RACC Blog

The Regional Arts & Culture Council Announces New Executive Director

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Arts leader and innovator Madison Cario will join the staff in January

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Portland, ORE. – Following extensive community-wide feedback and a comprehensive national search, the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) announces today that Madison Cario will become its new Executive Director in January, 2019. Cario brings more than 20 years of experience working as an artist, presenter, producer and arts leader. Cario is currently the inaugural Director of the Office of the Arts at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where they are renowned for their strategic and entrepreneurial approach to innovation, collaboration, and creation in arts and culture.

“Madison Cario is the right leader for RACC at a time when Portland and the region are ripe for incisive action and an inspiring vision for the arts,” said RACC board chair Linda McGeady in making the announcement today. “They bring excitement and energy to the position along with a longstanding commitment to equity and access that aligns perfectly with RACC’s aspirations. We are thrilled to begin this new leg of our voyage with Madison at the helm.”

Cario is a connector, curator, artist, writer, Marine Corps veteran, and more. Growing up, the arts and creativity were not a part of their life until their mid-20s, when they were invited to attend a contemporary dance performance at the Mandell Theater in Philadelphia. Cario says the experience sparked a radical change in their life and professional trajectory.

Cario has led historic changes on the campus of Georgia Tech and in the community of Atlanta. At RACC, they will lead the organization in its efforts to make creative culture and the arts accessible to all 1.8 million residents of the Portland tri-county region.

“I am thrilled to join the incredibly talented team at RACC, especially during a time of great change,” said Cario. “I believe that everyone deserves an invitation to experience the transformational power and amazing energy of art and creative culture. The arts are essential and have the power to enrich the overall quality of life for every resident; this is not only my personal belief, but also core to RACC’s mission and vision. Together, with the community, we will build pathways, bridges, networks—whatever it takes—to strengthen, grow, and sustain a brilliantly diverse and equitable arts and culture community.”

At Georgia Tech, Cario has developed unique programs and experiences exploring the intersection of science, technology, engineering, and the arts. Driven by an intentional approach to equity—inviting in and making room for a diverse range of artists, creatives, and makers—Cario has worked to activate the midtown Atlanta campus with public art, engage the campus and community with deep and broad arts experiences, and produce collaborative work created by artists and Georgia Tech faculty, staff and students. Cario received the 2017 Creative Loafing People to Watch Award, Georgia Tech 2016 Staff Entrepreneurship Award, Faces of Inclusive Excellence Awards in 2017 and 2018, and the Georgia Tech 2015 Diversity Champion Award.

“Equity, diversity, inclusion and access are incredibly important, as well as our commitment to invitation, celebration, brilliance, and beauty,” said Cario. “These are ongoing processes, there will never be an end. No two people are the same: their needs, wants, identities, and communities contain beautiful intricacies. We must create dialogue with artists and creatives to support the people along with the project, and agree to hold space for the complexity of community.”

Prior to Georgia Tech, Cario held senior-level positions in the nonprofit sector including the East Bay Conservation Corps in Oakland, Painted Bride Arts Center in Philadelphia, and the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. They have been an advisor to the National Dance Project, the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA), the MAP Fund and numerous other national and local funding organizations, and served on advisory boards for Public Broadcasting Atlanta, Alliance Theater, and T. Lang Dance, among others.

“Congratulations to RACC for completing a successful national search,” said Portland City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly. “I’m excited for Madison Cario to join RACC as their new Executive Director, bringing years of experience of building bridges across the public, private, and philanthropic sectors. As Portland’s Arts Commissioner, I look forward to working closely with Madison to preserve affordable arts spaces, advance equity in grant making, strengthen public funding and expand access to the arts – particularly for artists and audiences with disabilities.”

More than 200 people participated in RACC’s search process by completing an online survey or participating in interviews to inform the job description following the retirement of Eloise Damrosch in June 2017. Koya Leadership Partners recruited strong candidates both locally and nationally, and 25 community members met a total of seven candidates in April and September this year. The search committee was co-chaired by board members Linda McGeady and Angela Hult, and the RACC board approved the committee’s final recommendation in October. More information on RACC’s search process is available online at racc.org/executive-director-search-update/.

Cario’s first day at RACC will be January 14. Jeff Hawthorne, RACC’s Director of Community Engagement, will continue to serve as Executive Director in the interim.

“I look forward to working with Madison and my colleagues on City Council to increase funding for RACC and to explore innovative new ways for supporting our local arts community,” said Commissioner Nick Fish.

