Regional Arts & Culture Council receives bequest from the estate of Harriet Beal Cormack

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RACC is honored by the support of the long-time arts philanthropist and social justice pioneer to further its mission to enrich our communities through arts and culture.

Portland, OR —

The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) is extremely grateful for the philanthropic support of the late Harriet Beal Cormack. Shortly after her passing in June 2022, RACC was notified that we would be one of five nonprofits receiving a sizeable disbursement from the estate of Mrs. Cormack. RACC recognizes Mrs. Cormack’s considerable gift of over $400,000 in support of our vision of a just and equitable arts-aligned organization. These funds will greatly help us fulfill our mission to enrich communities through arts and culture. 

Born in 1942 in Butte, MT, Harriet lived her life elevating civic engagement through social justice, women’s rights, and the arts. She began her career on the east coast, and, upon her return to the west, landed in Seattle to begin a distinguished career in real estate development, finance, and management in public, private, and nonprofit settings. She took on and asserted her professional knowledge through challenging and civically invigorating projects for the City of Seattle and, as the Vice President of the Cornerstone Columbia Development Company, led the development of the Waterfront Urban Renewal area along the Willamette River in Portland, creating RiverPlace—a mix of housing and retail space, a hotel, marina, and floating restaurant. RiverPlace reshaped how the community interacted with the natural environment of the river. Harriet grew to be an integral leader in the development and growth of private-public partnerships that have enormously benefitted the communities in which they reside. Harriet completed her professional career by serving as the Director of the Portland Centers for the Performing Arts (Keller Auditorium, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, and Portland5). 

Harriet embodied a spirit of generosity reflected in her personal values of truth, integrity, and commitment to hard work. Her own personal determination to succeed and live a meaningful life was bound by the thread of dedication to friends, family, and the community with which she surrounded herself. Harriet was a staunch patron of the performing, visual, and literary arts and received numerous awards and accolades for her service to community, both in Oregon and Washington. Harriet was an agent of change in both her life and in her death. 

The RACC Team and Board of Directors are excited by the opportunity to mesh Harriet’s vision for community, social justice, and civic engagement with the vision and values of our organization. Created to support our region’s artists and creatives, RACC continues to instill the values of equity and inclusion in our community-focused activities. For nearly 50 years, RACC has led the region in supporting our creative culture. Harriet’s contribution will strengthen our efforts to ensure an abundance of arts and culture in every community. 

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