RACC Blog

Request for Qualifications – PDX Terminal Redevelopment Public Art Project – International Arrivals

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International Arrivals Art Wall

The Regional Arts & Culture Council (“RACC”) and the Port of Portland (“Port”) in Portland, Oregon, are inviting artists to submit their qualifications for the design and installation of a permanent public art display that will be a part of the Portland International Airport’s (PDX) terminal redevelopment project.

The Port of Portland has contracted with the Portland area’s Regional Arts & Culture Council to manage the selection process for this public art opportunity.

Working Project Timeline

  • October 12, 4:00 pm (PST) – Information session on Zoom
  • November 13, 11:59pm (PST) – Application due date (Due Date Extended!) 
  • January 2024 – Artist selection for interview
  • January – February 2024 – Artist(s) site visits, interviews
  • Winter 2024 – Design Development
  • Spring 2024 – Spring 2025 – Fabrication
  • Summer 2025 – Installation Completion

*Dates provided are estimates based upon current knowledge of preliminary project schedules and are only intended to assist artists in determining their own availability to participate. Above dates in no way represent final approved schedules and are subject to change through future iterations of design and construction phases.

Introduction

PDX has been recognized as the best airport in the United States eight times in the last decade. The airport consistently ranks high when it comes to customer service based on its facilities, accessibility, security, and is renowned for its local restaurants, beverages, and retail offerings, as well as short films at no cost, rotating art exhibits, and permanent artworks throughout the airport.

PDX seeks to commission distinctive, site specific, original public artwork for the $2B terminal redevelopment project. This unique artwork location has been identified for this Request for Qualification (RFQ) within the newly designed terminal. All public artwork locations in the new facility are identified on the attached Exhibit A. Separate RFQ documents will be released over the next year for the remaining art installations in the terminal redevelopment project.

A Selection Committee of community representatives, arts and culture professionals, and Port staff has been assembled to recommend artists or artist teams. Each piece of work shall reflect the essence of the region and create a memorable experience that passengers have come to expect from PDX.

This Request for Qualifications (RFQ) will determine artist(s) eligibility to propose artwork for the specific location described in this document.

PDX Airport Overview

PDX serves as the unofficial welcome mat to the Northwest with nearly 20 million travelers a year passing through. Once the TCORE project is complete, in 2025, the facility will be capable of serving 35 million passengers. In addition to passengers, PDX supports a workforce of over 10,000 employees.

PDX served 14,107,240 million travelers during Fiscal Year 2022, which is 29% down from FY19’s passenger count of 19,941,424, due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. As of July 2022, PDX has recovered from the impacts of COVID-19 by 71%, out-performing Port financial analysts’ recovery forecast by 16.4%. Airline staffing shortages are currently suppressing a full recovery, which is expected by early 2024.

PDX operates primarily as an Origination and Destination (O&D) airport. Only 8% of passengers are connecting to other cities. The other 92% of travelers start or end their journey at PDX, and for all those passengers, the airport will be their first or last impression of the region.

With this in mind, the PDX art program seeks to create an environment that embodies the unique character of the Pacific Northwest. PDX is largely a leisure airport, with a smaller percentage of business travelers. This means that most airport users are either nearby residents or are deliberately choosing to visit our region for vacation, so both groups are particularly interested in a localized experience.

Twelve domestic carriers and six international carriers operate at the airport. The airport currently serves 53 domestic markets and, as of November 2022, will offer nonstop flights to 10 international destinations in Japan, Netherlands, Germany, UK, Iceland, Mexico and Canada, some of which are seasonal. Most international flights operate out of Concourse D. Combined, Alaska Air Group (which includes Horizon Air) is the largest passenger carrier at the airport and Southwest, Delta and United are the next three largest, respectively.

PDX currently contains four concourses with 50 gates and ground loading positions. When the terminal redevelopment project is complete, there will be 59 gates and the concourse connector will make its return in 2024, allowing passengers to navigate the entire terminal behind security.

Port of Portland Public Art Program

PDX provides multiple venues for artists and community arts organizations seeking exposure for their works and collections. The program includes permanent art, rotating exhibits, a temporary installation program and a microcinema that showcases short films by Oregon filmmakers. More information on the art program can be found here.

Port of Portland Art Program Goals

Artists should also keep in mind the general goals for the Port of Portland’s entire art program, including that of commissioned permanent artworks

  • Represent artists of diverse races, genders, geographic origins, ethnicities, and ways of being with the purpose of advancing fair and equitable inclusion
  • Incorporate a variety of artistic mediums/materials and aesthetics
  • Reflect the region’s creative and cultural wealth
  • Respond to the airport environment in consideration of designated architectural factors and features supporting the general character of the Port and PDX as described above
  • Made of durable materials and easily maintained

PDX Terminal Redevelopment Program

The redevelopment of the main terminal doubles the footprint of the terminal and invites passengers and employees to celebrate the beauty of the Pacific Northwest with a design evoking a walk in the forest; with vast windows and skylights providing daylight, interior landscaping of living plants, and a monumentally scaled wood roof produced from locally sourced timber.

Overall, the project will grow, modernize, and beautify PDX, preparing it to meet the demands of a new generation of travelers. The upgrades include a 150-footwide building expansion that houses two brand new security checkpoints with increased capacity. The main entrance and ticket lobby will be fully redesigned to replace the 1950’s original, integrating today’s travel technologies. The concourse connector, which lets visitors move between the two sides of the airport without passing through security twice, will return. We’re also adding two new airline lounges, along with stunning artwork, lush greenery, and an impressive wood lattice roof.

The ticket lobby will be a bright and airy space with ample space for passengers to check in at their ticket counters while admiring the new pieces of artwork.
The pre-security concessions will surround a large community gathering space with stadium-style seating, which all departing travelers will pass through. The gathering space will regularly host special events, celebrations, and entertainment.
Not to be outdone, the grand halls immediately after each security checkpoint will be reconstructed with 30-foot ceilings, expansive window views, tons of natural light, greenery at every eye-level, and a lineup of concessions designed to look like a city streetscape, complete with pergola-style canopies and sidewalk seating.
To get a more concrete idea of what the new main terminal will look like, visit pdxnext.com, where you’ll see renderings and construction photos.

Social Equity Policy

The Port of Portland’s Social Equity Policy promotes social equity, using a racial equity focus, with the purpose of advancing fair and equitable inclusion and creating the conditions in which all people can participate, prosper, and achieve equitable outcomes with respect to the Port’s employment, business, and services.

Cultural and racial equity will be considered throughout the process of selecting artists or artist teams, in terms of the demographics of the artists selected, the cultural communities served, and the diverse perspectives represented through the artwork. The Port encourages partnerships among artist/artist teams that reflect our region’s cultural heterogeneity.

Art Sites

The terminal redevelopment project is comprised of 9 separate opportunities for artwork, each with different budgets dependent on the project’s size, location and anticipated material and fabrication needs. Additional locations are listed in Exhibit B. The Selection Committee intends on selecting a different artist or artist team for each RFQ.

One 2D Artwork | International Arrivals

Budget: Not to Exceed $300,000

This is an opportunity for an artist or artist team to create a large scale, signature artwork that will be located on the deplaning level at the North end of baggage claim. This artwork will greet International arrival passengers as they enter the pre-security Terminal area. The wall will also be visibly prominent from the waiting lounge in this area.

This artwork will welcome passengers to Portland and be their first impression of PDX Airport and the City of Portland. This transition space will be a key gathering point for international passengers to meet family, friends, and colleagues. The wall for the artwork is 42 feet long and 8 feet tall. The artwork will be situated at the exit of an 18 foot wide corridor.

The primary goals of this opportunity are for the art to:

  • To be made of very durable materials work with an impactful international focus.
  • Build a connection between PDX airport and the World
  • Be impactful, iconic and provide wayfinding cues for travelers

The commission will be awarded to one artists or artist team, with a budget not to exceed $300,000, inclusive of all artist design fees and associated travel costs, insurance, fabrication, transportation and installations of artwork on site. Eligibility: Open to artists living in the United States and internationally. RACC staff, Artist Selection Panelists, and Port of Portland employees or their immediate families are not eligible to apply.

