Riverside Arts Council
Riverside Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1977 that operates as Riverside County's central arts services hub, running monthly Artswalk events, vendor programs, exhibitions, festivals, grants, artist residencies, and arts education for individual artists, community members, local businesses, schools, and foster youth.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1977
- HeadquartersRiverside, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Riverside Arts Council does
Riverside Arts Council (RAC) is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation established in 1977 and headquartered at 3700 6th Street, Riverside, California. It functions as Riverside County's central source for arts-related services, information, education, and outreach, and operates as a state-local partner of the California Arts Council. The organization coordinates a portfolio of community programs including the monthly Riverside Artswalk (running since 2002), the Artists On Main vendor program, the bi-annual Artscape exhibitions at the Riverside County Administration Center, the annual Mayor's Ball for the Arts, the Riverside Art & Music Festival, the First Sundays family programming series, the Artists in Residency (AIR) Program funded by ARPA, the Individual Artist Fellowship (IAF) Region 7 administration, Professional Development Workshops, the Arts & Minds K-8 education program, Art as Therapy initiatives for foster youth, Artist Emergency Grants, and the 15 Favorites weekly newsletter. It serves individual artists, community members, local businesses, schools, and vulnerable populations including foster children across Riverside County and, through IAF Region 7, Orange and San Bernardino counties.
The organization generates revenue through multiple streams: tiered annual memberships ($250-$10,000), Artists On Main vendor space fees ($15 per event, with extended multi-month reservations up to $230), festival and event sponsorships across multiple tiers, tax-deductible donations (EIN 95-3265946), pass-through grant administration, event ticket sales and merchandise, and government / foundation grants (including ARPA funds via the City of Riverside for AIR and California Arts Council funding for Arts & Minds). Pricing for paid event staff positions is set at $16.90 per hour. Vendor payments at Artswalk are cash only at check-in, and membership benefits range from logo placement on the website and 15 Favorites newsletter inclusion to multi-ticket packages for the Mayor's Ball.
The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, anchored by recurring monthly and annual gatherings in downtown Riverside that activate a network of 17+ participating venues. Distribution runs through direct field engagement at Artswalk (Main Street between 5th and 10th) and the festival (White Park), supplemented by Instagram and Facebook organic social accounts, the weekly 15 Favorites newsletter distributed through the City of Riverside, and a venue / institutional referral network. The organization does not operate a traditional e-commerce channel but uses Zeffy for festival ticketing and merchandise. RAC has no technology product, no proprietary software, and no AI/ML capabilities; its competitive position rests on programmatic coordination, brand longevity, and institutional partnerships rather than technology.
Riverside Arts Council firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Riverside Arts Council
- Legal name
- Riverside Arts Council
- Website
- https://riversideartscouncil.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1977
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Riverside Arts Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1977 that operates as Riverside County's central arts services hub, running monthly Artswalk events, vendor programs, exhibitions, festivals, grants, artist residencies, and arts education for individual artists, community members, local businesses, schools, and foster youth.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Riverside Arts Council industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Arts Services
- NAICS
- Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (7139)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs (BPAGAHAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC), Cultural Centers & Community Cultural Organizations (BPAGAHAD)
Keywords
Where Riverside Arts Council is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Riverside
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Riverside Arts Council business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership program with multiple tiers ranging from $250 (Community Partner) to $10,000 (Founding Tier 3), offering varying levels of recognition, event tickets, and promotional benefits.
- Vendor Space Fees: Artists On Main vendor spaces at $15 per artist per monthly event. Extended reservations available at $43 (2-month), $65 (3-month), $105 (5-month), $125 (6-month), and $230 (11-month). Setup fee of $15 cash collected at check-in.
- Festival Sponsorships: Riverside Art & Music Festival sponsorship tiers including Arts Promoter, Arts Advocate, Arts Activist, Arts Hero, and Arts Champion, offering progressive promotional benefits for sponsors.
- Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations supporting arts programs. The organization's tax identification number is 95-3265946. All funds support programs such as Riverside Artswalk, Art as Therapy programs for youth in foster care and veterans, and Professional Development Workshops for Artists.
