RACC Blog

State of the Arts

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I spoke with a colleague the other day who works at the National Endowment for the Arts where people are soldiering on every day not knowing whether or not they have a future there. I am reminded of how lucky we are here in the Portland region that support for RACC,  and all the artists, arts organizations and arts lovers who count on us, is strong and committed. We would, of course, love for it to be greater, but we rarely worry about its very existence.

Every Spring we report to Portland’s City Council on how we invested general fund dollars during the past year and the impact of allocations to the field. We open our presentation with a surprise performance designed to start on a high note and then we move on to tell our stories. We ask individuals – artists, arts leaders, arts advocates – to testify and share their own accounts of how a RACC grant affected their lives and/or careers. We hear from teachers or students who have benefitted from having art and music teachers back in their schools – thank you voters for the Arts Tax! We celebrate new dollars raised through Work for Art, new public art commissions for our public spaces, new applicants for Arts Equity, Project and Professional Development Grants, informative technical assistance workshops for artists, and new schools added to the Right Brain Initiative.

We also shine a light on some of the results of our Equity and Inclusion work, our deeply held commitment to making RACC reflect the communities we serve and to ensure RACC opportunities are readily available to as many people as we can.

Every year we try to pack the house with people eager to thank City Council for support and to make the case in person that Portland REALLY cares about our arts and culture communities. They are at the heart of who we are as a city and region.

Please join us Thursday May 4th at 2 p.m. at Portland City Hall, 1221 SW 4th, Council Chambers 2nd floor. And bring your friends!

Thank you.

 

Celebrating the Art of Leadership class of 2016-17

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On March 1, 2017  RACC celebrated the 2016-17 Art of Leadership cohort with a graduation reception sponsored by Columbia Trust Company. This year’s cohort participated in six half-day workshops from October through March, helping participants become board members for local nonprofit arts organizations. The series covers topics from finances to fundraising, strategic development to legal issues, helping participants develop leadership skills, network with business and arts leaders, and get matched with arts organizations closely aligned with their own interests and experience.

Congratulations to our graduates:

Eric Block, Metropolitan Group
Rodrigo Diaz, Portland Community College
Gillian Eubanks, Columbia Trust Company
Robert Hermanson, Retired Architect
Erin Hopkins, Sage Hospitality
Kathy Jennings, Portland Timbers/Thorns
Candace Kita, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO)
Shayda Le, Barran Liebman LLP
Nnenna Lewis, Downtown Clean and Safe/ Portland Business Alliance
Jeffrey Martin, Portland Playhouse
Ben Mathias, Perkins & Co.
Michael Miller, Michael R. Miller, CPA
Jacob O’Brien, XPLANE
Darcy Peart, U. S. Bank
Scott Peters, Boeing Company
Steve Price
Ryan Quarberg, Boeing
Inna Schwab, KPMG
Christine Stehr, US Bank
Brian Sweeney, BPS Architecture
James Ward, A-dec, Inc
Sara Watts, Self Employed

The 2016-17 Art of Leadership program was sponsored by The Boeing Company, with additional support from Barran Liebman, Columbia Bank, Perkins & Co., Tonkon Torp LLP and U.S. Bank.

To learn more, including how to be part of the 2017-18 series that begins next fall, contact abailey@racc.org.

Arts Oversight Committee Recruitment 2017

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The Citizens Oversight Committee is dedicated to supporting arts teachers and arts organizations throughout Portland and they need new members from every area of the city!

The purpose of the Citizens Oversight Committee:

  • Review the disbursements and outcomes of the Arts Education & Access Fund
  • Oversee measures of effectiveness of the funding
  • Annually report findings to Portland City Council

The Citizens Oversight Committee members are appointed to two-year terms by the City of Portland. The Committee meets on a monthly healthcarewell pharmacy basis.

The Citizens Oversight Committee is composed of people of diverse interests, skills, backgrounds, and talents. We’re looking for candidates who have:

  • An interest in art, music, or dance (helpful, but not required)
  • Observation and analysis skills
  • Financial analysis skills (helpful, but not required)
  • An interest in being actively engaged in their school and community organizations

Contact Craig Gibons, Committee Chair, at craig.gibons@multco.us for more information.

AOC Recruiting flyer 

More Committee information here.

Applications for the Committee here.

 

RACC’s annual arts and business breakfast is February 8

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What happens when you mix one Mexican Folkloric dance troupe, three inspirational acts of collaboration, surgeons who formed an 80s cover band, and Commissioner Chloe Eudaly? Add one giant light-bulb with feet and you get an event called, “Juice.”