Applying for This Opportunity

In response to the RFQ, applicants will be asked to submit the following items through RACC Opportunity Portal. Incomplete applications cannot be considered. It is the responsibility of the applicant to complete and submit materials by the application due date: 11:59pm (PST), November 13 (Due Date Extended!) 

Applications must include the following:

  • Statement of interest: In 2000 or less characters and spaces, explain why this project is of interest to you.
    • Describe how your previous work addressed site and similar goals stated for this project.
    • Address how your experiences, artistic practice, or values connect to or align with the Port’s Social Equity Policy detailed above.
    • Include descriptions of how you worked with design and construction teams, and other comments that might help to differentiate you as a candidate for this project.
    • Do not submit a proposal for the commission at this time.
  • Two-page résumé uploaded as a PDF that outlines professional accomplishment and includes two professional references (name, affiliated organization, email address and phone number) for both individual applicants and teams (2 per team).
    • For team applications, include a 2-page résumé for each team member that are combined into one PDF.
  • Up to 10 images of past work including details: These images are the primary way the quality of your work is judged. Provide the following information for each visual: title, year produced, dimensions, budget, medium, and a brief description. Do not embed label information into the jpeg image. Up to 2 videos may be included.

Evaluation Criteria

Selection Phase

During this phase, qualified applicants will be ranked by the Selection Committee on a 100-point system based on the following points distribution:

  • Artistic vibrancy of submitted past work 30 points
  • Statement of interest to include:
    • Artist’s interest in project 10 points
    • Connection/Alignment to Port’s Social Equity Policy 10 points
  • Ability to create impactful artwork for PDX Airport 20 points
  • Potential to work successfully as part of design and construction teams 10 points
  • Meets the goals of Port of Portland’s art program 20 points

Proposal/Interview Phase

During this phase, applicants will be ranked by the Selection Committee on a 100-point system based on the following points distribution:

  • Demonstrated artistic vibrancy and feasibility of the proposed concept 40 points
  • Mastery of materials and fabrication through own skills or subcontracted fabricators 20 points
  • Potential to collaborate successfully with the project design and construction teams 20 points
  • Ease of maintenance, durability, and sustainability of materials 20 points

Artistic vibrancy is defined as an artistic practice that:

  • Demonstrates integrity of process
  • Embodies excellence of craft and skills
  • Demonstrates imagination, distinctiveness, and originality
  • Contributes to artistic practice
  • Engages with the diversity and complexity of contemporary life
  • Is relevant in a local, national and global context

Selection Committee/Process

Members of the Art Committee include artists, arts professionals, the project architect, a Port Commissioner, Port staff and community members. Non-voting advisors to the panel include additional Port staff.

Evaluation of the applicants will be in accordance with the Evaluation Criteria listed above. The issuance of this RFQ, and the receipt of applicants does not obligate that Port to award a contract. The Port may cancel this RFQ or reject any or all proposals in accordance with ORS 279B.100.

All questions relating to this RFQ must be posed through RACC’s online portal. Questions received fewer than five (5) business days prior to the deadline for receipt of submissions may not be considered.
The RACC and the Port reserve the right to make changes to the RFQ. Changes will be made by written addendum which will be issued to all prospective Providers on the RACC’s list of RFQ holders. A Provider may amend or withdraw its proposal any time prior to the time and date established for proposal submission. Refer to Exhibit C for specific disclosures and protest rules associated with this RFQ.

Selection Phase

Prior to the selection phase, a subcommittee comprised of Selection Committee members will review all applicants and narrow the initial pool of RFQ applicants to no more than 50 artists/artist teams per site.

Proposal/Interview Phase

From these applicants, selected by the subcommittee, the Selection Committee will choose up to 4 finalists to prepare a more in-depth art proposal. Finalists will receive more site-specific information and supplemental documents to aid in the proposal process at that point.
During the selection phase, no more than 4 finalists will be selected for the interview phase. Finalists are expected to attend a site visit and orientation session with ZGF and the Port of Portland. Each finalist/team will be paid a $5,000 honorarium to develop a proposal and will be reimbursed for travel expenses. Finalists will present their proposals in an interview format six to eight weeks from the site visit with the entire Art Committee. The proposal shall include: art concept, description of materials, manner of execution/installation, and proposed budget and timeline. At the interview visual representation of proposal and material samples should be provided.

Following the presentations/interviews, the Art Committee will select a single artist/team who will enter into a Design Phase Contract with the Regional Arts & Culture Council and begin collaborating as needed with the design team of ZGF and the Port of Portland. Following approval of the final design by the Art Committee, the artist/team will then enter into a Fabrication Contract with the Port of Portland, a sample contract is attached as Exhibit D.

All questions relating to this RFQ must be posed through RACC’s online portal. Questions received fewer than five (5) business days prior to the deadline for receipt of submissions may not be considered.

Arts for All Program Increases Access and Outreach in Community

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The Regional Arts & Culture Council Announces a Relaunch of the Arts for All Program to Increase Engagement and Outreach in Our Community, and Beyond, Ensuring Arts & Culture Are Accessible for All

We envision a community that supports, engages with, and finds joy in arts and culture being accessible by all–not just those who can afford to pay, but also for those with limited resources. RACC wants opportunities to be available for all members of our community. We want people to be uplifted, enjoy arts and cultural events, and be part of the creative fabric of our state. The Arts for All program was conceived by a group of thoughtful arts leaders more than 10 years ago to ensure that everyone receiving assistance through the Oregon Trail Card/SNAP could attend arts and cultural events for $5 a ticket.

While the Arts for All program has flourished and steadily grown, we have seen that there is a need to increase its accessibility. To achieve our goals, we are relaunching the program with renewed engagement and outreach. Our goals include making the information downloadable from our website at www.racc.org and distributing printed materials throughout the region to hundreds of non-profit social service agencies, county and city government offices, schools, health departments and clinics, community centers, arts and culture organizations, and more. Program information will be available in six languages and will be at culturally specific locations.

Friends of Chamber Music was proud to be one of the founding member organizations of Arts for All back in 2011, and I’ve personally had the privilege of continuing to help coordinate the program for the last several years. It’s been so gratifying to see the impact Arts for All has had in making the arts accessible to all parts of our community and see it become a model for similar programs across the country.  – Pat Zagelow, Friends of Chamber Music Executive Director

The Arts for All program enables us to enjoy arts and culture together while ensuring access for all. Without the support and dedication of arts organizations in our community, this program would not be possible. We are thrilled to announce a new partnership with the Hult Center for Performing Arts in Eugene, Oregon. The expansion of the Arts for All program throughout the state ensures better access to arts and culture for all of our residents.

RACC looks forward to hearing the community’s response for this renewed launch and engagement opportunity for Arts for All. Please let us know how we can continue to ensure that access to arts and culture activities is available for all who wish to participate. Let us know how we can make this community-centered program better! – Carol Tatch, Executive Director, Regional Arts & Culture Council

The organizations who have joined RACC to ensure access to arts and culture in our community are listed at racc.org/artsforall. Please support these arts and cultural organizations any way that you can to show your support for arts and culture access for all. For more information, please email us at arts4all@racc.org.

Advocacy in Arts Education

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What do we want? Arts Education! When do we want it? Now!

This seems like the mantra every new school year, every budget season, and perennially from youth across our communities. They love art. They love the paint, the sticky glue on their fingers, the seasonal pumpkin sketches, and the field trips to performances and exhibitions. They love using scissors and cutting hearts out of red construction paper, school assemblies, showcasing their ceramics and photography in the halls, learning current media techniques, and most of all, they love the joy of being creative together.

Advocating for arts and culture in our community and schools is a full-time job. We hope that one day it will just be the norm. People will simply understand the value of arts and culture in our community, in our schools. We will not have to advocate for funding and sustaining a vibrant arts education program in our PK-12 schools, but will be thinking instead about all the new courses, and the arts educators we need to hire because the demand for art is so vast and the classes are too full. Imagine.