Cario holds an MS in Environmental Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Rhetoric and Communication from Temple University.

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The Regional Arts & Culture Council is a local arts agency serving 1.8 million residents in the Portland, Oregon metro region including Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties. RACC provides grants and technical assistance for artists and nonprofit organizations, with more than 5,000 grants totaling $44 million in the past two decades. RACC also manages a widely-celebrated public art collection of more than 2,200 artworks for the City of Portland and Multnomah County; conducts employee giving campaigns that have raised more than $8.5 million for local arts organizations since 2007; organizes networking events, forums and workshops; and integrates the arts into the broader curriculum for K-8 students through The Right Brain Initiative, serving more than 27,000 students a year. Online at www.racc.org.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jeff Hawthorne, Interim Executive Director: jhawthorne@racc.org | 503.823.5258

New mural materializing now on NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard

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Local artists channel Día de Muertos in next installment of Fresh Paint, a temporary murals program

October 17, 2018 — PORTLAND, OR – Passersby can now see the newest work-in-progress from Fresh Paint, a temporary murals program, on the exterior wall of Open Signal: Portland Community Media Center on NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard at Graham Street.

Created by artists Andrea de la Vega and Damien Dawahare, the mural depicts the Mexican tradition of building the ofrenda, or ‘offering,’ during Día de Muertos—a practice intended to welcome the deceased to the altar.

“Through our own greater cultural explorations, we discovered a ritual of connection that is all about telling stories and remembering and honoring the past,” the artists wrote in their mural proposal. “The imagery is lighthearted and shares a story of coming and going. The color palette is warm and vibrant, depicting a life after death through friendly and familiar tones.”

The mural will be completed on October 22, 2018, staying on display until March 31, 2019.

Fresh Paint is a partnership between Open Signal and the Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC). Now in its second year, Fresh Paint is a professional development program that provides emerging artists of color the opportunity to paint a mural in a high-traffic setting for the first time. The goal is for each artist to learn new ways of creating art in a public space, as well as to build their portfolio.

Fresh Paint will feature two additional murals in 2019. Future muralists include Maria Rodriguez, Bizar Gomez & Anke Gladnick (April 2019 – October 2019), Munta (Eric) Mpwo and Limei Lai (October 2019 – October 2020).

 

About the Artists

ANDREA DE LA VEGA was born in Querétaro, Mexico and grew up in Las Vegas, NV. Her mother encouraged her creativity at an early age and she pursued a degree in Interior Design at UNLV. Her work in interior design is rooted in storytelling and she believes design can have a positive impact on the human daily experience. With her artwork, she is drawn to nature and the female form. She paints in acrylic and watercolor.

DAMIEN DAWAHARE is an artist and designer from Las Vegas, Nevada. He is currently working and studying at Pacific Northwest College of Art. Damien’s work ranges from traditional printmaking techniques to 3D modeling and interactive design. He utilizes line and color in order to interpret light and space.

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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, a public equipment library, artist residencies and five cable channels programmed with locally produced content. Open Signal delivers media programming with a commitment to creativity, technology and social change. Learn more at opensignalpdx.org.

About the Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC)
The Regional Arts and Culture Council provides grants for artists, arts organizations, and artistic projects in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties; manages an internationally acclaimed public art program; raises money and awareness for the arts; 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.

Media Contact
Yousef Hatlani, Marketing Manager, Open Signal  |  yousef [at] opensignalpdx.org  |  (503) 536-7622
Lokyee Au, Communications Manager, Regional Arts & Culture Council  |  lau [at] racc.org  |  (503) 823-5426

RACC board elects new members and officers

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On July 1, Linda McGeady became RACC’s new board chair, succeeding Mike Golub who will serve as Chair Emeritus until June 30, 2019. McGeady is originally from Belfast, Ireland, and became a US Citizen 18 years ago; being involved in Portland’s arts community has been an important part of her life here.  She serves on the Art Committee of the Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel, and is active in The International School alumni community. She also serves on the board of The Circus Project.

“I am honored to be RACC’s new board chair. I consider RACC to be – among many other things – an engine of civic engagement and an outstanding resource for the community. I look forward to working even more closely with the talented staff, including – soon – a new Executive Director, and with all of our dedicated board members who give their time and expertise to ensure that the arts not only thrive but help every sector in the region be more creative and more successful.”

Joining McGeady and Golub on the Executive Committee in FY2018-19 are Vice Chair Osvaldo “Ozzie” Gonzalez, Treasurer Eileen L. Day, Secretary Angela Hult, Eve Connell, Katherine Durham,  Parker Lee and Frances Portillo.

