RACC Blog

Celebrating fashion and arts education at SHIFT: An experiment in fashion design

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A unique new event showcases garments created from uncommon materials to help raise money for The Right Brain Initiative

PORTLAND, ORE — On September 21, 2017, the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) and Arlene Schnitzer present SHIFT: An experiment in fashion design at 6:00 p.m. at the Leftbank Annex. This first annual runway show features nineteen local designers debuting runway garments made from recycled materials and found objects in an effort to raise funds for The Right Brain Initiative, RACC’s arts integration program that serves 29,500 students in 70 local K-8 public schools.

SHIFT is not your ordinary runway show; both rookie student designers and established fashion designers alike will compete for first, second, and third cash prizes, and the People’s Choice Award. Included in the 2017 SHIFT designer line-up are two eleven-year-old students of The Right Brain Initiative in the Gresham-Barlow School District.

Each creation will be assessed based on the following five characteristics: innovation, whimsy, level of difficulty, quality of construction, and runway presence. Three local fashion personalities will serve as judges: Adam Arnold is a local fashion designer known for his customized, sophisticated, and inventive clothing line. Nancy Judd is the founder and director of Recycle Runway, creating couture fashion from trash as a way to educate about the importance of conservation. Brooke Olzendam is a local TV celebrity and the current Courtside Reporter for the Portland Trail Blazers.

This exciting evening, full of fashion and ingenuity, will be emceed by the award-winning Rose Empress XLVI, Poison Waters. The event will also feature local food and fare, music from DJ VNPRT and the Obo Addy Legacy Project, and a silent auction with items from local Portland businesses and arts and culture organizations.

WHEN: Thursday, September 21, 2017. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for VIP and 6:00 p.m. for general admission. Show at 7:00 p.m.

WHERE: Leftbank Annex, 101 N Wiedler Street, Portland, Oregon 97227

COST: $45 general admission and $100 VIP admission. Purchase tickets online at http://therightbraininitiative.org/SHIFT/. 

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The Right Brain Initiative is a sustainable partnership of public schools, local government, foundations, businesses and the cultural community working to transform learning through the arts for all K-8 students in the Portland metro area. Now entering its tenth year, Right Brain serves 70 schools and approximately 29,500 students from urban, suburban and rural communities in the Portland area. In fall of 2014, Right Brain released data connecting the program to an above-average increase in student test scores, with greatest results for English Language Learners. Right Brain is a program of the Regional Arts & Culture Council. Operating partners include Young Audiences of Oregon & SW Washington (Residency Partner), Victoria Lukich (Research & Evaluation Partner), and Deborah Brzoksa of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Professional Development Consultant). Read more online at TheRightBrainInitiative.org.

The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) provides grants for artists, nonprofit organizations and schools 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.

RACC teams up with the The Standard to keep the Portland Building’s public art on display

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As City Bureaus begin relocating their offices in advance of the Portland Building renovation RACC has also been working to find temporary storage for the many public art works that will be displaced during construction. Portlandia will stay put on the building’s west façade, but the iconic 35 foot high sculpture will be screened off to protect her copper surface while exterior building repairs are made.

While our city’s symbol is hidden from view tourists and locals will still be able to get a Portlandia fix however, thanks to a generous offer from The Standard insurance company. The Standard is making room on the 2nd floor lobby of their Plaza building—located directly across the street from Portlandia—for the display of artist Raymond Kaskey’s exacting scale model of the sculpture. The model will join several other Portlandia related exhibits that will be relocated from the Public Art Gallery on the Portland Building’s 2nd floor.

In addition to stepping in to display these Portlandia related items during the Portland Building’s three year long renovation, The Standard is also assisting RACC by providing art collection storage space at a friendly rate. This storage will allow RACC to safely house all of the other public art normally located within the Portland Building until the renovation is complete.

“The Standard came through in a big way and has been enthusiastic, generous and helpful. They have a history of supporting arts and culture and RACC, and their assistance with this temporary relocation is sincerely appreciated.” –  Keith Lachowicz, RACC Public Art Collections Manager.

The Portland Building is located at 1120 SW 5th Avenue. The relocated Portlandia display will be on view in the L2 lobby of The Standard’s Plaza building, 1134 SW 5th Avenue, beginning September 20th.

Search Committee update for August 31

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RACC’s Search Committee continues to meet weekly. RFPs for executive search services were due to RACC on August 16, and we have narrowed those RFPs down to three finalists. We expect to announce our search firm shortly.

As always, you are invited to email edsearch@racc.org with your questions and other feedback. We are grateful for the continued support of the community.

 

 

Night Lights presents site-specific outdoor media monthly through April

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Regional Arts & Culture Council and Open Signal to host projections from local artists

PORTLAND, ORE — Night Lights, a monthly public art event, continues into its third year of urban intervention. A special launch party will be held at Open Signal on Wednesday, September 20 before the First Thursday series begins on October 5, showcasing projections of digital media from local artists and art students. Open Signal and the north wall of the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) offices will serve as the sites for this year’s events, with artists presenting works tailored specifically for those locations.