Yet, arts and culture are in demand now. Arts save lives. We know that because teachers, community members, students, policy makers, data reports and analysis, and arts organizations remind us repeatedly. It is through arts in our schools that an atmosphere of communication and tolerance, a mapping of emotions through creation, enable students to connect to the greater world. There they can express their creative selves, find their voice, and to see the connectedness of the human spirit. In community, we do the same.

Can you recall the world without music, movies, gatherings and performances while we were in lockdown during the global Covid-19 pandemic? The arts enable us to survive through some of our darkest times as a community, and the arts continue to uplift and support us as we struggle not just to survive, but to thrive in our new world.

We ask you to join us as an advocate for arts education in our schools and in our community. Lend your voice to the chorus, and share your experiences and joy with others. Tell your story of how the arts saved you. Nurtured you. Tell your family members to support candidates and board members that want sustained funding in arts education in our community. Support arts councils that advocate for arts and culture in your community. Support arts organizations by volunteering, attending performances, and sponsoring school trips through donations. Whatever you do, be that advocate and voice for arts and culture in our community and schools. Be loud.

Please join us at www.racc.org/arts-education to learn more.  Tag us on Instagram when you share your stories.

-Chanda Evans, Arts Education Manager

RACC Grantee Heléna Dupre Thompson’s “Unintentional Spectacles”

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Laura Vincent Design & Gallery is a space in downtown Portland known since 2018 for its careful selection of contemporary artists. We visited to interview artist Heléna Dupre Thompson and view her exhibition Unintentional Spectacles, funded in part by a Make|Learn|Build grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC). 

Thompson was raised in the industrial city of Providence, Rhode Island, and worked as a firefighter. This exhibition served as a testament to her background. Thompson extracts stories from what many overlook: utility poles covered in posters, skate parks, and the undersides of skateboards, transforming close-up images into abstract worlds. 

On view alongside Unintentional Spectacles was James Florschutz’s exhibition, Assembled Fragments. Constructed out of found materials, these objects carried their own histories, challenging our views on urban sprawl and consumerism. Together, these two artists’ were in conversation, their works resonating with each other, weaving narratives of urban life and transformation from the seemingly mundane.

The phrase “industrial beauty” seems like an oxymoron, but in Thompson’s hands, it becomes an exploration of the aesthetic potential hidden in the mundane. “I’ve always been drawn to abstraction,” she says. Providence is a city with an industrial history like her current home, Portland. Despite the geographical distance and the years away, she found unexpected similarities between the two cities. “Providence is kind of like a really small version of Portland,” she notes, describing the shared landscapes, content, and political undercurrents, though also acknowledging a few east-west coast differences.

Her work, characterized by magnifying her lens deep into her subjects, is layered with history, the passage of time, and the gentle or not-so-gentle interventions by humans and nature alike. Focusing on the elements that resonate most with her, Thompson encapsulates vast landscapes within tiny surface areas. “Most of my [photographs]…are about a one to two-inch surface area,” she shares; yet these miniature compositions hint at large geological formations. 

Thompson challenges the notion that her work is a form of documentation. While she captures the tangible realities of her subjects, she intends to remove them from their context and allow them to stand separate. It’s an intriguing juxtaposition of preservation and abstraction that pulls viewers into an almost ethereal space, urging them to question and rethink what they’re perceiving. “I do this…for the viewer to see it however they want to see it,” she explained. The result is an abstraction so detailed, it becomes a world unto itself.

Thompson embraces spontaneity in her creative process, and her work emerges from the unexpected, while staying grounded in the physical world. “Most of my work happens on-site,” Thompson reveals. But there is an element of serendipity at play. She explains, “Sometimes I’ll be riding my bike and I’ll find chunks of metal or glass [on the roadside]. I’ll [then] take them back to my studio and compose them there.”

“Being in that environment, hearing the sounds, seeing the people, meeting the people, smelling the smells… It makes me more connected to the city and the people.”

Her experimentation is not confined to stationary objects; she draws inspiration even from the fleeting, like skateboarders gliding by at the park. “I’m interested in the surfaces that the skaters skate on, but also what the undersides of their boards look like,” she says, unveiling an exciting recent find, recycled skateboard decks. “This is the thing that scraped the wall that I was photographing and now…already…this is a piece,” she marvels, cradling the board. “I love [this] kind of layering…First of all, there’s a graphic on it, right? And then somebody bought it and put these stickers on it. And then who knows where this board has been? Now, through the actions of the skater, it becomes a mashing and regeneration of the original colors, lines and textures,” she contemplates, her words subtly drawing parallels between her work and life itself – a multitude of intricate, layered experiences.

Thompson sees the relationship with these environments and communities as a two-way street — she was observing them, and they were inadvertently shaping her. 

“Being in that environment, hearing the sounds, seeing the people, meeting the people, smelling the smells… It makes me more connected to the city and the people. Even if I see them once, there’s a bond that I feel more connected to,” she confessed. “Being amongst artists and communities, I’ve gotten so much out of that and learned so much from it.” These interactions fostered a sense of shared understanding, a silent bond that she found incredibly nurturing. “I feel like it makes me a more present person, more caring. As artists, we have this connection that a lot of people don’t have. It’s made me feel more whole in a lot of ways, more connected to my environment and myself.”

Thompson also noted the crucial role of funding bodies like RACC, acknowledging how its support had impacted her journey as an artist. She concluded, “[This grant] allowed me to take a few leaps forward, to prioritize my craft, to grow, and to learn. I truly believe I wouldn’t have been in this gallery now if it weren’t for the timing of that grant.” 

As we wrapped up, I was given the exciting news that Thompson had been asked to be represented by Laura Vincent Gallery as the show concluded, confirming the steady evolution of her artistic trajectory. Laura Vincent Gallery’s invitation emphasizes Thompson’s unique visual language and the raw intimacy she brings to her work. With her journey marked by a non-traditional, self-guided education, Thompson’s story reflects the potential for diverse routes into the art world, celebrating creativity that thrives outside established norms. 

All images by Heléna Dupre Thompson, from “Unintentional Spectacles.” 

RACC Grantee North Pole Studio Recount their Experience at the Outsider Art Fair

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In the spring of 2020, North Pole Studio emerged as a testament to creative inclusion and artistic empowerment. In June of 2023, I spoke with Sula Willson about the organization and their recent experience at the Outsider Art Fair in New York City, a trip made possible through a Regional Arts & Culture Council Arts3C grant. Co-founded by a dedicated group of artists, educators, and advocates — Sula Willson, Mary Ellen Andersen, Davis Wohlford, Sarah Mensah — the organization serves as a robust platform supporting careers in the arts, particularly for artists with autism and intellectual/developmental disabilities. As Willson shared in our conversation, “…we decided to open North Pole Studio as another option for folks who needed a creative space that was intentionally smaller, intentionally quieter, and highly individualized.” 

A large, colorful artwork filled with bold lines and abstract shapes sits on a wall. Below it, a comfy looking couch. On the adjacent wall sit five smaller artworks of varying size.

Housed in NW Marine Artworks, Portland’s largest collaborative of professional artist studios, North Pole Studio is more than a 1,200 sq/ft space for creation: it embodies the belief that understanding diverse human experiences is foundational to a vibrant and whole community. With an unwavering commitment to fostering self-determination and facilitating meaningful connections, the organization ensures that its artists thrive as visible contributors to both local and national contemporary art communities. “We always say that the space belongs to the artists… and we are here to facilitate whatever artists come to create and pursue,” says Willson, encapsulating the mission of North Pole Studio and its focused approach. 

In a vertical line, three small paintings on cardboard sit on a wall. Each depict colorful, costumed, faceless figures. To the right and left are more gestural and abstract framed works. A potted plant peeks into the left side of the image.

Communication is central at North Pole Studio, bridging gaps and enabling artists to navigate opportunities and employment within the art world and beyond. Willson explains, “…we scaffold communication in a lot of different ways, but we use a lot of social stories, visual supports,” tailoring contracts or other documents that may be inaccessible to individual artists. Collaboratively, unique strategies are crafted for each artist. For some artists like James Enos, the studio acts as the primary liaison with his book dealer. For others, like Austin Brague, guidance is provided as he applies for opportunities independently.  The need for spaces like this studio is great, as evidenced by North Pole Studio’s rapid growth. As the organization begins to tackle questions of growth and scalability, one thing is clear: at North Pole Studio, the individual needs of the artists will always take center stage. 

