RACC Blog

Patricia Rojas to Serve as the Regional Arts & Culture Council’s New Executive Director

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Photo Credit: Lanning Photography

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 14, 2025

Contact:

Meech Boakye, Communications Lead, Regional Arts & Culture Council, mboakye@racc.org

Portland, OR – The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) is pleased to announce that, following a national search, Patricia Rojas has been named its next Executive Director, effective August 1st. RACC received a highly competitive pool of 50 applications. Rojas was selected after an extensive recruitment process led by a 13-member staff-board committee, which included multiple rounds of interviews, in-depth reference checks, and a final interview phase that included community partners.

For thirty years, RACC, an independent nonprofit, has served as the designated arts and culture agency for several regional governments and as a cultural institution throughout the greater Portland Metro area. In response to recent shifts in the political and funding landscape, RACC has refocused its mission on managing public art programs, providing professional development for artists and arts organizations, and strengthening regional arts advocacy. RACC currently has 18 employees (16 FTE) and an annual budget of $5.4M, which includes $1.3M in RACC grant awards to other organizations.

“Patricia Rojas emerged from a highly competitive national search as the clear choice to lead RACC into its next chapter,” said Kathleen Holt, RACC’s Board Chair. “Her demonstrated leadership in public service, commitment to equity, and strength in relationship-building reflect the values that define RACC’s work. We are confident in her ability to steward this organization with thoughtfulness and drive, and we look forward to the impact of her leadership across the region’s cultural landscape.”

Patricia Rojas brings a strong track record in public leadership, with experience in coalition-building, fundraising, and organizational transformation. Most recently, she led strategic housing initiatives at Metro Regional Government, fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders to implement a major public funding initiative. Previously, as Executive Director of El Programa Hispano Católico, she guided the organization’s transition to independent nonprofit status and successfully tripled its operating budget.

“Art is a pillar of strength that binds us as a community, bridges across difference and builds resilience. It is a reflection of who we are and who we dream to be. RACC is nationally recognized for work in public arts, has been a catalyst for elevating the arts and supported artists in our region. I am thrilled and honored to join the RACC team where we will continue to build upon this strong foundation and innovate new approaches that grow the role of the arts in our community.” said Patricia Rojas.

Rojas is known for cultivating strong, values-driven teams and building systems that advance equity across all aspects of organizational practice. Passionate about the value of the arts and culture in fostering inclusive, thriving communities, she brings a leadership style grounded in collaboration, strategic vision, and a deep commitment to social impact. As RACC continues a transformative chapter, Rojas will work with its skilled team and community partners to advance this change, build strategic partnerships, and guide our organization into a newly defined role in the regional arts ecosystem.

“It is a privilege to welcome Patricia Rojas as the next Executive Director of RACC,” said Greg Netzer, RACC’s Interim Executive Director. “Her record of strategic leadership, coalition-building, and advancing equity in complex public and nonprofit environments positions her well for this moment. I admire her ability to navigate systems with clarity, compassion, and purpose and I have full confidence in her capacity to lead RACC with integrity and vision.”

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About the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC): For decades, the Regional Arts & Culture Council has worked to serve every neighborhood in the Portland Metro region, ensuring that arts and culture are accessible to all. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, RACC supports artists, creatives, and arts organizations through advocacy, grants, professional development, and strategic resources. RACC’s nationally recognized public art program enlivens parks, community centers, libraries, health clinics, and government buildings—fostering connection and creativity throughout the region. Learn more at racc.org.

Two Artists Chosen to Create Large-Scale, 2D Public Artworks for Portland International Airport’s Main Terminal

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Left: Portrait of Dyani White Hawk courtesy of the artist / Copyright Dyani White Hawk. Right: Portrait of Kate Newby ©Atsushi Nakamichi, Nacása & Partners Inc./ Courtesy of Fondation d’entreprise Hermès

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 25, 2025

Portland, OR — In collaboration with the Port of Portland, the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) is proud to announce that Dyani White Hawk and Kate Newby have been chosen to create large-scale, 2D public art works for Portland International Airport (PDX), anticipated to be installed in late 2025 and debut to the public in 2026. Newby and White Hawk were selected through a competitive process by the PDX Terminal Core Redevelopment (TCORE) Public Art Committee from an applicant pool of over 110 artists and artist teams from across the United States.