Night Lights represents an ongoing relationship between RACC’s public art program and Open Signal, celebrating the crossroads of local talent and technological innovation. The series illustrates the organizations’ inventive spirits, featuring presentations that include large-format projections, and interactive performances. Finalists were chosen through an open call and a community panel process, receiving a stipend for their participation.

The full Night Lights schedule is listed below, showcasing a different work each month. Emcee and performance artist Pepper Pepper inaugurates this year’s events on October 5, debuting an immersive project that will transform its audience into a kaleidoscopic collage.

This year, artists-in-residence Amy Chiao & Chloe Cooper will have full access to Open Signal’s resources for four months, developing a new work about their experiences parading a fifteen foot puppet through public and private settings. The documentary will premier on April 5, 2018 at Open Signal’s parking lot, and attendees will also have the opportunity to interact with the puppet used for filming.

Night Lights schedule

Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Launch Party
Open Signal
2766 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland
7:00pm-9:30pm
Free RSVP

Thursday, October 5, 2017
Pepper Pepper
Regional Arts & Culture Council, exterior north wall
411 NW Park Avenue @ Glisan Street, Portland
Begins After Dusk, Lasts 2 Hours

Thursday, November 2, 2017
Stephanie Mendoza
Regional Arts & Culture Council, exterior north wall
411 NW Park Avenue @ Glisan Street, Portland
Begins After Dusk, Lasts 2 Hours

Wednesday November 29, 2017
PSU Presentation with Professor Dave Colangelo
Regional Arts & Culture Council, exterior north wall
411 NW Park Avenue @ Glisan Street, Portland
Begins After Dusk, Lasts 2 Hours

Thursday, December 7, 2017
Ezekiel Brown
Regional Arts & Culture Council, exterior north wall
411 NW Park Avenue @ Glisan Street, Portland
Begins After Dusk, Lasts 2 Hours

Thursday, February 1, 2018
Julia Calabrese
Regional Arts & Culture Council, exterior north wall
411 NW Park Avenue @ Glisan Street, Portland
Begins After Dusk, Lasts 2 Hours

Thursday, March 1, 2018
Portland State University Showcase
Regional Arts & Culture Council, exterior north wall
411 NW Park Avenue @ Glisan Street, Portland
Begins After Dusk, Lasts 2 Hours

Thursday, April 5, 2018
Amy Chiao & Chloe Cooper (Artists in Residence)
Open Signal
2766 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland
Begins After Dusk, Lasts 2 Hours

Learn more about Night Lights at nightlightspdx.tumblr.com


About Open Signal
Open Signal is a media arts center making media production possible for anyone and everyone in Portland, Oregon. Launched in 2017, the center builds upon the 35-year legacy of Portland Community Media to create a resource totally unique in the Pacific Northwest. Open Signal offers media workshops, an equipment library, artist residencies and programs five cable channels with locally produced content. Open Signal delivers media programming with a commitment to creativity, technology and social change. Learn more at opensignalpdx.org

About Regional Arts & Culture Council
The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) provides grants for artists, nonprofit organizations and schools 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. Learn more at racc.org.

As the Portland Building renovation approaches RACC looks back at 23 years of the Installation Space, August 14 – September 1

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PORTLAND, ORE – As the three year long renovation of the Portland Building approaches RACC will take an opportunity to present A Look Back: 23 Years at the Portland Building Installation Space. This “venue retrospective” will celebrate the rich and varied history of art installations in the modest gallery space that adjoins the Portland Building lobby. Each of the 200+ site-specific installations dating back to 1994 will be represented in images and text. The famous (infamous?) Installation Space Comment Book that has accompanied exhibitions over the years will be converted into a wall sized “comment chalkboard” where visitors can endorse past favorites or offer their thoughts on this eclectic and successful public art forum.

Early on in its history the Installation Space developed a reputation both as a venue for well established artists and as an incubator space for emerging artists and students. RACC’s commitment to presenting engaging, challenging, and diverse work has remained constant for 23 years, as has the City of Portland’s support for the program through funds for the honorarium that accompanies each installation to support materials and artist fees. A new location for the Installation Space is envisioned on the 2nd floor of the redesigned Portland Building. In the meantime RACC is looking at temporary location possibilities during the renovation hiatus—stay tuned to www.racc.org for periodic updates.

About the Portland Building: As many Portlanders already know the Portland Building was designed by noted architect Michael Graves. Built in 1982 to serve as the City of Portland’s central administrative office building, the exterior design is considered one of the first examples of Post Modern architecture and the building is on the National Register of Historic Places. Significant exterior façade and interior operational systems needs have arisen over time however, and the city is undertaking the $195 million project to renovate the façade, replace failing building envelope issues, redesign interior work spaces and create new, more welcoming community spaces. To accommodate the renovation the Portland Building will close in November of this year, the reopening is scheduled for the end of 2020.