As with many arts nonprofits, the challenging landscape of funding underscores their mission. In an endeavor to make their workshops more accessible, the studio has introduced a sliding scale fee for all programs, which in turn amplifies the need for more robust external funding. Despite this terrain, the determination of Willson, Andersen, and the myriad collaborators that allow the space to run smoothly, remains unwavering. What keeps them going is their recognition of the transformative influence that this support and advocacy has on artists’ lives. Willson describes, “having someone recognize that you are capable of something bigger than you thought… is empowering within itself.” 

In our conversation, Willson highlighted North Pole Studio’s core belief of fostering individual growth and opening doors to opportunities for artists with autism and intellectual/developmental disabilities. Their commitment to this mission was brought to life when they attended the Outsider Art Fair in New York City, made possible through funding from RACC. This experience served as both an enriching platform for their artists and a milestone in the studio’s journey. Now, to truly capture the experience, let’s turn to the team at North Pole Studio, who share below their firsthand reflections and insights from the fair: 

In March 2022, RAAC awarded an Arts3C grant that made it possible for North Pole Studio to represent three artists at the highly competitive Outsider Art Fair in New York City. This eye-opening and career-changing exhibition opportunity would not have been possible without RACC’s funding, and we are deeply grateful for the support. The fair was a true whirlwind — an enriching, educational, challenging, colorful experience that provided a valuable new perspective for our staff, artists, and their advocates, family members, and community members.

The Outsider Art Fair is the largest exhibition of self-taught artists in the world. It occurs biannually in Paris and New York, and is internationally attended by exhibitors, visitors, and patrons alike. “Outsider Art” or art brut (raw art) historically describes artists who are creating outside of educational institutions and traditional techniques, or those without exposure to (whether intentional or not) or influence from popular art culture and trends. Aesthetically and philosophically, this work has a rawness to it — and is valued for its pure, expressive, seemingly unselfconscious quality which captures the artists’ completely original experience.A scanned piece of paper filled with pink and red handwriting.

Some of the most renowned “Outsider” artists include Bill Traylor, who was born into slavery and began creating art in his eighties; Martín Ramírez, a railway worker who was institutionalized with schizophrenia in his later life; and Judith Scott, a deaf woman with Down’s Syndrome who discovered her creative voice in a supported art studio. In the contemporary art world, the “Outsider Art” movement has broadened significantly, encompassing a diverse community of artists both dead and living. Today, the commonality among artists represented at the fair is that they are entirely self-taught, and are creating extraordinary artwork in a style and technique that is completely their own. 

As the field has evolved, the term “Outsider” itself has become controversial. Many of the artists represented at the fair are from marginalized communities, including artists that are low-income, disabled, and BIPOC with many intersections in between. North Pole Studio is intentionally embedded inside the professional arts community. Our location is a strategic choice to combat the isolation and access barriers that artists with disabilities continue to face in their communities. While almost all of the artists we serve are entirely self-taught, the desire to identify as an “Outsider” in the art world varies from artist-to-artist and is rejected by many.

North Pole Studio is part of a nationwide movement of progressive art studios who are working to amplify the voices and work of artists with disabilities. The energy of this movement is vibrant, and very much alive at the fair. Using these funds from RACC, we were so proud to represent artists Austin Brague, Dan Tran, and James Enos. Our highlight by far was having Austin and Dan join us in New York City to represent their work firsthand. Austin worked on his submission for over a year — a large scale pen and ink drawing of New York City — which he triumphantly sold at the fair, breaking many New Yorker hearts. Artist James Enos is co-represented by Booklyn, Inc. and this was his second appearance at the fair. He also sold an original work on the first day. James’ work truly stands out at the fair, as he is among a minority of artists working in book form and has developed an unparalleled binding technique, which includes large-scale illustrations which can fold out over 5 feet long. Dan Tran is a rising star in the progressive art world, and it was our pleasure to make face-to-face introductions to fans from all over the country who continue to follow his work.

Austin shared that he had no idea that he was part of such a vast community of self-taught and disabled artists. He was “blown away by the creativity, how vast the collection of work is…[he] had no idea.” Selling work at this level made him realize that success as a professional artist is in reach, and it has motivated him to focus his art practice and dream bigger moving forward. Prior to joining North Pole Studio, many of the artists we serve were creating work in isolation, with little access to resources and exposure. Beyond the art sales and professional connections, the community aspect was perhaps the most powerful impact of our experience at the Outsider Art Fair — the sense of place and connection with an international community of self-taught artists who are valued as professionals, and core contributors to art history and contemporary art. 

We learned so much, and returned to Portland with valuable insights to share with North Pole Studio’s community, and Portland’s art community at large. We can’t wait to go back!

To learn more about North Pole Studio, please visit their website. They are currently seeking new artists to join their Main Studio Program this year. If you or someone you know is seeking supported studio space and looking to connect with a community of artists, they’d love to hear from you!

Image Captions, from top to bottom: A glimpse inside of North Pole Studio’s cozy, art-filled space. Detail of various artworks hung on the studio wall. Work by James Enos, Writing. 

RACC completes our 2023 Fiscal Year with record number of grant awards investing in our creative community

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The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) is pleased to announce the distribution of substantial funds made between July 2022 and June 2023, totaling over $7.8 million, to support individual artists, arts organizations, and many art projects across the tri-county region. Grant funding is made possible by public investment and partnership from the City of Portland, Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington Counties, Metro, and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). RACC grants are awarded through competitive programs, primarily General Operating Support (GOS) and the new Arts3C Grant, that engage with Community Reviewers in the decision making process. These evolving grant programs are a testament to RACC’s commitment to foster a vibrant arts community and ensure equitable access to artistic experiences for all residents

“Our ability to strategically ensure that our community continues to be centered as we navigate the changes brought about by the recent pandemic and social justice and equity initiatives is informed by our community, who holds us accountable, and who can see and experience the returns on their investment in RACC. These funds are from community, for community. We are grateful stewards and leaders ensuring an equitable process and program. Our private/public partnerships with our local, state, and national governments are the bedrock for these opportunities. Our success relies on thoughtful collaboration and transparency in our processes,” Carol Tatch, RACC’s Chief for External Operations.

This past years’ increased number of applicants reflect the growth in creative activity and the expanding needs of art producers. Over 60 artists, arts administrators, and arts board members reviewed applications, participated on panels, and contributed to the work in making the record number of grant awards. Four arts organizations, Alberta Abbey Foundation, Caldera, Lan Su Chinese Garden, and Resonance Vocal Ensemble, were accepted into the General Operating Support program partnership, bringing the total number of groups that receive ongoing unrestricted grant support up to 70. A list of all GOS organizations and their award amounts is available online at racc.org/ grants/grant-awards/.

Most notably, in two cycles of Arts3C grants in the last year, RACC received a total of 1100 eligible applications and awarded $1,735,000 to 452 unique recipients. RACC received 856 eligible applications and awarded $1,143,000 to 385 unique recipients in the comparable program in FY22. This ongoing growth in arts activities and interest in public grant support follows a trend that RACC has been tracking since before the pandemic.

This last year, RACC was able to make a special allocation of $2.4 million to our GOS and Capacity Building arts organizations, made possible thanks to Portland residents that voted for and paid into the Arts Education & Access Income Tax Fund (AEAF), also known as the Arts Education Tax. RACC has had a Board-approved reserve fund since 2018 when they received an unexpected allocation of arts tax revenues collected by the city. Some of those funds were distributed to partner arts organizations in a special allocation that same year and another distribution was made three years ago during the pandemic. The funds distributed through the AEAF will enhance the capacity of diverse art organizations–from visual arts institutions to performing arts organizations and cultural event programmers–to sustain their programs, outreach initiatives, and administrative functions. By providing general operating support, RACC’s distribution of its portion of AEAF funds strengthens the foundational pillars of these organizations and supports their continued vitality and the community’s access to meaningful engagement with the arts.