The renovation of PDX’s new main terminal  aims to increase the capacity, flexibility, and resilience of the airport, while improving the travel experience and adding more of what people love about PDX–including more art.. White Hawk and Newby’s artworks are two of several exciting new public art projects RACC is managing during the airport’s redevelopment.

The unique works will be located on walls along the north and south exit routes for travelers, where greeters wait after security, with each spanning over 50-feet long. Not only will they provide natural wayfinding cues for travelers, but the works will also be an impactful, beautiful welcome to PDX for locals and visitors alike.

“The selection of artists Dyani White Hawk and Kate Newby reflects our commitment to curating impactful public art—works that resonate with our region’s landscapes, histories, and communities,” said Kristin Law Calhoun, Director of Partnerships and Programs at the Regional Arts & Culture Council. “Guiding a committee of artists, community members, and Port employees through this thoughtful selection process reinforced the power of collaborative decision-making in shaping public spaces. These works will create a uniquely  PDX experience as enduring landmarks that will welcome and inspire visitors and residents alike.”

“We are honored to have work from Kate and Dyani as part of the airport’s permanent collection, which aims to celebrate everyone’s life experiences, voices, and cultures,” said Wendy Given, Art Program Manager at the Port of Portland. “The proposals from each artist retain their unique voices, are strongly tied to the Pacific Northwest region and our community, and will further enrich PDX’s forest-inspired design.”

About the Artists and Artworks

Dyani White Hawk (Sičáŋǧu Lakota) is a visual artist based in Minneapolis, MN. White Hawk earned a MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2011) and BFA from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, NM (2008). Her artistic work is multidisciplinary, drawing from her cross-cultural experiences as a woman of Sičangu Lakota and European American ancestry raised within Native and urban American communities.

Support for White Hawk’s work includes a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Creative Capital grant, and a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship along with many others. White Hawk’s work is in the collections of the Guggenheim Museum, Brooklyn Museum, Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art,  among other public and private collections. She is represented by Bockley Gallery in Minneapolis, MN.

White Hawk’s 55-foot long symmetrical glass and natural stone mosaic draws on the materiality of beading and weaving traditions as well as her own abstract painting practice to realize an abstracted view of the majestic silhouette of Mt. Hood reflected and situated in day and night cycles. The  artwork incorporates rich colors, lines, and patterns that prioritize Indigenous practices of abstraction within contemporary artistic expression.

Grounded in White Hawk’s identity as a Lakota woman and artist, the piece honors the aesthetic traditions of her own lineage while also honoring the land in which the work is situated. By drawing on motifs, patterns, and symbolism found within artistic languages of tribes indigenous to the Oregon region that are akin to the  aesthetics of her own lineage, she is able to speak to multiple and intersecting histories of Indigenous abstraction.

Kate Newby (b. 1979, Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, Aotearoa, New Zealand; based in San Antonio, TX) is a sculptor known for her site-responsive installations, architectural interventions, and material-driven explorations. Working primarily with glass, ceramics, and found materials, Newby engages with space’s physical and atmospheric qualities, creating sculptures that emerge from sustained engagement with a place. Her work incorporates elements reflecting a site’s social and environmental rhythms—wind, light, rain, and human and non-human activity traces.

Newby has had solo exhibitions at institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, Sydney; Klosterruine, Berlin; and the Kunsthalle Wien, Vienna, among others. She has participated in group exhibitions at venues including Mori Art Museum, Tokyo,  Blaffer Art Museum, Houston, and the Palais de Tokyo, Paris.  In 2018 she was included in the 21st Biennale of Sydney and currently has work in the Sharjah Biennial 16.

Kate has participated in numerous residencies, including The Chinati Foundation Artist in Residence in Marfa, TX; Artpace in San Antonio, TX; and Fogo Island Arts in Newfoundland. She won the Walters Prize, New Zealand’s most significant contemporary art award in 2012 and in 2019, she received a Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters & Sculptors Grant.

“The Sound of Trees,” is a 76 foot long mural that evokes Oregon’s forested landscape through a richly textured surface of glazed ceramic tiles. The work will conjure up a distinct color palette drawn from the state’s diverse vegetation with a focus on the season of fall.