The RACC board also elected Amy Kutzkey to the board. Kutzkey is a certified public accountant and shareholder at Perkins & Co.  

All board and staff profiles are available online at racc.org/about/staff-board.

 

Linda McGeady Photo credit: Dodge and Burn Studios

88 local artists and arts organizations awarded total of $451,037 by Regional Arts & Culture Council

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Portland, Ore — The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) has awarded $451,037 in project grants to 59 artists and 29 nonprofit organizations in Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas Counties. RACC’s project grants provide financial support for individual artists and nonprofit organizations, and align with RACC’s goal of advancing the region’s access to a wide range of arts and culture.

“Arts shape who we are, how we see each other and our community,” said interim executive director Jeff Hawthorne. “These projects are finding creative ways to connect, teach, and inspire us throughout the region. We are pleased to invest in this wide variety of projects, and I am particularly energized by the number of new and emerging artists funded this cycle, with 56% of all project grants going to first-time recipients.”

Thirty-four peer review panelists, consisting of professional artists, community representatives, and arts administrators, reviewed a total of 215 applications through 9 panels. “Utilizing a grants process that allows artists to be reviewed by peers ensures that the discussion begins first and foremost with a common experience of being an artist,” says Director of Grants Helen Daltoso. “That shared understanding helps not only to keep the discussion focused on the concerns most central to artmaking, but also grounds the discussion with a level of solidarity and open-mindedness from practitioners who have faced similar aspirations or obstacles.”

The RACC Board of Directors unanimously approved all panel recommendations on May 23, with awards in three categories: Artistic Focus, Arts Equity & Access, and Arts Services.

Artistic Focus projects help artists realize their vision, and help organizations support their artistic mission. Examples funded in this round include $5,240 for Julia Bray’s Matter is Mother, a one-woman magical comedy written, created, and performed by Bray; $6,650 to Derrais Carter for the project black girls: using archives, poetry, and visual art by black women to challenge historical narratives and ways black girls have been sexually exploited in the name of science and photography; $6,250 for M. Allan Cunningham, who will be publishing his multi-generational mystery novel PERPETUA’S KIN; and $5,120 to World Arts Foundation, Inc. for a historic album release and release party featuring songs from the organization’s archive of historic Albina recordings to bring life to the Albina music culture of the 1960s-80s.

Arts Equity & Access grants support programs and services with a strong community engagement component, including festivals, arts education projects, and programs that expand arts experiences for underserved communities. Albina Jazz Festival will showcase and celebrate the historical jazz scene in the Albina Neighborhood of Portland through a two-day public event with their award of $1,000.

Arts Services grants include projects that provide professional development opportunities for the arts community, including workshops or conferences. In this category, Celeste Noche will elevate the Portland in Color (PIC) blog series further by featuring, promoting, and connecting Portland’s talented pool of diverse professionals often overlooked by creative agencies.Project Grants are funded by a combination of public and private investments, including the City of Portland’s general fund, City of Portland’s Arts Tax, Multnomah County, Clackamas County, Washington County and Metro. Additional funding comes from RACC’s workplace giving campaign, Work for Art.

Project grants, which had been offered only once a year, are now available three times per year. The next project grant deadline is June 6. Guidelines and application can be accessed at https://racc.org/apply.

A complete list of project grants appears below, and more detailed summaries of each grant are available here

RACC project grants for individual artists: May 2018 (cycle 2)

Note: (*) denotes Clackamas County applicants, and (**) denotes Washington County based applicants.  All other applicants are based in Multnomah County.