RACC launched the Fall cycle of Arts3C Grants on July 26, 2023, and will be offering the opportunity to apply to be a Community Reviewer in early August. While the number of applicants grows and the processes remain competitive, RACC team members continue to invest in artists and applicants through time, information, support, and learning opportunities, not to mention grant funding. RACC’s Grants team is available to answer questions and support applicants in all the grant programs.

 

RACC grants team: grants@racc.org

FY2022-23 General Operating Support Grant Awards

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Learn more about RACC’s General Operating Support program.

General Operating Support Partner Base Awards

Cycle 1 – Reports received in December 2022 and awarded January 2023

  • Artists Repertory Theatre – $60,000
  • Blue Sky Gallery (Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts) – $15,000
  • Literary Arts – $60,000
  • Portland Center Stage – $100,000
  • Portland Youth Philharmonic – $45,000
  • The Portland Ballet – $30,000
  • Third Angle New Music – $15,000

Cycle 2 – Reports received in February 2023 and awarded in March 2023

  • Arts for Learning NW (Young Audiences) – $45,000
  • BodyVox – $45,000
  • Boom Arts – $15,000
  • CoHo Productions – $20,000
  • Metropolitan Youth Symphony – $30,000
  • Oregon Ballet Theatre – $100,000
  • Oregon Contemporary – $20,000
  • Outside the Frame – $20,000
  • Portland Art Museum – $175,000
  • Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra – $20,000
  • Portland Opera – $85,000
  • Portland Playhouse – $45,000
  • Profile Theatre – $30,000
  • Shaking the Tree Theatre – $20,000
  • Street Books – $15,000
  • Third Rail Repertory Theatre – $20,000
  • White Bird – $30,000

Cycle 3 – Reports received in May 2022 and awarded in June 2022

  • Bag & Baggage Productions (Washington County) – $30,000
  • Broadway Rose Theatre Company (Washington County) – $60,000
  • Cappella Romana – $30,000
  • Chamber Music Northwest – $45,000
  • Children’s Healing Art Project – $15,000
  • Corrib Theatre – $15,000
  • Echo Theater Company – $30,000
  • Ethos Music Center – $30,000
  • Friends of Chamber Music – $30,000
  • Friends of Noise (All Ages Music Portland)- $15,000
  • Hand2Mouth – $15,000
  • Hollywood Theatre (Film Action Oregon) – $60,000
  • Imago Theatre – $20,000
  • Independent Publishing Resource Center – $15,000
  • Lakewood Center for the Arts (Clackamas County) – $45,000
  • Live Wire Radio – $30,000
  • My Voice Music – $20,000
  • New Expressive Works – $15,000
  • Northwest Children’s Theater & School – $60,000
  • NW Dance Project – $45,000
  • NW Documentary Arts & Media – $15,000
  • Oregon BRAVO Youth Orchestras – $45,000
  • Oregon Children’s Theatre – $60,000
  • Oregon Symphony Association – $175,000
  • Pacific Youth Choir – $20,000
  • PassinArt: A Theatre Company – $15,000
  • PDX Jazz – $30,000
  • PHAME – $30,000
  • PETE (Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble) – $15,000
  • Polaris Dance Theatre – $15,000
  • Portland Baroque Orchestra – $45,000
  • Portland Gay Men’s Chorus – $20,000
  • Portland Institute for Contemporary Art – $45,000
  • Portland Piano International – $20,000
  • Portland Street Art Alliance – $20,000
  • Portland Taiko – $15,000
  • PlayWrite, Inc – $15,000
  • The Red Door Project – $30,000
  • Triangle Productions – $20,000
  • World Stage Theatre – $15,000
  • Write Around Portland – $20,000

 

GOS New Partner Organizations – awarded June 2023

  • Alberta Abbey Foundation – $15,000
  • Caldera – $30,000
  • Lan Su Chinese Garden – $30,000
  • Resonance Vocal Ensemble – 15,000

 

Capacity Building Organizations participating in FY22-23

  • ArtMax Academy (Washington County) – $25,000
  • Cymaspace – $25,000
  • En Taiko- $25,000
  • Instituto de Cultura e Arte In Xochitl In Cuicatl – $25,000
  • MediaRites – $25,000
  • Rejoice Diaspora Dance Theater- $25,000
  • Takohashi- $25,000
  • Theatre Diaspora- $25,000
  • Vanport Mosiac – $25,000
  • World Arts Foundation- $25,000

 

GOS Investment Awards – awarded June 2023

  • Artists Repertory Theatre – $19,300
  • Arts for Learning Northwest (Young Audiences) – $9,300
  • Bag & Baggage Productions – $3,000
  • Blue Sky Gallery (Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts) – $8,200
  • Bodyvox – $15,900
  • Boom Arts – $28,500
  • Broadway Rose Theatre Company – $6,000
  • Cappella Romana – $15,200
  • Chamber Music Northwest – $15,200
  • Coho Productions – $17,800
  • Corrib Theatre – $5,900
  • Ethos Music Center – $26,300
  • Friends of Noise (All Ages Music Portland – $10,700
  • Hand2Mouth – $16,300
  • Hollywood Theatre (Film Action Oregon – $18,900
  • Imago Theatre – $7,400
  • Independent Publishing Resource Center – $27,400
  • Lakewood Center for the Arts – $6,000
  • Literary Arts – $27,400
  • Live Wire Radio – $7,800
  • Metropolitan Youth Symphony – $20,400
  • My Voice Music – $26,700
  • New Expressive Works – $13,300
  • Northwest Children’s Theater & School – $24,800
  • Northwest Dance Project – $7,800
  • Oregon Ballet Theatre – $11,900
  • Oregon BRAVO Youth Orchestras – $17,400
  • Oregon Children’s Theatre – $16,700
  • Oregon Contemporary – $23,000
  • Oregon Symphony Association – $7,400
  • Outside the Frame – $10,000
  • Pacific Youth Choir – $16,700
  • PDX Jazz – $8,900
  • PHAME – $29,700
  • PlayWrite, Inc – $6,300
  • Polaris Dance Theatre – $21,500
  • Portland Art Museum – $21,500
  • Portland Baroque Orchestra – $14,800
  • Portland Center Stage – $26,300
  • Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble – $16,300
  • Portland Gay Men’s Chorus – $14,800
  • Portland Institute for Contemporary Art – $18,500
  • Portland Opera Association – $9,600
  • Portland Piano International – $7,000
  • Portland Playhouse – $26,300
  • Portland Street Art Alliance – $17,400
  • Portland Youth Philharmonic – $23,700
  • Profile Theatre – $27,800
  • Shaking the Tree Theatre – $26,700
  • Street Books – $10,000
  • The Portland Ballet – $8,200
  • The Red Door Project – $17,100
  • Third Angle New Music – $23,700
  • Third Rail Repertory Theatre – $21,100
  • Triangle Productions – $8,200
  • White Bird – $7,800
  • World Stage Theatre – $17,800
  • Write Around Portland – $27,400

 