- Event Revenue and Merchandise: Revenue from Mayor's Ball event including ticket sales, merchandise, and opportunity drawing featuring artwork by local artists. Post-event online shop for exclusive auction items.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Community Partner / Non-Profit: $250 annual membership with Swag Bag (Community) or Logo on Website (Non-Profit) |
| Subscription | Annual | Business Membership Tier 1: $500 annual with logo on Website and 15 Favorites |
| Subscription | Annual | Business Membership Tier 2: $1,000 annual with logo on Website, 15 Fav., and Artswalk Backdrop |
| Subscription | Annual | Business Membership Tier 3: $1,500 annual with logo on Website, 15 Fav., Artswalk Backdrop, and Artist Spotlight Video |
| Subscription | Annual | Founding Membership Tier 1: $2,500 annual with 5 Mayors Ball tickets plus all Tier 3 benefits |
| Subscription | Annual | Founding Membership Tier 2: $5,000 annual with 10 Mayors Ball tickets plus all Tier 3 benefits |
| Subscription | Annual | Founding Membership Tier 3: $10,000 annual with Table for 10 at Mayors Ball plus all Tier 3 benefits |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Artists On Main Vendor Space: $15 per event per artist |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Extended Reservation: 2-month $43, 3-month $65, 5-month $105, 6-month $125, 11-month $230 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Arts Event Staff: $16.90 per hour |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Riverside Arts Council product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Riverside Arts Council is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that delivers community arts programming in Riverside County. Its core offerings include the monthly Riverside Artswalk, the Artists On Main vendor program, exhibition programs (Artscape), signature fundraising and festival events (Mayor's Ball for the Arts, Riverside Art & Music Festival), artist development programs (workshops, fellowships, artist residencies, emergency grants), arts education in schools (Arts & Minds), therapeutic arts for vulnerable populations (Art as Therapy), and a tiered membership program for individuals, nonprofits, and businesses.
Product overview
Riverside Arts Council operates as a nonprofit arts organization offering a diverse portfolio of programs and services rather than a unified technology product. The organization provides community arts programming including the monthly Riverside Artswalk event and Artists On Main vending opportunity; exhibition programs such as Artscape at the County Administration Center; signature events including the Mayor's Ball for the Arts and Riverside Art & Music Festival; seasonal programming like First Sundays for families; grant programs including the Individual Artist Fellowship (IAF) and Artist Emergency Grants; the Artists in Residency (AIR) Program with ARPA funding; Professional Development Workshops for Artists; the Arts & Minds education program for K-8 schools; Art as Therapy initiatives for foster youth and memory care patients; the 15 Favorites newsletter; and a tiered Membership Program. These offerings function as interconnected community services supporting local artists, cultural institutions, and the general public throughout Riverside County.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Riverside Artswalk: Monthly community event held every 1st Thursday from 6-9 p.m. in Downtown Riverside celebrating the diversity of arts and culture in the Inland Empire.
- Artscape
- Riverside Art & Music Festival
- First Sundays
- Mayor's Ball for the Arts
Products and services
- Riverside Artswalk Monthly community event held every first Thursday from 6-9 p.m. in Downtown Riverside celebrating arts and culture in the Inland Empire. Open to artists, vendors, venue partners, and the public.
- Artists On Main
Quantifiable outcome
- 147-point jump in Academic Performance Index scores at Manuel Real Elementary following arts education program implementation
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Riverside Arts Council
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Riverside Arts Council technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Riverside Arts Council partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.
- City of RiversidecoreCity of Riverside is a key sponsor and partner of Riverside Artswalk and the Artists in Residency (AIR) Program. The City of Riverside Arts & Cultural Affairs Division provides ARPA funding for the AIR Program managed by RAC.
- Riverside CountycoreRiverside County Board of Supervisors supports the Artscape exhibition program at the County Administration Center. The County's Art-in-Public-Places program is managed in partnership with RAC.
- California Arts CouncilcoreRAC is a state-local partner of the California Arts Council and a leader among regional and state networks of local art agencies. California Arts Council provides funding for arts education programs (Arts & Minds).
- Arts Orange CountycoreArts Orange County administers the application and jurying process for the 2026-27 Region 7 Individual Artist Fellowship (IAF) program covering Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. Applications due May 15, 2026 with grants ranging from $5,000 to $50,000.
- Riverside University Health Systems FoundationcorePartnership with Riverside University Health Systems Foundation for Art as Therapy programs serving youth in foster care. Includes the Birthday Circle program providing monthly original artwork cards to approximately 40 children in care.
- Department of Public and Social Services (DPSS)corePartnership with DPSS for Art as Therapy program for youth in foster care. RAC provides regular arts programming at the Welcome Center in Banning (12 children) and expanding services to youth placed throughout Riverside County.
- Riverside Downtown PartnershipsecondarySponsor of the monthly Riverside Artswalk event. Supports downtown Riverside arts and cultural events.
- Riverside Art MuseumParticipating venue in monthly Riverside Artswalk. Located at 3425 Mission Inn Ave. One of over 17 venues featuring visual and performing arts during monthly events.
- The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & CulturesecondaryParticipating venue in monthly Riverside Artswalk. Located at 3581 Mission Inn Ave. Major Chicano art institution in Riverside.
- UCR ArtssecondaryParticipating venue in monthly Riverside Artswalk. Located at 3834 Main St. University arts complex featuring museums and galleries.
- Division 9 GallerysecondaryParticipating venue in monthly Riverside Artswalk. Located at 3850 Lemon St. Co-founded by Cosme Cordova, one of the original founders of Riverside Artswalk.
- Riverside Community Arts Association (RCAA)secondaryParticipating venue in monthly Riverside Artswalk and partner in Riverside Cultural Consortium. Co-founded by Mark Schooley, original founder of Riverside Artswalk. Hosts First Sundays programming.