Viewing Hours & Location The Portland Building is located at 1120 SW 5th Avenue and is open 8 am to 5 pm, Monday – Friday. A Look Back: 23 Years at the Portland Building Installation Space opens Monday, August 14 and runs through Friday, September 1. For more information on the Installation Space series go to www.racc.org/installationspace

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The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) provides grants for artists, nonprofit organizations and schools 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.

Search Committee update for August 1

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RACC’s Search Committee has spent the past two weeks researching executive search firms and creating a new RFP describing our search needs.

Today, we issued an RFP to a short-list of 6 executive search firms. Proposals are due August 16th, and we expect to have a firm hired by end of the month.

We expect to post the job description and start accepting applications in early September.

We have been further polishing our job description to capture the incredible opportunity we see for a new RACC ED who has the experience, passion and vision to bring people together and ensure that the Arts move with the social, political and economic forces shaping our region.

Former RACC Board Chair Carole Morse has resigned from the committee. We wish to thank her for her excellent contributions.

We would like to thank the community for its continued input and support.

Please email edsearch@racc.org to send questions, feedback or ideas to the search committee.

 

FY2016-17 General Operating Support Awards

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Please note: This post (8/1/17) was updated on October 20, 2017, to correct some award amounts that were originally misreported.

A total of $2,430,900 in general operating support was distributed to 51 organizations in fiscal year 2016-17. Additional information about this program is available on the General Operating Support page. The arts organizations which received general operating support in 2016-17 are:

  • Artists Repertory Theatre – $69,500
  • Bag & Baggage Productions – $10,000
  • Blue Sky – $11,700
  • BodyVox – $31,600
  • Broadway Rose Theatre Company – $23,000
  • Cappella Romana, Inc. – $13,800
  • Chamber Music Northwest – $39,600
  • Children’s Healing Art Project (CHAP) – $13,400
  • Disjecta Contemporary Art Center – $13,900
  • Echo Theater Company – $15,300
  • Ethos Music Center – $29,600
  • Friends of Chamber Music – $19,000
  • Hand2Mouth Theatre – $8,000
  • Hollywood Theatre – $38,300
  • Imago Theatre – $15,500
  • Independent Publishing Resource Center (IPRC) – $10,600
  • Lakewood Center for the Arts – $21,000
  • Literary Arts, Inc. – $45,000
  • Live Wire! Radio – $15,200
  • Metropolitan Youth Symphony – $19,700
  • Miracle Theatre Group – $21,000
  • My Voice Music – $9,800
  • Northwest Children’s Theater and School – $52,300
  • Northwest Dance Project – $34,200
  • NW Documentary Arts & Media – $8,000
  • Oregon Ballet Theatre – $131,000
  • Oregon Children’s Theatre – $72,900
  • Oregon Symphony Association – $352,000
  • PDX Jazz – $17,200
  • Pendulum Aerial Arts – $8,000
  • PHAME – $13,700
  • PlayWrite, Inc. – $10,100
  • Portland Art Museum/Northwest Film Center – $427,000
  • Portland Baroque Orchestra – $28,700
  • Portland Center Stage – $225,000
  • Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra – $13,200
  • Portland Gay Men’s Chorus – $14,700
  • Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA) – $41,900
  • Portland Opera Association – $214,000
  • Portland Piano International – $20,000
  • Portland Playhouse – $23,000
  • Portland Youth Philharmonic – $23,800
  • Profile Theatre – $17,100
  • The Circus Project – $12,800
  • The Portland Ballet – $24,100
  • Third Angle New Music – $8,000
  • Third Rail Repertory Theatre – $29,100
  • Triangle Productions! – $13,000
  • White Bird – $42,100
  • Write Around Portland – $13,400
  • Young Audiences of Oregon – $46,100

 

A look back: 23 years at the Portland Building Installation Space, August 14 – September 1

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As the two year long renovation of the Portland Building approaches RACC will take an opportunity to look back at the rich, 23 year long history of art installations in the gallery that adjoins the building lobby. Over 200 exhibitions have taken place here over the years, all dedicated exclusively to site-specific installation art. The “techy” part: images and text from all the installations dating back to 1994 will be presented on a large format viewing screen. The analog part: the main wall will be converted to a large “Comment Chalkboard” where visitors can endorse their favorites, wish the Installation Space well as it begins its two year renovation hiatus, or simply comment on the nature of a program that has successfully presented engaging, challenging, and diverse artwork in a public forum for 23 years straight.

The Portland Building is located at 1120 SW 5th Avenue and is open 8 am to 5 pm, Monday – Friday. A Look Back: 23 years at the Portland Building Installation Space opens Monday, August 14 and runs through Friday, September 1. For more information on the Installation Space series go to www.racc.org/installationspace.

RACC’s exhibition highlighting the 23 year history of the Portland Building Installation Space opens Monday, August 14. Pictured below: David Nechak, 1994, Meg Rowe 1997, Heidi Fiechter 2001, Chandra Bocci 2003, Amos Latteier 2003, Paula Rebsom 2008, Michael Endo 2011, Shu-Ju Wang 2012, Elijah Hasan 2017