At a distance, The Sound of Trees will give the impression of a large-scale abstract landscape. Textures and shapes from Oregon’s native foliage, impressed and incised into the clay, will create a sensory touchstone for PDX visitors. The work connects seamlessly with the interior landscaping and design of the new PDX Terminal, while creating a direct connection between airport visitors and Oregon’s majestic forests.

Community Engagement 

As part of The Sound of Trees, community members are invited to participate in urban foraging workshops led by Kate Newby in partnership with the Regional Arts & Culture Council and Portland Institute for Contemporary Art. Participants will collect discarded glass, which will be embedded into clay and fired, becoming a permanent part of the mural. Interested in learning more? Sign up to be notified about the urban foraging opportunities.

In addition, Newby is also collaborating with students at The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science. Through art and science curriculum, students will imprint mural tiles with natural elements gathered from the local environment, integrating hands-on fieldwork with classroom learning.

Find additional images of the artists’ work here

Contact Information

About the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC)

For decades, RACC has aimed to serve every neighborhood of our region to ensure that arts and culture are accessible to all. Our nationally acclaimed public art program enlivens parks, community centers, government buildings, libraries and health clinics; brings people and communities together; and makes our region a more vibrant and welcoming place to be. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we work to elevate the voices and visibility of individual artists, creative organizations and arts nonprofits – especially those that serve underrepresented communities – amplifying their impact through grants, professional development and other vital resources. Through strategic partnerships, our team works to build coalitions and lead new initiatives, crafting a shared vision for an equitable future for arts and culture in our region. For more information, please visit racc.org.

About Port of Portland

With three airports, three active marine terminals, and five business parks, the Port of Portland is an economic engine for transforming the region into a place where everyone is welcome, empowered, and connected to the opportunity to find a good job or grow their business. The Port works to pull down barriers and provide access to people and local businesses who have been left out of the region’s economic growth—including people of color, low-income workers, and people with disabilities. Collectively, the Port leads big projects in the region, including building a new PDX with a community-centered approach; transforming a former marine terminal into a site for innovation in the housing construction and mass timber industries; and providing more options for Pacific Northwest businesses to send their products around the world. For more information, visit www.PortofPortland.com.

1.2 Million in Arts Funding Awarded to 275 Portland Artists and Organizations

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Portland, OR — February 20th, 2025. In collaboration with the City of Portland’s Office of Arts & Culture, the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) has awarded $1.2 million in arts funding to 275 Portland-based artists and arts and culture organizations. Of these recipients, 185 awardees are individual artists, 90 awardees are arts and culture organizations, and 131 awardees stated that they’ve never received a grant award from RACC. From performing and visual arts, to film and literature, art forms from every medium are represented among selected grantees.

Portland Arts Project Grants are a new funding initiative to support innovative artistic projects in the city of Portland. The program invites applications from Portland-based artists and organizations seeking to advance their work through programming, presentations, events or artistic development that engages and benefits the public. Grants between $1,000 and $5,000 have been awarded to support arts programs and activities that show community impact.

At RACC, we believe art is a public good—a force that binds communities, challenges perspectives, and reimagines what’s possible. This partnership with the City of Portland underscores our shared commitment to equitable access: ensuring artists and organizations in every neighborhood have the resources to create boldly. An investment in arts and culture is an investment in Portland’s future—because when artists thrive, our communities thrive.

Greg Netzer, Regional Arts & Culture Council Executive Director.

“The City of Portland’s Office of Arts & Culture is so proud to partner with RACC to provide funding for the new Portland Arts Projects Grants. Creating more space for more artists and arts organizations to explore, hone, and share their work across Portland, from downtown to the city’s farthest reaches, is one of the most important arts and culture investments the City can make.”

Chariti Montez, Office of Arts & Culture Director.

This grant program continues RACC’s decades-long relationship with the City of Portland, serving our region with grant programs that celebrate community engagement among diverse creative disciplines. Funding is awarded through a competitive process wherein arts community members serve on peer review panels, separated by discipline, to evaluate each request.

RACC received 514 applications for consideration in this cycle. Applications were assigned to 15 panels according to their discipline and evaluated by 35 community reviewers from the local arts community. Reviewers scored the applications against criteria including: project concept, quality of artmaking and experience, impact on the applicant, engagement with an audience and/or community, and financial readiness. In addition, reviewers were asked to consider how each application aligned with both RACC’s core values and the City of Portland’s commitment to inclusively serving the community.

