Art Alliance of the Riverside Art Museum

In 1965, twelve women founded the Art Alliance of the Riverside Art Museum.  They were Lucille Clarke, Betty Facey, Katie Grigsby, Birk Hinderaker, Barbara Colville, Elizabeth Kuhlins, Doris Miller, Ruth Place, Betty Powell, Betty Reade, Dottie Smith and Margaret Woodford.  From this original group of twelve, the Art Alliance now has a membership of over 200 members.  During the early years, members met in homes, garages, the Adobe of the Mission Inn and even the City Dog Pound, which was rented from the City of Riverside for $1 a year.

 

In 1966, the YWCA decided to relocate to Magnolia Avenue near Adams Street, and they put their downtown location up for sale. It was decided to purchase this building located at the corner of Mission Inn Avenue and Lime Streets instead of building on the Dog Pound site.  The two-story, 20,000 square foot, Spanish influenced building designed by Julia Morgan and built in 1929, was renovated into a series of gallery space and classrooms.  The building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

 

Who Are We Today?

 

The Art Alliance is a unique organization! While operating as a fundraising arm of the Riverside Art Museum, we create events and projects that focus on community, art and membership fun. 

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What We Do

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The Art Alliance raises funds for the Riverside Art Museum, but that is not all we do! Art Alliance members act as museum guides, support art education at the museum by purchasing supplies and helping in the classroom and provide scholarships for art classes at the museum. In the summer of 2017 Art Alliance also helped support RAM's art classes for refugee students through Glocally Connected, a nonprofit organization that promotes community building in order to support the refugee population.​​