Racine Art Museum Photo: Skip Simonsen

The Racine Art Museum is reaching out to its local Racine community by taking art on the road. RAM introduces RAM on the Road, also known as Wustum on Wheels, a vehicle covered with art and loaded with supplies, to bring the joy of creating art to kids and adults of all ages.

RAM on the Road will drive the museum's quality educational art programming to the community. The vehicle will take art teachers, materials and supplies to schools, day cares, senior centers and everywhere along the way. Serving children of all ages and providing creative activities to seniors in retirement communities, RAM on the Road will also offer enriching art experiences to people with memory loss and their caregivers. A group from the RAM Board of Directors has been established to assist with special fundraising for this new project.

"The idea to bring art directly to the community was an organic and collaborative process. At a Racine Art Museum education committee meeting, one member exclaimed 'Let's take RAM on the Road', with another responding, 'Yes! It's time to put Wustum on Wheels,'" recalls RAM on the Road Committee Chair, Jay Price Ruffo.  

RAM's Wustum Museum Photo: Jessica Zalewski

Their inspiration began with RAM's initial benefactress, Jennie Wustum who donated her home, property and a small trust fund to the city of Racine in 1938. In honor of her husband's memory, Jennie envisioned an art museum that would benefit future generations in Racine and the surrounding area.

Over seventy years later, that same vision now impacts a community of more than 11 million people in the Chicago-Milwaukee area. Grants and gifts by people who love Racine and believe in its future support the education and exhibition programming the Racine Art Museum and RAM's Wustum Museum of Arts create for the community.

RAM is pleased to announce that nationally recognized Racine artist Bill Reid is designing RAM on the Road's artful exterior. Known for his metal sculptures of whimsical creatures, Reid is creating colorful paintings of artistic animals that represent the hands-on art experiences that the vehicle will bring to the community.

The RAM on the Road Reveal will take place on Sunday, May 8 at RAM's Wustum Museum during the opening reception of Racine Unified's Student Art Exhibit. Then, on Friday, May 13, the van will make its maiden voyage downtown for Kids Day at RAM. Families are invited to visit RAM from 3:00 to 6:30 pm for an afternoon of art activities, stories, and gallery games. This is a great opportunity to celebrate spring and get ready for summer through the arts. The event is free for children under 12 years, when accompanied by an adult paying regular $5 admission. As usual, RAM members are free.

RAM on the Road is funded by gifts from people who love Racine and believe in its future.