I’m so excited that RACC has been able to continue to partner with the City of Portland on grantmaking to support such a breadth and scope of arts projects. I am proud of the work the team and community have done to get funding out to creatives and artmakers. Now the truly exciting part where the community can start engaging with realized artistic projects can begin.

Ingrid Carlson, Senior Programs Officer at RACC.

RACC continues to collect demographic information, including the leadership and anticipated project audiences of organizational applicants in order to help fulfill the intentions of the Arts Access Fund, one funding source for this grant. Around 46 (or 50%) of the organizational projects will serve youth in their audiences or participants and 80 (or 89%) will reach other identified underserved communities. Of the artist applicants who provided information, over 43% of the grant recipients identified as people of color, 53% identified as LGBTQIA+, and 38% identified as low income.

In addition to Portland Arts Project Grants, two other grant opportunities were made available to  Portland creatives over the past six months, as detailed on the Office of Arts & Culture ’s website at portland.gov/arts-grants. RACC was contracted by the City of Portland’s Office of Arts & Culture alongside MusicOregon and Friends of IFCC to provide grantmaking services to our communities.

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Contact:

Meech Boakye

Communications Lead, RACC

mboakye@racc.org

Kelly Knickerbocker

Communications Coordinator,

City of Portland’s Office of Arts & Culture

kelly.knickerbocker@portlandoregon.gov

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About the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC): For decades, RACC has served every neighborhood of our region, ensuring arts and culture are accessible to all. Our nationally acclaimed public art program enlivens parks, community centers, government buildings, libraries and health clinics; brings people and communities together; and makes our region a more vibrant and welcoming place to be. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we work to elevate the voices and visibility of individual artists, creative organizations and arts nonprofits – especially those that serve underrepresented communities – amplifying their impact through grants, professional development and other vital resources. Through strategic partnerships, our team works to build coalitions and lead new initiatives, crafting a shared vision for an equitable future for arts and culture in our region. For more information, please visit racc.org.

About the Office of Arts & Culture at the City of Portland: Arts and culture are integral to our community and vital to Portland’s identity as a center of creativity. Artists and creative workers help define our culture, fuel our economy, and enhance our quality of life. We celebrate creativity in all its forms so that communities can connect, companies can flourish, and students can succeed in school and in life. The Office of Arts & Culture supports Portland’s arts and culture ecosystem and expands opportunities for Portlanders to participate in creative experiences. We do this through arts education coordination, cultural planning, grantmaking, public art and the Percent for Art program, and more. Our vision: arts at the center of public life in Portland.

Portland City Hall Candidates Show Strong Support for Arts and Culture in Recent Survey

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**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: 

Arts and culture 2024 Summary 

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 

Reconfigurations: a New Public Artwork Installed Along Recently Developed South Tabor Access Trail

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Join us for a Celebratory Poetry Reading at Mt. Tabor Park

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 25, 2024

Meech Boakye, Communications Lead, RACC, mboakye@racc.org

Kristin Calhoun, Director of Public Art, RACC, kcalhoun@racc.org

Portland, OR — Join the Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC) on July 31st at 7 pm to celebrate the recently installed public artwork, Reconfigurations. The evening will take place beside the artwork located on the newly completed multi-modal trail South Tabor Access Trail, at SE 64th Avenue and Division Street to SE Sherman Street.

A collaboration between artists, writers, stones, and trees

Three configurations of stones, poetry and trees are set out along this path.

As the trees grow, the reconfiguring will continue…

Walk slowly. The person you are today will be different than the person you are tomorrow.

Reconfigurations began in 2016 when artist Adam Kuby was selected from the RACC Design Team Roster to join the design team of OPSIS Architecture and Lando Landscape Architecture for the Parks Replacement Bond project at Mt. Tabor Yard and the new access trail. The project took many twists and turns, eventually landing on the idea of three pairs of stones engraved with written text each with a tree in the middle which will eventually move (reconfigure) the placement of the stones over time.

Public Art Director Kristin Calhoun introduced Kuby to Dao Strom of de-canon as a potential collaborator for the written aspect of the work. Alongside Strom, a cohort of six poets was curated including Samiya Bashir, Trevino Brings Plenty, Sam Roxas-Chua, Anis Mojgani, Stephanie Adams-Santos.

