Rivertown Art Center

The Rivertown Art Center is located in a bank building built in 1923. It is managed by the Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch and has been established to provide local artists with additional opportunities to display their art and teach art classes.

The Antioch City Council accepted a lease arrangement with Jody Mattison, owner of Lafayette Studio in Walnut Creek, for use of the Lynn Building, the Art Gallery and the Studio. It will be owned and run by Lynn House Gallery and Studio (LHGS).

It is located at 809-815 W. First Street across from Amtrak Station in downtown Rivertown, the 1,400 square foot two-story building has been used by organizations and groups over the years. The most recent use was that of the Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch, as an art gallery as recent as 2017.

It was closed after Diane Gibson-Gray retired as executive director and curator of the Lynn House Gallery and the Arts & Cultural Foundation in December 2018.

According to the city staff report, the lease will generate around $5,000 in rental income in the first year and will cover the annual maintenance costs of the house. The rental price will then be modified periodically by adjusting the Consumer Price Index.

A request for proposals for the use of the Lynn House was made in August 2019. Responses to the RFP were due on 1 October 2019, and Mattison’s was the only submission.

The Lynn House will host a rotation of regional and guest musicians, celebrating the ingenuity and talent of the people of East Bay and California. The revolving gallery will offer exposure to teachers, inspiration to continuing and prospective students. Paired with an e-commerce platform, this gallery will serve as a revenue source for the company.

The two floors of the Lynn House will host fine art classes offered by talented Bay Area instructors. Classes would introduce students to the local, caring community and the Bay Area, bringing new tourists to the city.