GOS Special AEAF Allocation – awarded June 2023

  • Artists Repertory Theatre – $60,000
  • Arts for Learning NW (Young Audiences) – $45,000
  • Blue Sky Gallery (Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts) – $15,000
  • BodyVox – $45,000
  • Boom Arts – $15,000
  • Cappella Romana – $30,000
  • Chamber Music Northwest – $45,000
  • Children’s Healing Art Project – $15,000
  • CoHo Productions – $20,000
  • Corrib Theatre – $15,000
  • Cymaspace – $15,000
  • Echo Theater Company – $30,000
  • En Taiko- $15,000
  • Ethos Music Center – $30,000
  • Friends of Chamber Music – $30,000
  • Friends of Noise (All Ages Music Portland)- $15,000
  • Hand2Mouth – $15,000
  • Hollywood Theatre (Film Action Oregon) – $60,000
  • Imago Theatre – $20,000
  • Independent Publishing Resource Center – $15,000
  • Instituto de Cultura e Arte In Xochitl In Cuicatl – $15,000
  • Literary Arts – $60,000
  • Live Wire Radio – $30,000
  • MediaRites – $15,000
  • Metropolitan Youth Symphony – $30,000
  • My Voice Music – $20,000
  • New Expressive Works – $15,000
  • Northwest Children’s Theater & School – $60,000
  • NW Dance Project – $45,000
  • NW Documentary Arts & Media – $15,000
  • Oregon Ballet Theatre – $100,000
  • Oregon BRAVO Youth Orchestras – $45,000
  • Oregon Children’s Theatre – $60,000
  • Oregon Contemporary – $20,000
  • Oregon Symphony Association – $175,000
  • Outside the Frame – $20,000
  • Pacific Youth Choir – $20,000
  • PassinArt: A Theatre Company – $15,000
  • PDX Jazz – $30,000
  • PHAME – $30,000
  • PETE (Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble) – $15,000
  • PlayWrite, Inc – $15,000
  • Polaris Dance Theatre – $15,000
  • Portland Art Museum – $175,000
  • Portland Baroque Orchestra – $45,000
  • Portland Center Stage – $100,000
  • Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra – $20,000
  • Portland Gay Men’s Chorus – $20,000
  • Portland Institute for Contemporary Art – $45,000
  • Portland Opera – $85,000
  • Portland Piano International – $20,000
  • Portland Playhouse – $45,000
  • Portland Street Art Alliance – $20,000
  • Portland Taiko – $15,000
  • Portland Youth Philharmonic – $45,000
  • Profile Theatre – $30,000
  • Rejoice Diaspora Dance Theater- $15,000
  • Shaking the Tree Theatre – $20,000
  • Street Books – $15,000
  • Takohashi- $15,000
  • The Portland Ballet – $30,000
  • The Red Door Project – $30,000
  • Theatre Diaspora- $15,000
  • Third Angle New Music – $15,000
  • Third Rail Repertory Theatre – $20,000
  • Triangle Productions – $20,000
  • Vanport Mosiac – $15,000
  • White Bird – $30,000
  • World Arts Foundation- $15,000
  • World Stage Theatre – $15,000
  • Write Around Portland – $20,000

2022-23 RACC Arts3C Grants (Spring 2023 cycle)

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The RACC Arts3C Grant Program is for the Creation, Cultivation & Community in the Portland metropolitan tri-county region. Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas County applicants who are creating and sharing arts and culture programming in all disciplines could apply for support for projects or activities in the arts. In the spring 2023 cycle, RACC had a record-breaking number of applicants (648) with 259 grants awarded (40%) in June 2023 for a total of $990,000.

 

2022-23 RACC Arts3C Grant awards (Spring 2023 cycle):