Each poet was given the prompt to respond to the word reconfigurations in a poem of 30-40 words. Once they had each written their poems, they mutually decided to blend what they had done individually into a new poem that was then laid out & engraved on the six split stone faces set in three locations along the path.

On July 31st, the poets will read their poem aloud, walking the path alongside artist Adam Kuby and the audience. We hope to see you there! For more information, and recorded readings of the poems, please visit our website.

About the Regional Arts & Culture Council:

The Regional Arts & Culture Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides impactful and transformative funding for artists and nonprofit organizations in Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties; manages an acclaimed public art program; leads an advocacy and arts education program; and offers a wide range of technical and professional development workshops. RACC advocates for equity, inclusion, and access, working to build a community in which everyone can participate in culture, creativity, and the arts. We remain steadfast in our mission to enrich every neighborhood we serve.

Greg Netzer Appointed Interim Executive Director at the Regional Arts & Culture Council

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Six New Members Join RACC’s Board of the Directors

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

  • Meech Boakye
  • Communications Lead, RACC
  • Email: mboakye@racc.org

Portland, OR — May 1, 2024. The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Greg Netzer as Interim Executive Director. With over three decades of strategic consulting and leadership experience, Netzer steps into this role committed to fostering an equitable and thriving creative ecosystem in the Tri-County area.

Greg has been an active member of the arts community as the Executive Director of Wordstock now known as The Portland Book Festival. He was previously involved with RACC as a grant recipient, a panel reviewer, and an advocate for RACC offering testimony before the Portland City Council. As Interim Executive Director, Greg will collaborate closely with the staff, board, and community partners to assess and enhance how RACC serves its stakeholders.

Netzer’s diverse experience ranges from leading Fortune 100 companies to advisory roles in startup nonprofits. His extensive background positions him to lead RACC, providing him with deep insights into effective arts administration, strategic innovation, community engagement, and cultural advocacy.

“Greg Netzer is uniquely equipped to lead RACC during this pivotal time. His vast professional experience and personal dedication to the arts are exactly what RACC needs as we look to the future,” says Kathleen Holt, Interim Board Chair. “We are confident that his leadership will invigorate our new initiatives and strengthen our contributions to the region’s cultural landscape.”

RACC is also excited to announce the appointment of six members to our Board of Directors: Toni Tabora-Roberts, Tammy Jo Wilson, Matthew Landkamer, Mayra Arreola, Carla Pilar Salazar, and Bob Deasy. Jointly, these new members bring a rich spectrum of expertise spanning organizational management, artistic and cultural programming, policy implementation, and financial oversight.

“I’m excited to join the RACC Board of Directors at this inflection point in its history, and I look forward to supporting the staff in re-envisioning the future of RACC and identifying innovative and impactful approaches to continue to foster a lively future for arts and culture in the Metro area,” says newly appointed Matthew Landkamer.

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About the Regional Arts & Culture Council:

The Regional Arts & Culture Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides impactful and transformative funding for artists and nonprofit organizations in Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties; manages an acclaimed public art program; leads an advocacy and arts education program; and offers a wide range of technical and professional development workshops. RACC advocates for equity, inclusion, and access, working to build a community in which everyone can participate in culture, creativity, and the arts. For more information, visit www.racc.org.

Multnomah County Library and Regional Arts & Culture Council announce community artist as part of diverse work at North Portland Library

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Sadé DuBoise will focus on community input as part of artwork for library’s new Black Cultural Center

  • Contact: Liz Sauer, Multnomah County Library Capital Building Projects Communications Manager, 971.350.8733, elizabeths@multco.us
  • Contact: Meech Boakye, Communications Lead, Regional Arts & Culture Council, 503.823.5111, mboakye@racc.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 22, 2024

PORTLAND, OR. — Multnomah County Library (MCL) and Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) are continuing their efforts to bring community-centered artwork to libraries throughout Multnomah County. This work is part of the voter-approved 2020 Library building bond which will build, rebuild or expand nine library buildings. Smaller upgrades to 11 libraries are also underway as part of the Refresh projects. Since the bond passed, Multnomah County Library has undergone major updates, with North Portland Library as one of the first projects.

North Portland Library will be renovated and expanded, adding 1,500 square feet to make the library 10,200 square feet. The renovated building will highlight the diversity and history of the community. The design by LEVER Architecture preserves the historic Carnegie building on Killingsworth Street while providing greater space for community gatherings in the new Black Cultural Center.