- Mission Inn FoundationsecondaryParticipating venue in monthly Riverside Artswalk and First Sundays programming. Located at 3696 Main St. Historic museum and cultural institution.
- Museum of RiversidesecondaryParticipating venue in monthly Riverside Artswalk and First Sundays programming. Located at 3580 Mission Inn Ave. City museum featuring regional history and art.
- Riverside Public LibrarysecondaryParticipating venue in monthly Riverside Artswalk and First Sundays programming. Located at 3900 Mission Inn Ave. Partner for Inlandia programming.
- Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern CaliforniasecondaryParticipating venue in monthly Riverside Artswalk. Located at 3933 Mission Inn Ave. Cultural institution focused on civil rights history.
- Center for Social Justice & Civil LibertiessecondaryParticipating venue in monthly Riverside Artswalk. Located at 3855 Market St. Museum and educational resource for social justice.
- First Sundays Participating InstitutionssecondaryCollaborative network of seven institutions hosting free family programs on first Sundays: Museum of Riverside, Mission Inn Foundation, The Cheech, Riverside Art Museum, Riverside Public Library, UCR Arts, and Riverside Community Arts Association. Programs run October-May, 1:00-4:00 PM.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Riverside Arts Council competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- California Arts Council: State-level arts agency that funds RAC and similar local arts councils. Broader incumbent operating at state scale with grantmaking authority across California.
- Americans for the Arts: National nonprofit advocacy and service organization supporting local arts agencies. Comparable mission of strengthening local arts ecosystems across the U.S.
- Los Angeles County Arts Commission: Municipal arts agency for LA County offering grants, programming, and cultural services. Comparable in nonprofit arts agency role but at significantly larger scale and scope.
- National Endowment for the Arts: Federal arts funding agency providing grants that ultimately flow to local arts councils like RAC. Comparable as an arts funder and policy body but at national scale.
Direct peers
- Arts Orange County: Regional arts council serving Orange County with similar arts programming, grant administration (IAF Region 7 partner with Riverside Arts Council), and community event work. Directly comparable in mission, scope, and operating model as a local arts agency.
- Sacramento Arts Council: Regional nonprofit arts council providing arts programming, community events, and artist support in the Sacramento region. Highly comparable in structure and program mix.
- Oakland Arts Council: Local arts council supporting artists and cultural programming in Oakland. Directly comparable in mission and small-staff nonprofit operating model with grantmaking and community events.
- Pasadena Arts Council: Independent nonprofit arts council supporting artists and cultural programming in Pasadena. Directly comparable as a city/county-level arts council offering grants, exhibitions, and community programming.
- San Diego Arts & Culture Coalition: Regional arts advocacy and support organization serving San Diego County artists and cultural organizations. Directly comparable as a county-level arts council with similar grant and event programming.
Emerging players
- Riverside Art Museum: Riverside-based museum and Artswalk venue partner offering exhibitions and arts programming. Comparable geographic focus and audience, with partial overlap on community programming.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Riverside Arts Council social profiles
Digital presenceRiverside Arts Council financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Riverside Arts Council leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Riverside Arts Council funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Riverside Arts Council M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Riverside Arts Council
What does Riverside Arts Council do?
Riverside Arts Council is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that delivers community arts programming in Riverside County. Its core offerings include the monthly Riverside Artswalk, the Artists On Main vendor program, exhibition programs (Artscape), signature fundraising and festival events (Mayor's Ball for the Arts, Riverside Art & Music Festival), artist development programs (workshops, fellowships, artist residencies, emergency grants), arts education in schools (Arts & Minds), therapeutic arts for vulnerable populations (Art as Therapy), and a tiered membership program for individuals, nonprofits, and businesses.
Is Riverside Arts Council a public or private company?
Riverside Arts Council is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Riverside Arts Council founded?
Riverside Arts Council was founded in 1977. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Riverside Arts Council based?
Riverside Arts Council is headquartered in Riverside, United States, in the North America region.
How does Riverside Arts Council make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are vendor Space Fees, festival Sponsorships, donations and Contributions and event Revenue and Merchandise.
Who are Riverside Arts Council's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are California Arts Council, Americans for the Arts, Los Angeles County Arts Commission and National Endowment for the Arts. Direct peers are Arts Orange County, Sacramento Arts Council, Oakland Arts Council, Pasadena Arts Council and San Diego Arts & Culture Coalition. Riverside Art Museum is listed as an emerging player.
Does Riverside Arts Council have an API?
No public API is recorded for Riverside Arts Council.
What industry is Riverside Arts Council in?
Riverside Arts Council's product category is Nonprofit Arts Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAH, Public Art, Arts Councils & Grantmaking Programs, with a secondary code of BPAGAHAC, Arts Education & Community Arts Programs. Its NAICS code is 71 and its SIC code is 7900.