Applicant Project Type Discipline Award
Kamee Abrahamian Artistic Focus Media Arts $5,950
Oluyinka Akinjiola Artistic Focus Dance/Movement $7,000
Nii Ardey Allotey Arts Equity & Access Folk Arts $6,800
Rory Banyard Artistic Focus Media Arts $5,950
Avantika Bawa Artistic Focus Visual Arts $6,320
Virginia Belt Arts Equity & Access Multi-Discipline $3,600
Irena Boboia ** Artistic Focus Media Arts $5,160
Ron Bourke Artistic Focus Media Arts $5,250
Julia Bray Artistic Focus Theatre $5,240
Derrais Carter Artistic Focus Multi-Discipline $6,650
Tomas Cotik Artistic Focus Music $5,250
M. Allen Cunningham Artistic Focus Literature $6,250
Martha Daghlian Arts Services Multi-Discipline $2,290
Roland Dahwen Wu Artistic Focus Media Arts $4,860
Eileen Finn Artistic Focus Multi-Discipline $3,880
Lara Gallagher Artistic Focus Media Arts $6,300
Darrell Grant Artistic Focus Music $6,300
Cheryl Green Artistic Focus Media Arts $4,800
Chisao Hata Artistic Focus Theatre $4,880
Jessica Hightower Artistic Focus Dance/Movement $3,250
Anthony Hudson Artistic Focus Multi-Discipline $6,527
Garrick Imatani Artistic Focus Visual Arts $6,650
Simeon Jacob Artistic Focus Dance/Movement $3,370
Zoe Keller Artistic Focus Visual Arts $1,950
Andrea Leoncavallo Artistic Focus Visual Arts $4,140
Emily Lewis Arts Equity & Access Visual Arts $5,140
Béalleka Makau Arts Equity & Access Social Practice $7,000
Margaret Malone Artistic Focus Literature $4,650
Tina McDermott Arts Equity & Access Visual Arts $4,540
Megan McGeorge Artistic Focus Music $4,460
Pam Minty Artistic Focus Media Arts $5,190
Elise Morris ** Artistic Focus Dance/Movement $5,230
Jose Moscoso Artistic Focus Visual Arts $6,300
Emily Nachison Artistic Focus Visual Arts $5,950
Tylor Neist ** Artistic Focus Music $5,600
Tabitha Nikolai Artistic Focus Visual Arts $4,310
Anders Nilsen Artistic Focus Literature $5,520
Hunter Noack Artistic Focus Music $7,000
Celeste Noche Arts Services Multi-Discipline $5,770
Eleanor O’Brien Artistic Focus Theatre $5,890
Brian Padian Artistic Focus Media Arts $3,960
Hajara Quinn Artistic Focus Literature $3,820
Rángel  Rosas Reséndiz Artistic Focus Multi-Discipline $5,690
Alicia Rose Artistic Focus Media Arts $5,250
Paul Rutz Artistic Focus Visual Arts $5,160
Ivan Salcido Artistic Focus Visual Arts $4,650
Heidi Schwegler Artistic Focus Visual Arts $4,000
Matthew Sheehy Artistic Focus Multi-Discipline $5,650
Mike A Smith Artistic Focus Media Arts $5,250
Todd Strickland Artistic Focus Media Arts $5,200
Cornelius Swart Arts Equity & Access Media Arts $4,690
Devin Tau Artistic Focus Media Arts $5,250
Roshani Thakore Arts Equity & Access Social Practice $5,600
Lindsay Trapnell Artistic Focus Media Arts $7,000
Freddy Trujillo Artistic Focus Media Arts $5,250
Grace Weston Artistic Focus Visual Arts $1,710
John Whitten Artistic Focus Visual Arts $5,250
Dan Wilson Artistic Focus Music $5,000
Renee Zangara Artistic Focus Visual Arts $4,840

 

RACC project grants for organizations: May 2018 (cycle 2)

Note: (*) denotes Clackamas County applicants, and (**) denotes Washington County based applicants.  All other applicants are based in Multnomah County. 

Applicant Project Type Discipline Award
Albina Jazz Festival Arts Equity & Access Music $1,000
Andisheh Center Arts Equity & Access Multi-Discipline $4,080
Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) Arts Equity & Access Multi-Discipline $5,250
Blackfish Gallery Artistic Focus Visual Arts $4,510
Design Museum Portland Artistic Focus Visual Arts $5,000
Enso Theatre Ensemble Artistic Focus Theatre $3,750
Estacada Area Arts Commission * Arts Equity & Access Multi-Discipline $5,520
Hacienda CDC Arts Equity & Access Multi-Discipline $7,000
Jim Pepper Native Arts Council Arts Equity & Access Multi-Discipline $6,270
Ko-Falen Cultural Center Arts Equity & Access Folk Arts $5,950
Many Hats Collaboration Artistic Focus Multi-Discipline $5,240
Media Institute for Social Change Artistic Focus Visual Arts $4,250
MediaRites Artistic Focus Theatre $5,950
Mittleman Jewish Community Center Artistic Focus Music $4,800
Northwest Art Song Artistic Focus Music $4,470
Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education Artistic Focus Visual Arts $5,600
Portland Japanese Garden Artistic Focus Multi-Discipline $6,650
Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble Artistic Focus Music $3,310
Portland Meet Portland Arts Equity & Access Music $5,250
Portland Oregon Women’s Film Festival Arts Equity & Access Media Arts $5,600
Rogue Pack Young Portland Speaks! Arts Equity & Access Theatre $6,210
SoulPatch Music Productions * Artistic Focus Music $5,600
Staged! Musical Theatre Artistic Focus Theatre $7,000
Street Books Arts Equity & Access Social Practice $4,860
Tavern Books Artistic Focus Literature $5,000
Verde Arts Equity & Access Social Practice $5,250
Vibe of Portland Arts Equity & Access Dance/Movement $1,160
Village Coalition Arts Equity & Access Social Practice $7,000
World Arts Foundation, Inc. Artistic Focus Multi-Discipline $5,120

