Hudson River Contemporary Artists 

In March 1915, a group of Yonkers artists formed an organization with the purpose to “foster a taste for art by exhibitions, lectures to render all possible aid in beautifying the City of Yonkers by cooperating with the Municipal Artist Commission, and to care for and encourage permanent exhibition for works of art.” 

On April 17, 1916, nearly 5,000 people attended the first exhibitions of the Yonkers Association held in the auditorium of the Yonkers Public Library. Later in 1921, when the library needed the space for other purposes, the YAA moved temporarily to the YWCA Building.

The City of Yonkers purchased the Trevor Estate on Warburton Avenue overlooking the Hudson River for use as a park in 1923. The stone mansion was remodeled and became the Yonkers Museum of Science and the Arts. Several YAA members were appointed to the museum’s Board of Commissioners, and with their cooperation, the 9th Annual Exhibition of the YAA marked the official opening of the building in December of 1944.

The YAA worked with the Museum to meet, exhibit, and conduct classes in the galleries and basement sections of the Trevor. The years brought outdoor exhibitions, traveling shows, scholarship awards to gifted students, summer enrichment programs for children, other juried shows in addition to the YAA Annual Exhibition, and monthly program meetings.

The 54th annual YAA Exhibition marked the opening of the modern addition to the older building of the Hudson River Museum in 1969.

The YAA Board voted to change its name to the Hudson River Contemporary Artists Inc. in 1977 to grant the organization a broader image. The HRCA continues to work with and support the Museum in every possible way, while additional programs and exhibitions of the HRCA are held in other locations in Westchester and New York City.

The Lehman College Art Gallery will exhibit a wide-range of Hudson River Contemporary Artists. The show includes photography, painting, sculpture, and mixed media. The Hudson River Contemporary Artists booked the Lehman space. The organization fee will be used to support Lehman’s educational programs. These include visits from 7,000 school children each year and training programs to teach teacher how to incorporate art into subjects such as social studies.