North Portland Library has long been the library home to the Black community in Portland. That’s why insights from the Black community have guided the vision and purpose for the new Black Cultural Center. Exciting updates at North Portland include:

  • A Black Cultural Center for connection and a celebration of Blackness
  • Outdoor space for community members to relax and be together
  • Updated technology and internet
  • Art that represents the neighborhood’s diversity

Public art for the North Portland community

As part of these updates, local artists are creating unique installations that represent the North Portland community’s history, culture and diversity.

“The historic North Portland Library has long been a cornerstone of the community, and specifically the Black community,” said Vailey Oehlke, Director of Libraries. “Through the library’s partnership with the Regional Arts and Culture Council, North Portland can offer vibrant new artwork that represents the community in a beautiful, inspiring space.”

Portrait of Sadé DuBoise. Photography by Olivia Renee (2020)

At North Portland Library, Sadé DuBoise has been selected to create a site-specific, artist-designed glass wall which will create a backdrop for the west side of the new Black Cultural Center. This permanent glass artwork, measuring 12 ft. high and 16 ft. wide, will be based on an original painting DuBoise will create, grounded in her North Portland upbringing and influenced by North Portland Library community engagement events. Her work is currently featured in the Black Artists of Oregon Exhibition at the Portland Art Museum, curated by Intisar Abioto.

In collaboration with Multnomah County Library and RACC, Sadé DuBoise will host two visioning sessions to welcome the community into the process of developing artwork for the Black Cultural Center. More details are below.

This artwork is developed in coordination with the Regional Arts & Culture Council through the Multnomah County Percent for Art Program, allotting two percent of the construction budget for all county-funded improvement projects toward the investment in public art. Artists are awarded projects as part of a robust public process, which includes selection panels led by local residents, business owners, artists, library staff and project partners.

Valarie Pearce, author, educator, and community panelist for the selection committee, celebrated the announcement, saying:

“As an educator, Portland native, and lifetime library evangelist it has been a great pleasure to be a part of the Multnomah County Library, Regional Arts & Culture Council, and community panel for the inaugural glass art and artist selection for North Portland Library’s Black Cultural Center.

“Art is a universal connector and the historical expression by which the Black Portland community has shared its story across time. North Portland Library’s Black Cultural Center is the legacy and enduring story of resilience, community, and beauty.

“I believe as a city it is important for us to invest in our values. With the focus of centering community voice, steering a broad and diverse artistic selection process, and curating community feedback forums, we have done just that. We have demonstrated our values for collaboration, community-centered voice, and the deliberate celebration of Black artistry in library spaces. Bravo!”

Artists and community working in tandem

Community engagement is at the center of the library’s building projects. The selection panel, made up of residents of the neighborhood, artists, architects, and library staff, prioritized artists with demonstrated experiences and connections to the North and Northeast community around North Portland Library. Most artists selected for these projects are seeking to create and host community engagement opportunities as part of their design phase, including the two events Sadé DuBoise will lead.

Design artwork for the Black Cultural Center at North Portland Library

The first event will be a visioning event where community ideas and perspectives will help shape the artwork for the Black Cultural Center. This gathering is a chance for community members to engage in meaningful dialogue and contribute to the selection of Adinkra symbols that will be featured in the upcoming glass wall art project. Adinkra symbols originated in Ghana and represent concepts or aphorisms. This interactive session will be an inspiring blend of cultural exchange, artistic discussion, and community bonding. Presentations will begin at 10:30 am and there will be handouts and opportunities for engagement for anyone who might come after the presentation begins.

  • Date and Location TBA

The second event will be held in celebration of Black History Month where participants will have the opportunity to create their own symbols, drawing inspiration from traditional Adinkra symbols. This hands-on experience is a chance to explore the symbolism of Adinkra while expressing your personal creativity using ink and paper. Additionally, attendees will get an exclusive sneak peek at the latest developments in Sadè DuBoise’s artwork for North Portland Libary’s new Black Cultural Center. All materials will be provided, and no prior art experience is necessary. Refreshments will be served.

Find more information on Multnomah County Library’s website and follow RACC on social media for updates.