Individual Artists Working Title Primary Artistic Discipline County Award
Abby Castillo AB Music Multnomah $3,000
Adam Eccleston Composer commission – Concerto for flute and orchestra Music Multnomah $5,000
Addie Boswell Marine Debris Workshop Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $2,000
Alex Wakefield Family Dinner Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
Alexander Chernousov Cultural Codes Social Practice Clackamas $5,000
Ali Leeds [Armenian culture showcase] Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
Alice Christine Walker The Artist Union Exhibition Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $3,000
Alicia Rabins Girls in Trouble: A Feminist Mystery Play Multi-Discipline Multnomah $4,000
Alison Lutz ATTENDANT LOSS Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $1,000
Amanda Triplett [Land-based installation] Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $2,000
Amaru Moon [Series of quilts] Fiber art Multnomah $1,000
Amy Driesler Lesbian Pageant Theatre/Musical Theatre Multnomah $2,000
Amy Ponteri Lost + Found in CoVid Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
Andee Zeigler Gifting ceramics, seedlings, food and flowers Multi-Discipline Multnomah $4,000
Andrea Morris “What Lies Beneath” Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $2,000
Andrea Parson You Can’t Be Serious Dance/Movement Multnomah $4,000
Andres Acuna Gracias Te Amo furniture line Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $4,000
Angela Saenz Give Me One Last Chorus (Working Title) Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $3,000
Angelina Crawford [Studio de la Luz] Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $4,000
Ariella Tai Exhibition opportunity in Munich for work “safehouse i” Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $2,000
Arielle Wilkins Art Toy Expansion Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $2,000
Aubree Bernier-Clarke Intersex Justice Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
Audrey Booth Petrichor Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
Austin Heitzman Expanded class access through digital technology Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $2,000
Beckey Kaye Chapman Second Skin Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $1,000
Blair Borax Tender Lately Music Multnomah $5,000
Bruce Burkhartsmeier “Krapp’s Last Tape” and “Finding Beckett” Theatre/Musical Theatre Multnomah $5,000
Cait Olds Gay in the Park: Historic and Contemporary Queer Recreation in Portland Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $2,000
Caitlin Dwyer Young Research for Nonfiction book (Courage) Literature Multnomah $2,000
Candace Fields Learning To Make Fire Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
Casey Newman East Multnomah County Natural Dye Study Folk Arts Multnomah $4,000
Cathy Rowe Childcare assistance for mural development Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Clackamas $2,000
Cayla Davis Housekeeping, a Cay Is Okay Album Music Multnomah $5,000
Celina Flores Race Trips: The Current Psychedelic Renaissance in BIPoC Communities – A Community Discussion Media Arts (Audio) Clackamas $5,000
Cherie Savoie Tintary Collage workshops at Sequoia Gallery in Hillsboro  Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Washington $1,000
Chet Malinow Career expansion / Mentorship Program  Multi-Discipline Multnomah $4,000
Chloe Kendall Hot Noise (community experimental animation club) Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $3,000
Christina Martin Vital Community RISOs (VCRs) Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
Christina Rusnak Voices of the Land Recording Project Music Multnomah $2,000
Christine James Flowers Pressed – The Intersection Of Motherhood, Farming, And Finding Language As A Domestic Violence Survivor Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
Clara Baker Remote Mixing and Recording Media Arts (Audio) Multnomah $4,000
Clara Grün A Song for Trees Music Multnomah $5,000
Cliff Stanford Mic Check 7-Year Anniversary Music Clackamas $2,000
Coral Cloutman T4T Multi-Discipline Multnomah $2,000
Crystal Meneses Last Words Cemetery Concerts Music Multnomah $5,000
Cydni L Carter Lopez Studio Renovation and Career Investment Multi-Discipline Multnomah $4,000
Dan Eason Through My Board – Test screening & fundraiser Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $4,000
Danielle Schlunegger-Warner Arctic Circle Residency Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
darah Lundberg Studio’s internal capacity and sustainability of operations Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
Daren Todd Art Larger Than Me Mural Workshops Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Clackamas $5,000
Dawn Jones Redstone Feely (Working title) Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
Derek Trost New website to focus on acoustical design specialty Music Multnomah $3,000
Devin Boss – North East Productions Black Friday Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
Egg Dahl Plastic Sands: Distribution and Collaboration Launch Multi-Discipline Multnomah $3,000
elijah asani long ((( under///current ))) lost Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
Elizabeth Malaska [New paintings for upcoming exhibitions] Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $4,000
Elsa Dougherty Roy Hart Voice Centre Internship Music Multnomah $2,000
Emeric Kennard Creating a stable foundation for business Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $3,000
Emery Thanathiti Waiting Room Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
Eric Simons Broke Gravy and Friends Theatre/Musical Theatre Multnomah $5,000
Erin Leddy Slumber Party at Risk/Reward Theatre/Musical Theatre Multnomah $3,000
Erinn Kathryn Hatter Learning to Cast with Bronze and Aluminum Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $2,000
Eva Moss Controlling the Narrative Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
Fevan Solomon Stories I’ve Told the Stars Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $4,000
Francesca Capone A Mother’s Discourse Multi-Discipline Multnomah $4,000
Freddy Vilches Latin and Latinex Presence in Oregon Music Multnomah $5,000
Gabriel Gonzaga-Valenzuela CONCERT FOR THE KIDS Music Multnomah $3,000
Gabriela Vidal Vidal Poetry/Photography Book (Bilingual) Literature Multnomah $3,000
Gary Ogan [New computer] Music Multnomah $2,000
Gillian Herrera Writing Residency Literature Multnomah $2,000
Given Davis ReArrangements: A Collaborative Album Transcending Time Music Multnomah $5,000
Grace Kwon Kimchi Fullness (Part 2 of Kimchi Leavings) Social Practice Multnomah $5,000
Grant Brady PDX FLAG Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $1,000
Hannah Krafcik Gender Deconstruction Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
Isabella Saavedra Laptop purchase Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $2,000
Jacob Soto “CANELA” by ATOLE Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
Jacob Turner The Portland Punk Princess Pageant (PPPP), Season 2 Multi-Discipline Multnomah $4,000
Jamin London Tinsel JLT Art Career Boost! Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Clackamas $3,000
Jennifer Dynes Adventures in Dobro Music Multnomah $3,000
Jennifer Grinels The Rosetta Project Workshop and Reading Theatre/Musical Theatre Multnomah $5,000
Jennifer Shin [BIPOC Writing Workshop] Literature Multnomah $4,000
Jenny Taylor “You Take Tacoma, I’ll Take My Chances” music video Music Multnomah $1,000
Jerome Sloan Reach Back Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Clackamas $4,000
Jess Graff Attendance to National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $2,000
Jessica Barr – Mitzvah Movie LLC Mitzvah Media Arts (Film/Video) Clackamas $5,000
Jessie Nowak Thirst Dance/Movement Multnomah $4,000
Jill Giedt I Remember Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
Joaquin Lopez Historias de crecimiento, Talleres (Stories of Growth, Workshops) Social Practice Washington $5,000
Joon Ae Haworth-Kaufka – Conversation Reading Series Constellation: A Reading Series at Tin House Literature Multnomah $5,000
Jordan DeLawder Film scanner Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $2,000
Jordan Gale A Scarred Life Line: Behind The World’s Largest Dam Removal Project Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $2,000
Joseph Reed The Most Materialistic Time of the Year Theatre/Musical Theatre Multnomah $2,000
Joshua Coen For Want of Anything Better Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
Judith Pacheco-Lujano Portland Community Artist Retreat Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
Julie Perini Portland Diary Summit, with special guests Diary Film NYC Multi-Discipline Multnomah $2,000
Kapu Waiaʻu Dancel Meaola Multi-Discipline Clackamas $5,000
Karina Ripper Chispa (Short Film) Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
Karlee Boon “NIGHT SHIFT” Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $4,000
Kate Mura Rebels and Priestesses Theatre/Musical Theatre Multnomah $5,000
Kelly Fry Selfie Bot 2.0 Multi-Discipline Multnomah $4,000
Kelly Nesbitt The Moving Teacher Theatre/Musical Theatre Multnomah $4,000
Khatiti Harper [Video game] Media Arts (Computer/technology based) Multnomah $2,000
Kitana Connelly TwahnaCreation Expansion Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Washington $4,000
Komi Jean Pierre Nugloze – N’kossi Boutique We are One N’Kossi Fashion Forward Fashion Design Multnomah $5,000
Kristina Barker asleep//awake vol. 2 “call me home” zine Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $2,000
Kunlu Wen Introducing Guzheng to the Portland Metro community Music Washington $5,000
Laura Cannon Break to Build – LIVE Dance/Movement Multnomah $4,000
Laura Hopkins Full-Length Album Music Multnomah $2,000
Laura Kuhlman Piercing the Veil: The story of Halloween Music Multnomah $2,000
Laura Stanfill IN PROGRESS: A writer’s guide to submissions, rejections, and sustaining a creative life Literature Multnomah $5,000
Leanne Norden Art Market Booth Upgrade Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $2,000
Lettie Jane Rennekamp Studio support Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $2,000
Lily Breshears The Worst Debutante in Richmond Music Multnomah $3,000
Lindsey Johnson Recital Series: PDX Composers Music Multnomah $3,000
Lindsey Konopka Fused and Slump Glass by Portland Magic Corner Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $4,000
Lisa Conway Equipment, residency, and sustaining studio practices Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $4,000
Livia Lichtenstein-Hershman Ergonomic equipment upgrade and medium expansion after injury Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $3,000
Liza Faktor After Us (ongoing project) Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
Lorelei Ruiz Arte de la Pinta art gallery pop up Multi-Discipline Washington $5,000
Loveness Wesa Ubuntu Wellness Youth Festival 2023 Dance/Movement Multnomah $5,000
Luann Algoso Gabby Antonio Smashes the Imperialist, White Supremacist, Capitalist Patriarchy! Web Series: Season Two Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
M. Allen Cunningham We Are Guests of Ancient Time Literature Multnomah $2,000
Margaret Drinkwater Advanced mold making and skill-building workshop Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $3,000
Maria Inocencio Meet Me At The Center Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
Mary Parker Black Improv History: A Weekend of Learning Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
Matt Perez Misinterpreted Idioms (studies of the surface of sculpture) Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $1,000
Matt Weiers Making Two Handmade Xylophones for AMP and P:EAR Music Multnomah $2,000
maximiliano martinez [New computer] Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
Mayada Dinno Beaverton Welcome Week Project Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Washington $2,000
Megan Buday ODDitease: Absurdist performance and video art showcase Multi-Discipline Multnomah $2,000
Melanie Flood Notions, an exhibition catalog Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $4,000
