Spencer, who has worked there for six years, says the center, celebrating its 90th anniversary next year, continues to hold true to its founding mission: “To maintain and further in the community an active interest in the arts, graphic and plastic, and an interest in the creative hand-crafts.”

That was written in the 1930s by RAC founder Hazel Salmi, and rediscovered in 2019 by a volunteer sorting through the archives.

“In the time I’ve worked here, I’ve seen how that’s been embodied through the exhibition program,” Spencer said.

Spencer, originally from Australia, studied Indigenous and Aboriginal art and worked at a community art center before moving to the U.S. She says she witnessed firsthand how vital art is in creating a sense of place and belonging.

 

RAC’s current “Made in Richmond” exhibit reflects Salmi’s vision. Featuring work from 80 local artists across multiple mediums, the two-gallery show previews participants in this year’s Richmond Open Studios, happening Sept. 6–7.

“It’s so exciting to see what people are creating now with non-traditional media,” said gallery coordinator Monica Morazan, a Bay Area native.

 

Organized by Visual Artists of Richmond, Richmond Open Studios began in 2023 and gives community members a chance to meet artists in their studios and purchase original art.

“It’s going to be a big day for art,” Spencer said.

 

 

Another gallery room currently features photography by the late Kenneth P. Green, a Bay Area native who became the first Black staff photographer at the Oakland Tribune in 1968. Curated by his son, Kenneth P. Green Jr., the show captures pivotal moments in local history, including a Richmond Black Panther rally, the Oakland March Against Repression, and the Occupation of Alcatraz in support of Indigenous rights.

 

In a separate room, artist Jeanie Kashima uses textile collages in her exhibition, “Reassembled Memories,” to recount her family’s experience in the WWII Japanese incarceration camps like the one she was born in nearly 80 years ago.

>>>Richmond Art Exhibit Keeps Memory of WWII Incarceration Camps Alive<<<

All three exhibitions debuted July 9 and will be on view until Sept. 6. RAC rotates its exhibitions every three months and does not feature permanent displays.

Voted Best Art Gallery of the East Bay by East Bay Express readers in 2024, RAC is free and open to the public Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Art from the Made in Richmond exhibit is also available for purchase to support local artists.

But RAC is more than galleries.

It offers over 50 different art classes and workshops for all ages, including courses in photographic printmaking, watercolor, sculpture, and jewelry arts. Fall semester enrollment opened Aug. 14, following summer sessions and youth camp.

 

RAC also welcomes school groups for guided youth art tours. Morazan, who previously studied art history and gave school field trip tours, emphasized the value of early art education.

To ensure access, RAC offers need-based scholarships covering registration fees, studio time, and materials. Children and teens (ages 5–17) can receive up to four scholarships per year, while adults (18+) can apply for two. Last year, RAC awarded $34,000 in scholarships to more than 130 youth and adults.

 

Additionally, everyone can get 20% off their first class with the coupon code fallleaves2025, and two people who are at least 62 years old can sign up for a class together for the price of one.

For teens, the Youth Art Intensives program blends studio-based learning with artist mentorship. RAC also provides professional development for teachers in the West Contra Costa Unified School District who want to incorporate art into their curriculum.

>>>North Richmond Kids Create ‘Magic’ Murals<<<

Through its partnership with community centers and public sites like Atchison Village and Pogo Park, along with 14 local schools including Richmond High and Helms Middle School, RAC provides Art in the Community classes at no cost, introducing students to a variety of media.

 

Families can also engage with RAC from home through its 16 online “RACtivities,” which require only basic materials. For in-person experiences, RAC hosts Family Day twice a year, featuring hands-on art, music, food and games, usually focused on one theme or culture.

“Having public programs is really important to create that catalyst for people to be able to come together and find ways to engage with art in ways that speak to them,” Spencer said. “Unfortunately, a lot of public spaces these days are centered around some sort of commercial activity, and I think we’re a great counter to that.”

 

Supporters can help sustain RAC’s work by donating, volunteering or purchasing a membership. Annual memberships range from $40 to $150 and may include benefits such as discounts on art or in the gift store and free admission to over 1,000 partnering museums nationwide.

On Sept. 27 from 1-3 p.m., RAC will host an opening reception for four new exhibitions. Those upcoming shows, “Big Feelings,” “Unsettled Things / Things I Had to Leave Behind,” “Seeds of Tradition” and “Ebb and Flow,” will be on display from Sept. 24-Nov. 20. Next up will be “3 Dykes Walk Into a Bar…” and “Art of the African Diaspora,” which will have their opening reception Jan. 24, 2026, from 1-3 p.m. and be on display Jan. 21-March 14.

Richmond Art Center

2540 Barrett Ave., Richmond, CA 94804-1600
(510) 620-6772
richmondartcenter.org
Gallery hours: Wed.-Sun., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (Closed Aug. 30 and Oct. 3)