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About Multnomah County Library

A treasured community institution since 1864, Multnomah County Library is one of the nation’s busiest public library systems, providing social, educational and cultural programs, resources and services, online and through its 19 public locations. With an eye toward the future of community-centered spaces, the library is working to build, rebuild or expand nine libraries through a voter approved capital bond. In addition to being Oregon’s largest provider of free internet access, the library offers millions of print and digital resources, in multiple languages for people of all ages. From kindergarten readiness to job training, computer-assisted design and 3D printing, the library supports all people in their pursuits to connect, learn and create. Learn more at multcolib.org

About the Regional Arts & Culture Council

The Regional Arts & Culture Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides impactful and transformative funding for artists and nonprofit organizations in Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties; manages an acclaimed public art program; leads an advocacy and arts education program; and offers a wide range of technical and professional development workshops. RACC advocates for equity, inclusion, and access, working to build a community in which everyone can participate in culture, creativity, and the arts.

 

Thirty-three Artworks Inspired by the People and Places of Portland Selected for Purchase

Written by

Mika Martinez, Portland Catrinas, 2023, Photography and graphic design on aluminum, 20 x 40 x 2 inches.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 11, 2024

Portland, Oregon — The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC), in partnership with the City of Portland, announces that 33 artworks by 26 artists have been selected for purchase through a competitive application and review process. Celebrating and taking inspiration from the people and places of Portland, the selected pieces include paintings on canvas, photography, works on paper, mixed media, textiles and beadwork.

The selected artists are: Rebecca Boraz, Sarah Bouwsma, Terrance Burton, May Maylisa Cat, Epiphany Couch, Menka Desai, Michael Espinoza, Emily Fitzgerald, Future Prairie, Terrence Gasca, Josh Gates, Elisa Gusdal, Jo Hamilton, Linda Higgins, Anya Keyes, Latoya Lovely, Marne Lucas, Mika Martinez, Christa Nye, Rory ONeal, M Prull, Rebecca Rodela, Hampton Rodriguez, Mona Superhero, Heléna Dupre Thompson, and Aaron Wessling.

Left: Helena Thompson, One Eighty Compulsion 14, 2020, Archival pigment print (photography), 22 x 17 inches. Right: Menka Desai, New Year at Lan Su Chinese Garden, 2023, Gouache and embroidery on handmade paper, 5 x 7 inches.

The artworks will enter RACC’s Public Art Collection of portable works, a rotating collection displayed in accessible municipal spaces throughout the City of Portland and Multnomah County. Fifteen of the works will enter the Visual Chronicle of Portland, a collection consisting of more than 400 works on paper that focuses on artists’ views of the city’s social and urban landscapes as they evolve through time.

Art Selection Process

Facilitated by RACC, an independent panel made up of artists, community representatives, and City employees participated in a three-stage review process to select artworks for purchase. RACC received applications from 155 artists, with up to six artworks submitted per person. The panel participated in thoughtful discussion and collective decision-making to determine which pieces to purchase from the many talented artists who submitted work.

Taking Inspiration from Portland’s New City Map

Funded by the City of Portland, the theme of the artwork purchase project was “Taking Inspiration from Portland’s New City Map.” The theme references Portland’s four new geographic districts, which were created by the City of Portland’s Independent District Commission through extensive community input. Submitted artworks could directly or indirectly relate to the theme, by portraying Portland’s neighborhoods or people; making personal, social, historical, political, or natural connections to the City or districts; and/or exploring broader ideas of borders, maps, place, or community.

Quote from Kristin Calhoun, Director of Public Art: “From celebrating community, to honoring the natural spaces within the City, to reflecting on urban changes, these thirty-three artworks present diverse perspectives on what it means to live, work, and play in Portland now. RACC is grateful to all the artists that submitted work for this opportunity, and we continue to be inspired by the unique viewpoints and creativity of the artists in our region.”

To learn more about the two-dimensional artwork purchase project, the selected artists, or to schedule an interview with RACC or the project team, please contact Eleanor Sandys at esandys@racc.org.

Contact Information: 

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About the Regional Arts & Culture Council:

The Regional Arts & Culture Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides impactful and transformative funding for artists and nonprofit organizations in Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties; manages an acclaimed public art program; leads an advocacy and arts education program; and offers a wide range of technical and professional development workshops. RACC advocates for equity, inclusion, and access, working to build a community in which everyone can participate in culture, creativity, and the arts. We remain steadfast in our mission to enrich every neighborhood we serve.