Melina Kiyomi Coumas Ocean Moon, Water Mother (海⽉ 水⺟) – Short Film Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
Michael Gamble 3-Night Record Release Show for ‘Reeinvisions’ Music Multnomah $3,000
Miriam Sluis Metis Media Arts (Computer/technology based) Multnomah $3,000
Myhraliza Aala Oh Myh Dating Hell Ep. 4 Post Production & Film Festival Submissions Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
Natalia Cardona Puerta Entre Primaveras: Memories of A Migratory Bird Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $4,000
Nate Golden The Artists Journey Music Multnomah $5,000
Nia Musiba The Alphabet of Black Creatives Multi-Discipline Multnomah $4,000
Nsayi Matingou Speak Your Truth Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $2,000
Owen Broder Owen Broder’s Pacific Piano Friends Music Multnomah $4,000
Pamela Minty Le Haricot Remake Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $3,000
Papi Fimbres [Orquestra Pacifico Tropical] Music Multnomah $5,000
Paula Champagne Weaning Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
Pepe Moscoso Gallery assistant position Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
Phil Baker Common Tones Music Washington $5,000
Quandre Brown Lackadaisical (anything but) Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
Rángel Rosas Reséndiz Aquí Estamos (He We Are) Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
Ree Artemisa Lost on Purpose – solo exhibition at SATOR projects Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $3,000
Richard Greene “Xenachord” – An Open Source Microtonal MIDI Keyboard Music Multnomah $2,000
Rita Alves July and Everything After Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $1,000
Rob Chrisman The Mirrors in the Trees Multi-Discipline Multnomah $4,000
Rongrong Wang Portland Bilingual Children Choir Music Multnomah $5,000
Rose Covert Woven Sculpture for Terra Incongnita Land Art Exhiibtion Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $2,000
Roux Haile Support for Black Circus Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
Rowan Kingsbury Avery and the Fairy Circle Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $2,000
S.A. Lawrence-Welch Tradish-ish Consistency Project Cultural Arts / Indigenous Art Multnomah $5,000
Sabina Zeba Haque  Fire & Flood: Climate crisis in Pakistan & Oregon Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
Sam Hamilton The Moana Meridian Symposium 2023 Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
Samantha Wall [Framing of new works on paper] Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $3,000
Sara Kolp Drawing Club Social Practice Multnomah $3,000
Sara White [Alluvium Press] Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $2,000
Sarah Mirk Zine Documenting the History of LGBTQ Zine-Making Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $3,000
Sarah Nienaber Shady Cove – Second Album Music Multnomah $3,000
Sascha Blocker Twister (Working Title) Theatre/Musical Theatre Multnomah $5,000
Sean Parker Fogtown Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
shane koehler Studio Development: Equipment, education & professional photos  Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $4,000
Shay Platz Postpartum Nudes Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $3,000
Shobha Jetmalani Threads Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $4,000
Stephan Nance Disembodied Mind Music Video Music Multnomah $5,000
Steve Aman – Hi-note Music The Beat Orchestra – class at Rigler Elementary’s SUN school Music Multnomah $2,000
Sweta Ravisankar Chakras – The Wheel of Energy Dance/Movement Washington $3,000
Talilo Marfil Anonymous – Unsung Heroes Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
Taylor Wallau Notes on Inheritance: a Poetry Chapbook Literature Multnomah $2,000
Therese Gietler ILLUMINATE YOUR ART: A Beginner LED Technology Workshop Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $4,000
Timme Lu I did not want to be here so i left Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $3,000
toni iyoha BikoBow Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $3,000
Urks Io Magic Night at the Trans Bar with Max and Mars and Given and Urks and Friends! Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
Vaughn Kimmons Feast of the Tide – Release Gathering Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
Yathzi Turcot [New equipment and software] Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $2,000
Organizations Working Title Primary Artistic Discipline County Award
Academia Gabriela LLC Ballet Folklorico Academia Gabriela presents Sembrando Flores (flourishing flowers)| Dance/Movement Washington $5,000
Airlie Press Airlie Press Capacity Building Literature Multnomah $3,000
APANO Jade District Art Series Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
Arco Iris Spanish Immersion Charter School [Grupo Ritual Azteca Huitzilopochtli performances and workshops] Dance/Movement Washington $5,000
Artback The Quilt Club Mural Redux Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Clackamas $4,000
Artist Mentorship Program (AMP) AMP Drop-in Center Multi-Discipline Multnomah $4,000
A-WOL Dance Collective Art in the Dark outdoor performances Dance/Movement Multnomah $4,000
Beaverton Symphony Orchestra Stipends and Video for Travis Hatton Young Artist Concerto Competition Winners Music Washington $3,000
Blanchet House of Hospitality On The Ledge Event Support Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
Brain Injury Connections Northwest Art on the Brain Social Practice Multnomah $5,000
Bridgeworks Oregon BRIDGEWORKS OREGON: General Funds for rent Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
Cascadia Composers Artistic fees for 2023-2024 season Music Multnomah $2,000
Centennial School District Murals for the students of Centennial High School Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $3,000
Chiral Filmworks Pack is Here Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
Clackamas County Arts Alliance Youth Arts for Change Multi-Discipline Clackamas $5,000
Columbia Slough Watershed Council I BELONG HERE // Portraits of Youth By Youth in Nature Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
Corkscrew Equiptment Replacement/Upgrades Music Multnomah $2,000
Creative Music Guild CMG Fall Festival 2023 Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
Dana Thompson Memorial Fund of Awesome School’s Out Rock Out! – Summer Day Camp for Black Youth Music Multnomah $2,000
Desert Island Studios Accessible Membership Expansion Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
DJ Anjali & The Incredible Kid Gulabistan (Gulabi Gang City of Roses) Dance/Movement Multnomah $5,000
Estacada Area Arts Commission Estacada Creates…! Literature Clackamas $3,000
Ext 606 LLC Operation Freezer Radio Media Arts (Audio) Multnomah $5,000
Fable and Flow LLC The Untold Stories: BIPOC Adoptees Docuseries Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
Friends of Peninsula Park Rose Garden Storied Grounds: A Community History of Peninsula Park Social Practice Multnomah $5,000
From the Ground UP : A Research and Development Center for New Art 45th Parallel Multi-Discipline Multnomah $3,000
Futel Futel Operations 2023-2024 Social Practice Multnomah $4,000
Gather:Make:Shelter Re-envisioning the Portland We Want to Live In Social Practice Multnomah $5,000
Good in the Hood Good in the Hood Multicultual Music and Food Festival Music Multnomah $5,000
Gresham Art Committee Gallery space Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
Historic Downtown Gresham Business Association Third Thursday Music and Art Music Multnomah $2,000
Hoi Phu Huynh Year of the Dragon Tet Festival Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
HONK PDX Honk! Fest PDX Music Multnomah $5,000
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization PIAFC Community Mural Project Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
Jim Pepper Native Arts Council 11th annual Jim Pepper Native Arts Festival Multi-Discipline Multnomah $3,000
Just 2 Deadly LLC J2D Investment for Growth Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
Kickstand Comedy Comedy in the Park 2023 Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
Lan Su Chinese Garden Dress Han – A Celebration and Re-Imagining of Hanfu Cultural Arts Multnomah $5,000
Loc Luv The Design Studio Expsure Multi-Discipline Multnomah $3,000
Many Hats Collaboration Operating support Theatre/Musical Theatre Multnomah $5,000
MediaRites Uplifting AAPI Voices Multi-Discipline Multnomah $4,000
Misfit Academy Maol a Chliobain Theatre/Musical Theatre Multnomah $5,000
NearHear NearHear App Development Music Multnomah $4,000
New Room Studios Lora and the Grasshopper Theatre/Musical Theatre Multnomah $5,000
Office Retreat Office Retreat: Black Arts Community Celebration Social Practice Multnomah $2,000
One Grand Gallery Artist Receptions and Community Programming Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
Oregon Post Adoption Resource Center & Library Making ORPARC “Short Supports” Accessible! Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $1,000
Oregon Potters Association Celebrate!! 20 Years of OPA/HPS Cross-Cultural Exchange Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $3,000
Oregon Society of Artists Classroom enlargement Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
OrpheusPDX 2023 Season of Chamber Operas Music Multnomah $5,000
Perfect Day Publishing Staring Contest: Essays about Eyes Literature Multnomah $3,000
Portland Dance Film Fest Portland Dance Film Fest Workshop Series Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $4,000
Portland Drama Club [After school programs] Theatre/Musical Theatre Multnomah $5,000
Portland Indigenous Marketplace Indigenize Art In The Park 2023 Folk Arts Multnomah $3,000
Portland Japanese Garden Cultural Corner: Celebrating Japanese Musicians Music Multnomah $5,000
Portland Parks Foundation Paseo 2023 Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
Portland Radio Project Portland Radio Project Community Outreach Programming Media Arts (Audio) Multnomah $5,000
Portland Revels IDEA Consultation, Training and Plan Development Theatre/Musical Theatre Multnomah $5,000
Portland Samba Portland Samba equipment purchase Music Multnomah $2,000
Portland Textile Month Portland TextileX Month – Mixed Identities Exhibit with Aradhita Parasrampuria Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $3,000
Pure Bathing Culture, LLC Full-length record and EP release 2023 Music Multnomah $4,000
push/FOLD Echoes Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
RASIKA Society for Arts of India Classical Carnatic Music Concert and Outreach: Sudha Ragunathan Music Washington $5,000
ReBuliding Center Shed Talks Social Practice Multnomah $2,000
Sabin CDC Harvey Rice Community Re-Engagement Center Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
Secret Roller Disco Artist Outreach Social Practice Multnomah $4,000
Shady Pines Radio Shady Pines Festival 2023 Music Multnomah $5,000
SoundsTruck NW Summer Concert Series 2023 Music Multnomah $5,000
SRC Community Consulting, LLC Tuesdays in Troutdale Music Multnomah $5,000
Stelo Arts and Culture Foundation Identity Remains an Ideal: Neo-Latino Collective Exhibition + Satellite Programs Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000
T & A Grand Theater and Media Ten, Tiny, Talks artist in residency Media Arts (Film/Video) Washington $5,000
Takohachi Tsugaru Shamisen and Minyo (Japanese Folk Song) Concert Multi-Discipline Multnomah $2,000
Tattoo 34 Making the only Black and Native owned Tattoo shop accessible Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
The Lamb Paint with Love Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $4,000
The Media Project Chasing Chimeras Multi-Discipline Multnomah $5,000
The Theatre Company Home Improvement Media Arts (Film/Video) Multnomah $5,000
The Village Gallery of Arts Lighting improvements Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Washington $3,000
True Path Consulting NW Defining Moments Literature Multnomah $5,000
Ukrainian Foundation Winter Fair 2023 Folk Arts Washington $5,000
Vibe of Portland The Digital Story: Create Your Own World Through Puppets and Virtual Reality Visual Arts (2D and 3D) Multnomah $5,000