Society of Art and Living Archives (SALA) is a California-based 501(c)(3) arts and education nonprofit organization, founded in 2020 by artist and curator, Alberto Cuadros.

SALA began in Los Angeles with programming that transformed alternative spaces into site-specific exhibitions and experimental programming by collaborating with artists, curators, galleries, institutions and public audiences.

Emerging out of this foundational work, SALA launched a second branch in San Francisco in 2025, developing a distinct curatorial and research focus in the Bay Area.

With a point of inquiry centered on California art and cultural history beginning in the 1840s, SALA’s 2026 programming examines the intersectionality of artists and artist groups active in San Francisco, the birthplace of some of California’s earliest art movements. Living Archives: San Francisco is a new series of exhibitions, talks, salons, workshops, and city wide tours that examine and interpret both the iconic and overlooked Bay Area art histories, as well as the sites in which these histories occurred .

Since launching in the midst of the pandemic, SALA has developed a highly esteemed network of collaborators including artists, curators, gallerists, scholars, historians, critics, writers, and cultural leaders.

Through this expansion to include Northern California, along with continued programming in Los Angeles and Southern California, SALA advances its mission to activate overlooked histories, connect communities, and create more immersive, forward-thinking, site-specific experiences and discussion.