• Home
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Real Estate
    • Q&A
    • Business Profiles
    • Networking
    • Public Record
    • Opinion
      • Our View
  • Real Estate & Construction
    • Latest News
    • Top Properties
    • Building Permits
    • Building Tri-Cities
  • Special Publications
    • Book of Lists
    • Best Places to Work
    • People of Influence
    • Young Professionals
    • Hanford
    • Energy
    • Focus: Agriculture + Viticulture
    • Focus: Construction + Real Estate
  • E-Edition
  • Calendar
    • Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Journal Events
    • Senior Times Expo
    • Young Professionals
      • Sponsor Young Professionals
    • Best Places to Work
      • Sponsor BPTW
    • People of Influence
      • Sponsor People of Influence
  • Senior Times
    • About Senior Times
    • Read Senior Times Stories
    • Senior Times Expo
    • Obituaries and Death Notices
Home » Allied Arts still bringing culture to the Mid-Columbia after 72 years

Allied Arts still bringing culture to the Mid-Columbia after 72 years

December 14, 2015
Dori O'Neal

The Allied Arts Association in Richland was started by a group of women whose husbands worked for the Manhattan Project at Hanford in 1943.

Two silk mosaic creations, by Las Vegas artist Prince Duncan-Williams
Two silk mosaic creations, by Las Vegas artist Prince Duncan-Williams, hang in the Allied Arts Gallery at 89 Lee Blvd., Richland. The large artworks look like vibrant-colored paintings until a closer look reveals that the themed creations are actually made from silk thread.

Most women didn’t work back then, so to keep busy they decided to bring some culture to the isolated Tri-Cities’ area by organizing the first Allied Arts group, said Bob Allen, Allied Arts’ president.

The association is perhaps best known for its annual Sidewalk Show, which takes place each summer during Water Follies.

The first sidewalk show featured the work of just eight artists and was called a ‘Clothesline Show’ because paintings were strung on clotheslines along the Parkway, Allen said. As the show gained popularity and grew, drawing larger audiences and more artists, it moved locations several times, finally landing at Howard Amon Park where it continues today.

The Allied Arts building at 89 Lee Blvd. in Richland also has a distinctive history and undergone all sorts of changes since being constructed in 1909 as a boarding house. It was a hotel and then became the private residence for an editor with The Richland Advocate, the city of Richland’s first newspaper, Allen said.

Later it was used as an office for the Richland Irrigation District, was home to The Villager newspaper, and also served as the Richland Library for a time.

Allied Arts took up residence in 1965 and has made many changes.

“The gallery has featured many artists over the years, both locally and nationally known artists,” Allen said. That includes world-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly.

“But we do much more than offer the Tri-Cities a wide range of (eclectic) art exhibitions,” Allen said. “We hold art classes, workshops and outdoor sketching events. We also offer human figure drawing sessions the second Saturday of each month at a cost of $10.” The gallery also offers summer art classes for kids.

In 1975, Allied Arts Association received the Washington State Governor’s Award, recognizing the organization for its vibrant volunteerism for promoting community visual arts.

Allen said the recognition was significant because no grant money had been used for association’s programs or remodeling projects, which were solely funded through proceeds from the gallery’s gift shop and Sidewalk Show sales.

The gallery underwent a $100,000 remodel earlier this year, which included a new state-of-the-art lighting system for the gallery and a revamping of the gift shop area, as well as, other renovations, Allen said.

“Our Christmas Market is coming up Dec. 4-5 and that has become a very popular event for us that we’re looking forward to,” he said.

More information about the gallery can be found at www.alliedartsrichland.org or call 943-9815.

The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Admission is free.

    Topics Local News Arts & Culture
    KEYWORDS november 2015
    Dori oneal 300x300
    Dori O'Neal

    New television series showcases Washington’s wineries and winemakers

    More from this author
    Free Email Updates

    Daily and Monthly News

    Sign up now!

    Featured Poll

    How does summer affect your business in the Tri-Cities?

    Popular Articles

    • Photo gallery: Young Professionals event 2025

    • Blue bridge work
      By Senior Times

      Pasco, Kennewick ranked among ‘best places’ on national lists

    • Surfthru1
      By Building Tri-Cities advertising

      Surf Thru Express Car Wash

    • Peanuspark1
      By TCAJOB Staff

      Pasco sets park planning meetings

    • Clearwaterlofts1
      By Building Tri-Cities advertising

      Clearwater Lofts

    • News Content
      • Latest news
      • Real Estate & Construction
      • Public records
      • Special publications
      • Senior Times
    • Customer Service
      • Our Readers
      • Subscriptions
      • Advertise
      • Editorial calendar
      • Media Kit
    • Connect With Us
      • Submit news
      • Submit an event
      • E-newsletters
      • E-Edition
      • Contact
    • Learn More
      • About Us
      • Our Events
      • FAQs
      • Privacy Policy
      • Spokane Journal of Business

    Mailing Address: 8656 W. Gage Blvd., Ste. C303  Kennewick, WA 99336 USA

    MCM_Horiz.png

    All content copyright © 2025 Mid-Columbia Media Inc. All rights reserved.
    No reproduction, transmission or display is permitted without the written permissions of Mid-Columbia Media Inc.

    Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing