Portland, Ore — The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) has awarded $451,037 in project grants to 59 artists and 29 nonprofit organizations in Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas Counties. RACC’s project grants provide financial support for individual artists and nonprofit organizations, and align with RACC’s goal of advancing the region’s access to a wide range of arts and culture.
“Arts shape who we are, how we see each other and our community,” said interim executive director Jeff Hawthorne. “These projects are finding creative ways to connect, teach, and inspire us throughout the region. We are pleased to invest in this wide variety of projects, and I am particularly energized by the number of new and emerging artists funded this cycle, with 56% of all project grants going to first-time recipients.”
Thirty-four peer review panelists, consisting of professional artists, community representatives, and arts administrators, reviewed a total of 215 applications through 9 panels. “Utilizing a grants process that allows artists to be reviewed by peers ensures that the discussion begins first and foremost with a common experience of being an artist,” says Director of Grants Helen Daltoso. “That shared understanding helps not only to keep the discussion focused on the concerns most central to artmaking, but also grounds the discussion with a level of solidarity and open-mindedness from practitioners who have faced similar aspirations or obstacles.”
The RACC Board of Directors unanimously approved all panel recommendations on May 23, with awards in three categories: Artistic Focus, Arts Equity & Access, and Arts Services.
Artistic Focus projects help artists realize their vision, and help organizations support their artistic mission. Examples funded in this round include $5,240 for Julia Bray’s Matter is Mother, a one-woman magical comedy written, created, and performed by Bray; $6,650 to Derrais Carter for the project black girls: using archives, poetry, and visual art by black women to challenge historical narratives and ways black girls have been sexually exploited in the name of science and photography; $6,250 for M. Allan Cunningham, who will be publishing his multi-generational mystery novel PERPETUA’S KIN; and $5,120 to World Arts Foundation, Inc. for a historic album release and release party featuring songs from the organization’s archive of historic Albina recordings to bring life to the Albina music culture of the 1960s-80s.
Arts Equity & Access grants support programs and services with a strong community engagement component, including festivals, arts education projects, and programs that expand arts experiences for underserved communities. Albina Jazz Festival will showcase and celebrate the historical jazz scene in the Albina Neighborhood of Portland through a two-day public event with their award of $1,000.
Arts Services grants include projects that provide professional development opportunities for the arts community, including workshops or conferences. In this category, Celeste Noche will elevate the Portland in Color (PIC) blog series further by featuring, promoting, and connecting Portland’s talented pool of diverse professionals often overlooked by creative agencies.Project Grants are funded by a combination of public and private investments, including the City of Portland’s general fund, City of Portland’s Arts Tax, Multnomah County, Clackamas County, Washington County and Metro. Additional funding comes from RACC’s workplace giving campaign, Work for Art.
Project grants, which had been offered only once a year, are now available three times per year. The next project grant deadline is June 6. Guidelines and application can be accessed at https://racc.org/apply.
A complete list of project grants appears below, and more detailed summaries of each grant are available here
RACC project grants for individual artists: May 2018 (cycle 2)
Note: (*) denotes Clackamas County applicants, and (**) denotes Washington County based applicants. All other applicants are based in Multnomah County.
| Applicant | Project Type | Discipline | Award |
| Kamee Abrahamian | Artistic Focus | Media Arts | $5,950 |
| Oluyinka Akinjiola | Artistic Focus | Dance/Movement | $7,000 |
| Nii Ardey Allotey | Arts Equity & Access | Folk Arts | $6,800 |
| Rory Banyard | Artistic Focus | Media Arts | $5,950 |
| Avantika Bawa | Artistic Focus | Visual Arts | $6,320 |
| Virginia Belt | Arts Equity & Access | Multi-Discipline | $3,600 |
| Irena Boboia ** | Artistic Focus | Media Arts | $5,160 |
| Ron Bourke | Artistic Focus | Media Arts | $5,250 |
| Julia Bray | Artistic Focus | Theatre | $5,240 |
| Derrais Carter | Artistic Focus | Multi-Discipline | $6,650 |
| Tomas Cotik | Artistic Focus | Music | $5,250 |
| M. Allen Cunningham | Artistic Focus | Literature | $6,250 |
| Martha Daghlian | Arts Services | Multi-Discipline | $2,290 |
| Roland Dahwen Wu | Artistic Focus | Media Arts | $4,860 |
| Eileen Finn | Artistic Focus | Multi-Discipline | $3,880 |
| Lara Gallagher | Artistic Focus | Media Arts | $6,300 |
| Darrell Grant | Artistic Focus | Music | $6,300 |
| Cheryl Green | Artistic Focus | Media Arts | $4,800 |
| Chisao Hata | Artistic Focus | Theatre | $4,880 |
| Jessica Hightower | Artistic Focus | Dance/Movement | $3,250 |
| Anthony Hudson | Artistic Focus | Multi-Discipline | $6,527 |
| Garrick Imatani | Artistic Focus | Visual Arts | $6,650 |
| Simeon Jacob | Artistic Focus | Dance/Movement | $3,370 |
| Zoe Keller | Artistic Focus | Visual Arts | $1,950 |
| Andrea Leoncavallo | Artistic Focus | Visual Arts | $4,140 |
| Emily Lewis | Arts Equity & Access | Visual Arts | $5,140 |
| Béalleka Makau | Arts Equity & Access | Social Practice | $7,000 |
| Margaret Malone | Artistic Focus | Literature | $4,650 |
| Tina McDermott | Arts Equity & Access | Visual Arts | $4,540 |
| Megan McGeorge | Artistic Focus | Music | $4,460 |
| Pam Minty | Artistic Focus | Media Arts | $5,190 |
| Elise Morris ** | Artistic Focus | Dance/Movement | $5,230 |
| Jose Moscoso | Artistic Focus | Visual Arts | $6,300 |
| Emily Nachison | Artistic Focus | Visual Arts | $5,950 |
| Tylor Neist ** | Artistic Focus | Music | $5,600 |
| Tabitha Nikolai | Artistic Focus | Visual Arts | $4,310 |
| Anders Nilsen | Artistic Focus | Literature | $5,520 |
| Hunter Noack | Artistic Focus | Music | $7,000 |
| Celeste Noche | Arts Services | Multi-Discipline | $5,770 |
| Eleanor O’Brien | Artistic Focus | Theatre | $5,890 |
| Brian Padian | Artistic Focus | Media Arts | $3,960 |
| Hajara Quinn | Artistic Focus | Literature | $3,820 |
| Rángel Rosas Reséndiz | Artistic Focus | Multi-Discipline | $5,690 |
| Alicia Rose | Artistic Focus | Media Arts | $5,250 |
| Paul Rutz | Artistic Focus | Visual Arts | $5,160 |
| Ivan Salcido | Artistic Focus | Visual Arts | $4,650 |
| Heidi Schwegler | Artistic Focus | Visual Arts | $4,000 |
| Matthew Sheehy | Artistic Focus | Multi-Discipline | $5,650 |
| Mike A Smith | Artistic Focus | Media Arts | $5,250 |
| Todd Strickland | Artistic Focus | Media Arts | $5,200 |
| Cornelius Swart | Arts Equity & Access | Media Arts | $4,690 |
| Devin Tau | Artistic Focus | Media Arts | $5,250 |
| Roshani Thakore | Arts Equity & Access | Social Practice | $5,600 |
| Lindsay Trapnell | Artistic Focus | Media Arts | $7,000 |
| Freddy Trujillo | Artistic Focus | Media Arts | $5,250 |
| Grace Weston | Artistic Focus | Visual Arts | $1,710 |
| John Whitten | Artistic Focus | Visual Arts | $5,250 |
| Dan Wilson | Artistic Focus | Music | $5,000 |
| Renee Zangara | Artistic Focus | Visual Arts | $4,840 |
RACC project grants for organizations: May 2018 (cycle 2)
Note: (*) denotes Clackamas County applicants, and (**) denotes Washington County based applicants. All other applicants are based in Multnomah County.
| Applicant | Project Type | Discipline | Award |
| Albina Jazz Festival | Arts Equity & Access | Music | $1,000 |
| Andisheh Center | Arts Equity & Access | Multi-Discipline | $4,080 |
| Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) | Arts Equity & Access | Multi-Discipline | $5,250 |
| Blackfish Gallery | Artistic Focus | Visual Arts | $4,510 |
| Design Museum Portland | Artistic Focus | Visual Arts | $5,000 |
| Enso Theatre Ensemble | Artistic Focus | Theatre | $3,750 |
| Estacada Area Arts Commission * | Arts Equity & Access | Multi-Discipline | $5,520 |
| Hacienda CDC | Arts Equity & Access | Multi-Discipline | $7,000 |
| Jim Pepper Native Arts Council | Arts Equity & Access | Multi-Discipline | $6,270 |
| Ko-Falen Cultural Center | Arts Equity & Access | Folk Arts | $5,950 |
| Many Hats Collaboration | Artistic Focus | Multi-Discipline | $5,240 |
| Media Institute for Social Change | Artistic Focus | Visual Arts | $4,250 |
| MediaRites | Artistic Focus | Theatre | $5,950 |
| Mittleman Jewish Community Center | Artistic Focus | Music | $4,800 |
| Northwest Art Song | Artistic Focus | Music | $4,470 |
| Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education | Artistic Focus | Visual Arts | $5,600 |
| Portland Japanese Garden | Artistic Focus | Multi-Discipline | $6,650 |
| Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble | Artistic Focus | Music | $3,310 |
| Portland Meet Portland | Arts Equity & Access | Music | $5,250 |
| Portland Oregon Women’s Film Festival | Arts Equity & Access | Media Arts | $5,600 |
| Rogue Pack Young Portland Speaks! | Arts Equity & Access | Theatre | $6,210 |
| SoulPatch Music Productions * | Artistic Focus | Music | $5,600 |
| Staged! Musical Theatre | Artistic Focus | Theatre | $7,000 |
| Street Books | Arts Equity & Access | Social Practice | $4,860 |
| Tavern Books | Artistic Focus | Literature | $5,000 |
| Verde | Arts Equity & Access | Social Practice | $5,250 |
| Vibe of Portland | Arts Equity & Access | Dance/Movement | $1,160 |
| Village Coalition | Arts Equity & Access | Social Practice | $7,000 |
| World Arts Foundation, Inc. | Artistic Focus | Multi-Discipline | $5,120 |
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The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) provides grants for artists, arts organizations, and artistic projects in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties; manages an internationally acclaimed public art program; raises money and awareness for the arts through Work for Art; convenes forums, networking events and other community gatherings; provides workshops and other forms of technical assistance for artists; and oversees a program to integrate arts and culture into the standard curriculum in public schools through The Right Brain Initiative. RACC values a diversity of artistic and cultural experiences and is working to build a community in which everyone can participate in culture, creativity, and the arts. For more information visit racc.org.