About Us

The Palo Alto Art Center Foundation was established in 1973 as the Palo Alto Cultural Center Guild, just two years after the opening of the Palo Alto Community Cultural Center (now the Art Center). The Art Center was established by and for the community after intense lobbying by community citizens to transform its current building (the former City Hall) into a center for art. For 50 years, the Foundation has significantly expanded the impact and reach of the Art Center in the community, spearheading new programs (such as Creative Connections formerly known as Cultural Kaleidoscope) and providing seed funding to initiate Art Center programs for new audiences in the community.