
Riverside is home to pathbreaking museums, grand theaters, and a varied cultural mix fueled by local colleges and universities. Noting these riches, Forbes ranked Riverside the eighth coolest city in the United States. Riverside has even adopted a new moniker, “The City of Arts & Innovation.” But getting crowds out to arts events can still be a challenge in a sprawling, diverse city that’s better known as the former capital of the citrus industry than a California arts destination. What can Riverside, local cultural venues, and artists do to create a thriving and inclusive arts scene? Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival director Bill Fold, UC Riverside historian Catherine Gudis, and Downtown Riverside Arts Walk co-founder Cosme Cordova visit Zócalo to discuss how a small city like Riverside brings the arts to the people–and how it might bring more people to the arts.
Photo courtesy of Daniel Orth.
The Takeaway
Don’t Count on Your City to Build an Arts Scene for You
In Riverside, Coachella’s Director, the Local Arts Walk Founder, and a Historian Say the Best Thing Artists Can Do Is Make Things Happen for Themselves
Who or what creates and builds a city’s arts scene? How can a flourishing arts community advance to the next level? At a “Living the Arts” event co-presented by the …