Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your tax-deductible donation now.
Actor Cheech Marin Moves Closer To Opening Chicano Art Center In Riverside
Cheech Marin, top left, during a recent Zoom event in affiliation with the Riverside Art Museum.
Cheech Marin (Cheech & Chong, Born in East L.A.) is one step closer to opening a center dedicated to Chicano art in Riverside.
State officials announced in 2017 that it will commit $10.7 million to the project, and late last week, the City Council approved a management agreement and a bid for the construction company.
Marin is one of the world's leading collectors of Chicano art, and his collection will be the anchoring exhibit at the Cheech Marin Center, planned to open down the road the Riverside Art Museum this Fall.
Drew Oberjuerge, the museum’s executive director, said that while construction is underway on the center and museum doors are closed during the pandemic, Marin’s project has been active online. The actor has been hosting public Zoom conversations, including a recent event with Carlos Santana.
“Cheech is talking to these artists and these creative people to get a deeper understanding about their art, what's motivated them in the past,” Oberjuerge said. “We've also had [talks with] photographers who documented the protests around the Chicano moratorium.”
Marin has spoken on the Riverside Art Museum’s Instagram about why he's drawn to the artists in his collection.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
