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# August ArtsWalk Has Painting Prodigies, A Call for Artists, Robots and A Hot Summer Night
- URL: https://www.raincrossgazette.com/august-artswalk-has-painting-prodigies-a-call-for-artists-robots-and-a-hot-summer-night/
- Published: 2026-08-05T12:00:25.000Z
- Updated: 2026-08-08T12:00:39.000Z
- Description: The first class of Kadir Nelson's academy shows Downtown, an RSVP-only opening leads the night, and school starts Monday.
- Author: Ken Crawford
- Tags: Arts, ArtsWalk

Riverside's ArtsWalk returns Thursday, Aug. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m. School starts back Aug. 10, so this is the last First Thursday of summer break for a lot of Riverside families. This month's Artswalk has a lot to offer. Come early, stay hydrated, and remember our museums and galleries are air conditioned.

**The JKBN Gallery**\- 3544 University Ave.

- RSVP by Wednesday, Aug. 5, to [info@thejkbngallery.com](mailto:info@thejkbngallery.com). Space is limited and only confirmed RSVPs will be admitted. The gallery is otherwise open by appointment only.
- "Bright Lights," 7 to 9 p.m. Original oil paintings by the first class of the Kadir Nelson Institute for Young and Emerging Artists.
- Ten artists, ages 17 to 22, came from around the country and abroad for a two-week intensive that began July 25\. Kadir Nelson and Dr. Jungmiwha Bullock N. picked the class themselves and taught it themselves, oil painting alongside the business of making a living.
- Every painting on the wall was made here, in the last two weeks, by someone seeing Riverside for the first time. Sales benefit the student artists and the institute.

**RCAA Gallery**\- 3860 Lemon St.

- The gallery's Hot Time in the City Anniversary Show, featuring spotlight artist Jim Behrman, aka Dr. Strangebot, is on view Thursday, Aug. 6, from 6 to 9 p.m. during ArtsWalk.
- Behrman has become a local icon building robots out of found metal, industrial technique in service of a whimsical vision. Longtime shoppers will know his work from MADE, where he was a popular vendor before the store closed.
- Behrman's solo show runs Aug. 5 through 28, with an opening reception Wednesday, Aug. 5, the night before ArtsWalk. Regular gallery hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

**Artists on Main**\- Main St. between Fifth and Tenth

- The vendor rows fill Main Street from 6 to 9 p.m. They have run more than 100 artists a month this year.
- Beverly Salas is the Riverside Arts Council's August Artist Spotlight. The Anaheim illustrator works mostly from nature, has been a fixture at the Santa Ana ArtWalk for more than 12 years, and has done Riverside ArtsWalk every month since July 2025.

**Benjamin Franklin Stage**\- City Hall Breezeway

- Live music starts at 6 p.m. with Mindless Dreams, a SoCal alternative indie rock band. The show is free, all ages and dog friendly.

**Inlandia Institute**\- Main Library Community Room, 3900 Mission Inn Ave.

- Native Authors in Action: Conversation with Native Writers runs 5 to 7:30 p.m. It starts an hour before ArtsWalk and wraps at 7:30, so go there first.

**Riverside Art Museum**\- 3425 Mission Inn Ave.

- Janet Wheeler opened Aug. 1 in the Taylor Gallery, showing five lithographs and a collagraph made between 1973 and 1975, while she was a master's student at Cal State Long Beach. Several render women's bodies as stiff-limbed dolls dropped into surreal suburban rooms.
- Admission is free during ArtsWalk.

**The Cheech**\- 3581 Mission Inn Ave.

- Our Empire, a community show, holds its orientation at 6 p.m. upstairs in the Auditorium. That is the same minute ArtsWalk opens, so go straight there if you want in and save Main Street for after.
- This is a call for artists, an opportunity to participate with your own work of art and show it in the Altura Community Gallery.
- An Our Empire project by James McClung and Marcus Mercado. Admission is free all night.