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The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) provides grants for artists, arts organizations, and artistic projects 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.

The Right Brain Initiative awarded $45,000 grant from National Endowment for the Arts

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PORTLAND, ORE — National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu has approved more than $80 million in grants in its second major funding announcement for fiscal year 2018. Included in this announcement is an Art Works grant of $45,000 to The Right Brain Initiative, the Regional Arts & Culture Council’s (RACC) arts integration program. This generous award will support Right Brain’s innovative, systematic, and equitable approach to arts integrated education in Portland area elementary and middle schools that delivers creative learning experiences through a variety of art forms to teach core subjects like reading, math and science.

The Art Works category is the NEA’s largest funding category and supports projects that focus on the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and/or the strengthening of communities through the arts.

“For the Portland metro area this means that students will experience new ways of learning and find creative ways of demonstrating their knowledge and understanding,” noted Marna Stalcup, RACC Director of Arts Education. “Picture a 6th grader who now understands the water cycle because of a movement experience or a 2nd grader whose writing is ignited through storytelling and puppetry. That’s Right Brain in action.”

This marks Right Brain’s 8th year of funding from the NEA, and is the largest amount the program has been awarded to date. The grant will equip an estimated 1,813 teachers, arts specialists, principals, and teaching artists in the 2018-19 school year with professional development opportunities. By offering education professionals the resources to weave creative thinking into teaching practices, The Right Brain Initiative works toward creating lasting change within our school systems so that students can thrive academically, socially, and artistically.

“The variety and quality of these projects speaks to the wealth of creativity and diversity in our country,” said NEA Chairman Jane Chu. “Through the work of organizations such as The Right Brain Initiative in Portland, Oregon, NEA funding invests in local communities, helping people celebrate the arts wherever they are.”

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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 in 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 Brzoska 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, arts organizations, and artistic projects 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.

 

Four additional arts organizations to receive General Operating Support from RACC

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PORTLAND, ORE — The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) has approved the addition of four nonprofit organizations to its roster of “General Operating Support” organizations that receive annual unrestricted funding from RACC in support of their mission. The four new “GOS” organizations are:

  • August Wilson Red Door Project, $12,000
  • CoHo Productions, $12,800
  • Oregon BRAVO Youth Orchestras, $14,600
  • Polaris Dance Theater, $12,300

These organizations bring to 55 the number of arts organizations in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties that receive annual, unrestricted operating support from RACC. GOS grants range in size from $8,000 to $427,000 per year depending on the size of the organization. A list of other GOS organizations and their historical funding amounts is available online at http://bit.ly/2y79puH.

“Last year we indicated our intention to distribute RACC resources more equitably, and to provide more groups with general operating support regardless of public and private funding increases,” said Jeff Hawthorne, RACC’s interim executive director. “Thanks to modest improvements in arts tax collections last year, and several internal budgeting adjustments, we are able to add these groups without reducing grants to other GOS organizations. We are also investing in a new capacity-building initiative for culturally specific arts organizations, and providing additional funds to groups that are doing deep equity and inclusion work within their organizations.”

Eleven organizations applied to be included in GOS this year. A panel of RACC board members, Angela Hult, Anita Menon, James Smith and Katherine Durham, ranked all organizations on established criteria that include financial health, artistic innovation and audience engagement. Among the four organizations recommended for funding, the panel noted a strong commitment to engaging with underserved communities, and plans to strengthen their ongoing equity work. The panel’s recommendations were approved by the RACC board on October 25.

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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.

RACC awards Literature Fellowships to Samiya Bashir and Rene Denfeld

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PORTLAND, ORE — The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) is pleased to announce its 2017 Fellows in Literature – Portland writers Samiya Bashir and Rene Denfeld. RACC’s fellowship program honors local artists of high merit. Recipients receive a cash award of $20,000 to sustain or enhance their creative process.

