The Vern Riffe Center for the Arts has had close partnerships with area arts organizations extending back over 20 years.

Portsmouth Area Arts Council (PAAC) – when the Vern Riffe Center was built, arts organizations in the Portsmouth area were offered office space within the building. PAAC accepted the offer and has been in residence ever since.  PAAC provides many services to the community from their season and Christmas event calendars to sponsorship the Artistic and Creative Excellence awards ceremonies. Their signature program is the Portsmouth Area Children’s Theater and related family programming.

Portsmouth Wind Symphony (PWS) – another productive alliance has been with PWS. The Symphony is provided with free rehearsal space in the Howland Recital Hall in return for teaching music classes to university students. In addition to presenting their concerts at the Vern Riffe Center, Portsmouth Wind Symphony appears around the area at many events, including their annual July 4th concert in Tracy Park.