KCRW DJ Returns to Pasadena Arts Center Where She Got Her Start

Rocio 'Wyldeflower' Contreras to DJ Armory Center for the Arts' Annual Spring Benefit

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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KCRW radio host Rocio 'Wyldeflower' Contreras, who grew up in Pasadena and took art classes at the Armory Center for the Arts as a child, is returning to the arts center on March 28 to DJ its annual Spring Benefit. The fundraiser supports the Armory's education and exhibition programs that serve thousands of low-income youth and families across Pasadena and Los Angeles.

Why it matters

The Armory Center for the Arts has been a vital community resource in Pasadena for over 30 years, providing free art classes and programming that reach underserved populations. Contreras' return to the Armory as a successful KCRW DJ highlights the organization's impact in nurturing young artists and the role it has played in her own career development.

The details

The Spring Benefit will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Armory's campus at 145 North Raymond Avenue. The event will feature handcrafted food, artisanal libations, artmaking activities, and a silent auction. Sponsors for the event include Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Capital Group Private Client Services, and restaurateur Gale Kohl.

  • The Spring Benefit is scheduled for March 28, 2026.
  • Contreras participated in the Armory's Children Investigate the Environment program as a Pasadena kid.
  • Contreras later returned to the Armory as a Getty Multicultural Undergraduate Intern and teaching assistant.

The players

Rocio 'Wyldeflower' Contreras

A KCRW radio host who grew up in Pasadena, attended Muir High School, and participated in the Armory Center for the Arts' programs as a child before returning as an intern and teaching assistant.

Armory Center for the Arts

A nonprofit visual arts organization founded in 1989 and housed in a 1932 former California National Guard armory in Old Pasadena. The organization's mission is to nurture its community through creating, learning, and presenting art.

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What they’re saying

“That glimmer in a student's eye when they are inspired, when they've absorbed what you're teaching them and are motivated to begin to create.”

— Rocio 'Wyldeflower' Contreras, KCRW Radio Host

What’s next

The Armory's next public event before the Spring Benefit is ArtNight Pasadena on March 13, a free evening when 19 Pasadena arts organizations open their doors.

The takeaway

The Armory Center for the Arts has played a pivotal role in nurturing young artists like Rocio 'Wyldeflower' Contreras, who has gone on to become a successful KCRW radio host. The organization's commitment to providing free art education and programming to underserved communities in Pasadena and Los Angeles continues to have a lasting impact.