Samiya Bashir is a collaborative artist who brings her poetry off the written page in multi-disciplinary projects that involve video art, sculpture, installation, and performance. She has presented her work nationally and internationally and has received many awards including the 2011 Aquarius Press Legacy Award recognizing women writers of color who actively provide creative opportunities for other writers. The RACC Fellowship panel recognized the generosity in her work; both in how her writing speaks to her specific experience as a queer, first-generation Somali-American poet/maker, yet is accessible to wide audiences, and in how her readings and performances open the space to welcome others artists. Her book Field Theories was published this year by Nightboat Books. Samiya has two projects she is currently working on, a multi-media poetry field guide on the creation of the East African diaspora and an unconventional memoir that will lace episodes of her own history with historical moments from 19th century New York City Draft Riots and the 21st century run up to the Gulf War. Find out more at www.samiyabashir.com.

Rene Denfeld is a novelist whose social justice work is at the heart of all her writing. She has written nonfiction books, essays, and her second novel The Child Finder was released this September by Harper. She grew up in North Portland, where she makes her home today with her three children. Her work tells the stories of the marginalized and dispossessed, examining issues critical to our times, including poverty and child abuse, while bringing hope to the most challenging situations. The Fellowship panel recognized that Rene is a phenomenal writer that produces visceral, gorgeous work with a flow and fluency which easily takes you to the worlds she is describing. Rene would use the Fellowship funds to support more time writing and finishing her third novel, which will go deeper into the criminal justice system and how our society fails to protect children. Find out more at www.renedenfeld.com.

Established in 1999, RACC’s Artists Fellowship Award remains one of the largest and most prestigious awards to individual artists in the Pacific Northwest, supporting exceptional artists who exemplify RACC’s mission of enriching the local community through arts and culture. RACC rotates the disciplines it honors each year—performing arts, visual arts, media arts, and literature.

To be eligible for consideration, professional artists must have worked in their field for at least 10 years and have lived in the Portland tri-county area for five years. Applications, which include three
narrative questions, artist resume, two letters of recommendation, and examples of the artist’s work, are reviewed through a panel process of community representatives from the discipline being honored. This year’s panelists in the literature category included Mo Daviau, Merridawn Duckler, Christopher Luna, Orit Ofri, and Olivia Olivia.

Bashir and Denfeld join a prestigious group of local artists who have been named RACC Fellows in the past, including Mary Oslund, Obo Addy, Christine Bourdette, Terry Toedtemeier, Jim Blashfield, Michele Glazer, Tomas Svoboda, Keith Scales, Judy Cooke, Michael Brophy, Chel White, Craig Lesley, Thara Memory, Henk Pander, Joanna Priestley, Kim Stafford, Robin Lane, Eric Stotik, Lawrence Johnson, Sallie Tisdale, Linda Austin, Anita Menon, David Eckard, Ellen Lesperance, Vanessa Renwick, and Brian Lindstrom. A gallery of past RACC fellows are listed at www.racc.org/grants/individual-artist-fellowships.


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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.

A statement from RACC regarding the Oregon Supreme Court’s decision on the arts tax

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PORTLAND, ORE – This morning, the Oregon Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the Court of Appeals in Wittemyer v. City of Portland (Supreme Court Case No. S064205) and held that the Arts Income Tax is not a prohibited “poll or head tax” under the Oregon constitution.

“We are grateful to the Oregon Supreme Court for affirming the legality of the arts tax once and for all,” said Jeff Hawthorne, interim executive director of the Regional Arts & Culture Council.  “As a result of this decision, every grade school in Portland will continue to have at least one art, music or dance teacher on staff, and RACC can continue investing in nonprofit organizations that are providing exceptional arts experiences for every Portland resident. Everyone deserves access to arts and culture, and 62% of Portlanders voted to help make that happen.”

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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.

Media stories on 9/21-22 on this decision:

With Legal Challenge Over, What’s Next For Portland’s Arts Tax?

 Oregon Supreme Court Upholds Portland’s Arts Tax

Oregon Supreme Court Says Portland Arts Tax Is Legal   This Associated Press story appeared in newspapers around the country, including Kansas, Miami, FL.

Oregon Supreme Court Upholds Portland Arts Tax

Portland arts tax is legal, Oregon Supreme Court rules

Portland Has a $35 Tax For Arts Education—Here’s Why It’s So Controversial