The Monroe Arts & Culture Center

The Monroe Arts & Culture Center seeks support to preserve the legacy of the late Arthur Monroe (1935–2019) — a pioneering jazz-inspired abstract expressionist painter and a central figure in Oakland’s cultural and artistic renaissance.

As gentrification continues to displace artists and cultural spaces across Oakland, the Arthur Monroe Estate is seeking $125,000 in matching funds to complete essential capital improvements to a newly acquired property in Jingletown, East Oakland. The property will serve as the permanent home of The Monroe Arts & Cultural Center, preserving Arthur Monroe’s legacy while creating a living cultural space dedicated to African American art, jazz, activism, and community history.

For decades, Oakland’s creative identity was shaped by artists who transformed abandoned industrial buildings into vibrant cultural sanctuaries. After the Ghost Ship  fire and the rezoning of  former artist spaces into Oakland’s Cannabis Green Zone,  hundreds of artists lost their live-work studios including those at the  historic Oakland Cannery, where Arthur Monroe helped establish the city’s first legal artist warehouse.

Today, legacy artists are being priced out of the very neighborhoods they helped define.  Without immediate action, Oakland risks losing not just physical spaces but the  stories, voices, and cultural lineage that shaped the city.

Every donation, every share, and every act of support helps preserve Oakland's rich artistic and cultural legacy for future generations. Your generosity will help The Monroe Arts & Cultural Center continue providing a welcoming home for artists, musicians, educators, youth programs, and community events that inspire creativity, celebrate diversity, and strengthen our neighborhoods.

Every contribution brings THE-MACC closer to establishing a permanent home for art, education, cultural preservation, and community connection in Oakland.

Please donate today and share this campaign with your family, friends, and colleagues. Together, we can ensure that Oakland's artistic soul continues to thrive.