Strengthening Arts & Culture for a Thriving Region

At RACC, we believe in the power of arts and culture to unite communities, spark innovation, and drive economic vitality. As the central arts organization for the Portland metro region, we bridge creatives with opportunities, advocate for a thriving cultural ecosystem, and foster deep connections between artists, organizations, and public and private partners.

We're Here to Help!

Mario Mesquita

Director of Advocacy and Engagement

mmesquita@racc.org

News

First, I would like to thank the members of the Regional Arts and Culture Council and Open Signal projects for this incredible opportunity. I am honored to have been a recipient of this grant, and creating a mural for the first time has been a dream come true. Second, I have to thank my mentor, […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 6, 2022 Catch the artist at work at Open Signal’s building on NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Artist Zeinab Saab pays homage to the intimacy of porch conversations with their mural Benni wa bennek, now in progress at Open Signal’s building on NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd at Graham […]

THE ARTS MEAN BUSINESS IN THE GREATER PORTLAND AREA The Arts & Economic Prosperity (AEP6) survey is back. AEP6 documents the economic contributions of the arts in over 250 diverse communities and regions across the country, representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia. During 2015, AEP5 in Oregon the nonprofit arts and culture […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 23, 2022 A Response to School Districts across our Region Portland, Ore. – The impacts of the global pandemic have had profound effects on our entire society. As families and communities look to recover, heal, and move forward, we also must confront the barriers that existed prior to the pandemic lockdown of […]

Regional Arts & Culture Council 2022 Legislative Priorities 2022 State Legislative Priorities – Adapted from the Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon The Regional Arts & Culture Council’s (RACC) mission is to enrich our communities through arts and Culture. We envision a thriving region, powered by creativity, with arts and culture in every neighborhood. To do […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 7, 2022  Portland, OR –  The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) joins fellow arts and cultural organizations, City Councils, the City of Portland, Counties, Legislators, and individuals across Oregon in support of HB4040 during this Short Legislative Session which commenced on February 1, 2022. HB4040 will “appropriate money to the […]

What’s Next: Connecting artists and creatives to opportunity and access Over a year and half ago, the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) reached out early on during the COVID-19 shutdown to our community and stakeholders to ask what their needs were during this extremely challenging time. Administered in 2020, the What’s Next survey sought […]

Funding will enhance RACC grantmaking for Clackamas, Washington county artists, and art organizations The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) will receive a $500,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for the American Rescue Plan Grants to Local Art Agencies for Subgranting. The funds will deepen RACC’s commitment to equitable funding in […]