Founded in 1970, the Galería is a non-profit community-based arts organization whose mission is to foster public awareness and appreciation of Chicano/Latino art and serve as a laboratory where artists can both explore contemporary issues in art, culture and civic society, and advance intercultural dialogue. To implement our mission, the Galería supports Latino artists in the visual, literary, media and performing art fields whose works explore new aesthetic possibilities for socially committed art.

Galería sponsors the following programs and events:

• •Exhibitions spanning a wide range of Chicano/Latino art and culture
• •The (Re)Generation Program, an interdisciplinary program designed to encourage the development of the next generation of Latino/a artists and cultural workers.
• •The Digital Mural Program, a rotating public art project on Galería’s Bryant Street billboard
• •Youth Arts Education activities
• •Studio 24, is now home to Galeria's Youth Media Lab.

HISTORY

Since its founding in 1970, Galería has been conducting programs serving Latino audiences and artists. It is one of the nation’s most stable and cutting-edge Latino arts organizations. Like many cultural institutions of its kind in the country, Galería was born of the legacy of cultural activism. It was founded by a group of Chicano artists and community activists in San Francisco's Mission District, which included Rupert García, Peter Rodríguez, Francisco X. Camplis, Graciela Carrillo, Jerry Concha, Gustavo Ramos Rivera, Carlos Loarca, Manuel Villamor, Robert González, Luis Cervantes, Chuy Campusano, Rolando Castellón, Ralph Maradiaga, and René Yañez. Peter Rodríguez gave Galería de la Raza its name. René Yañez and Ralph Maradiaga later become the Galería’s first artistic and administrative directors, respectively.

Initially, Galería operated in a storefront on 14th street and Valencia; then, in l972, it moved to its current home on 24th street and Bryant. In 1985, Humberto Cintrón became the administrative director following Maradiaga's death. Enrique Chagoya succeeded Yañez in 1987 as artistic director. In 1990, María Pinedo became the executive director. Liz Lerma succeeded her in 1993 and was followed by Gloria Jaramillo in 1995, Bill Moreno in 1998 and, in 1999, by Carolina Ponce de León.

Throughout its history, Galería has emerged as an international forum for the examination and expression of artistic concepts central to the Chicano/Latino experience —concepts such as community memory, popular culture, ceremony, family and social activism.