**For Immediate Release**
October 21, 2024
As the City of Portland’s November 2024 election approaches, the results of a comprehensive survey reveal that many candidates for mayor and City Council positions are committed to fostering arts and culture in the city. Conducted by a coalition of Portland arts leaders and organizations, in partnership with Oregon ArtsWatch, the survey drew responses from 47 of the 117 candidates running for office, reflecting the growing recognition of arts and culture as essential to economic recovery, neighborhood vitality, and downtown revitalization.
The candidates who responded shared their thoughts on key arts policies, including support for the city’s 10-year cultural plan, **“Our Creative Future,”** which emphasizes equitable access to arts experiences and sustainable funding. A significant number of candidates endorsed the plan’s vision for arts integration at the neighborhood level, highlighting the role of creativity in fostering a vibrant community and a key strategy in the revitalization of downtown Portland.
“This survey shows that candidates understand the critical role arts and culture play in shaping Portland’s identity and economic vitality,” said Kandis Brewer Nunn, a co-initiator of the coalition’s effort. “As we enter this new chapter of city governance, it’s essential to ensure that these priorities are discussed and funded at a level that is commensurate with the benefit they are capable of providing.”
The survey followed a six-month effort by the group to develop and share fact based documents to help further candidate understanding of current conditions for art and culture, locally and nationally. The group desired to help ensure incoming council members will be as up to speed as possible when seated in January as policy and budgetary discussions and decisions begin across many sectors, including arts and arts education. They, and many of the candidates, hope policies will be prioritized to expand access to creative experiences throughout Portland, ensure adequate funding for arts education, and support artists and arts organizations that deliver these benefits.
This comes at a pivotal moment for the city, following the Portland City Council’s recent unanimous vote to renovate the Keller Auditorium and develop a second performance venue in partnership with Portland State University. Candidates also weighed in on the possibility of replacing the current $35 annual arts tax with a combined levy support for arts and parks programming.
A number of candidates emphasized the need for neighborhood-based cultural programs as well as events and activities that would bolster the revitalization of downtown Portland.Others advocated for creating grant programs for community arts projects and “cultural districts.”
About the Survey
The survey, conducted between August 28 and September 30, invited candidates to share their positions on arts funding, cultural planning, and economic development. ArtsWatch coordinated the survey aspect of the project with the coalition of arts leaders and organizations across Portland. To view the full survey results, visit Oregon ArtsWatch.
About the Informational Resources, Documents, and Communication with Candidates
Information was drawn from several recent surveys on public opinion on the value of arts and culture, nationally, statewide and locally. To access the baseline documents, visit the following links:
Our Creative Future: A Regional Framework to Advance Arts & Culture for All
Local Arts & Economic Prosperity Study 6
Oregon – Arts & Economic Prosperity Study 6
Members of the coalition include:
City of Portland Arts Leaders: Meagan Atiyeh, Arts Consultant; Converge 45; Elizabeth Leach, Elizabeth Leach Gallery; Randy Gragg; Mike Lindberg, Civic Leader; Jennifer Cole, Jordan Schnitzer Dean, Pacific Northwest College of Art; Mack McFarland, PTSTMM Studio, Mario Mesquita, Manager of Advocacy & Engagement, Regional Arts & Culture Council; Schnitzer Properties, LLC; Kandis Brewer Nunn, Strategic Resources, LLC, Reuben Roqueni, Portland Institute of Contemporary Art (PICA); Karen Whitman, Karen Whitman Projects