On Wednesday, February 8, over 350 arts supporters and practitioners will participate in RACC’s Juice: Fueling Innovation presented by Portland General Electric – hence the appearance of Larry the Lightbulb.  Formerly the Arts Breakfasts of Champions, the longstanding event was renamed Juice to celebrate the creative “juice” that flows through businesses and the arts alike. The hour-long program will honor the Top Corporate Donors to the Arts and Top Work for Art Campaigns from 2016. Mexican dance troupe Ballet Papalotle will perform and local actor La’Tevin Alexander Ellis will emcee the program. La’Tevin lends his powerful acting talent to Hands Up, a production of The August Wilson Red Door Project directed by Kevin Jones. You can also catch La’Tevin at this year’s Fertile Ground Festival in Left Hook, directed by Damaris Webb.

At the heart of Juice are three stories of giving, service and collaboration. RACC’s Business Committee for the Arts (BCA) led the process in which a wide variety of non-profits and individuals submitted nominations in the following categories:

  • Outstanding In Kind Contribution – hear how a gift of time and talent lead to a lasting impression on one aspiring young artist
  • Extraordinary Service to the Arts – see how one passionate board member was a catalyst for equity and inclusion in arts programing
  • Innovative Partnership Award – find out which arts nonprofit wins the cash prize of $5,000 for their imaginative collaboration with a business

What if these stories inspired just one Juice participant to use creativity to improve a workplace or neighborhood, bridge a cultural divide or just help a business build something really awesome? That’s the potential power of Juice. The more people plug in to creative collaboration in our region, the more we thrive as a community. Now, more than ever, is the time to come together as a community.

There will be plenty of opportunities to choose your own creative adventure at Juice. Consider getting trained to serve on an arts board, help bring the Work for Art program to your workplace, or join the Battle of the Bands planning committee. But before you decide, let the rad stylings of Kaiser Permanente’s 80s cover band, “Members Only,” take you back in time. The band won the RACC’s 2016 Battle of the Bands Best Showmanship award and plans to perform again on May 17 at this year’s competition, co-chaired by Portland Commissioner Chloe Eudaly and ZGF Architect’s, Sharron Van der Meulen.

Everyone is invited to attend Juice to see what’s possible in collaboration between business and the arts. Juice is an opportunity to celebrate these innovations, connect to this creativity, to find inspiration and unique ways to engage. We believe that everyone will come away from the Juice event with their own unique experience, inspiration and call to action. The nature of art is that we all bring our own lens. This is also true of our creativity. The possibilities for partnership, innovation and engagement are endless.

Join the movement, see you at Juice!

P.S. There’s also a juice bar.

Juice: Fueling Innovation
Presented by Portland General Electric
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
7:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Portland Art Museum

Tickets and a few tables are still available. To purchase tickets, visit www.racc.org/juice/. For tables please contact Alison Bailey at 503-823-5424 or abailey@racc.org.

The next Art Spark is Friday, January 27 at Holocene

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RACC’s networking series for artists and arts leaders has been happening and evolving since the spring of 2008. This year, Art Spark will evolve even further as we develop new and interesting events for the arts community to convene and connect beyond the Third Thursday format we have used in the past.

Throughout 2017 we will continue gathering in fun spots throughout Portland, bringing together community partners and holding space for group conversations and other forms of learning. An Art Spark event could be a forum, an open house, a happy hour gathering or a field trip, but whether the form, Art Spark will always endeavor to provide a rich blend of information and inspiration in a social setting.

We also invite community wisdom, so please feel free to tell us how we can help you connect with local artists and arts leaders – and what you would like to see, hear, and learn about in the year ahead. We look forward to seeing you at an Art Spark soon!

Our next Art Spark gathering is January 27th. We hope you will join us!

Art Spark
Friday, January 27, 5:30pm – 8:00pm at Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison.

The soul of a city: the arts in Portland

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By Nick Fish, Portland City Commissioner

Imagine Portland with no art. No paintings or murals. No Lee Kelly sculptures. No Grimm or Wild or Live Wire. No Jefferson Dancers, symphony and opera in our parks, or production of Our Town. No Mel Brown Quartet. Would you still choose to live here?

Fortunately, art, culture and heritage are woven into the fabric of our city. And this year, we have much to celebrate: a proud history of public and private support for the arts; strong leadership from organizations like the Regional Arts & Culture Council and the Oregon Arts Commission; and an Arts Tax delivering on its promise of enriching the lives of 36,000 elementary school children in six local school districts.

And these issues rose to the top during the Mayor’s race this spring. At a forum on arts and culture, the candidates displayed an impressive depth of knowledge. In the end, Portland elected a new Mayor, Ted Wheeler, deeply committed to arts and culture.

As 2016 comes to a close, we also face many challenges.

Portland is fast becoming unaffordable for artists and non-profit arts organizations. We continue to struggle with translating equity into action. And will a new Republican administration in Washington continue to support public funding for the arts?

Here is my (highly selective) report on the State of the Arts.

RACC

In April, RACC presented its annual “State of the Arts” to the Council. The sounds of Portland Opera and youth singers from the BRAVO Orchestra and Rosa Parks Elementary reverberated through our chambers.

The City of Portland continued to prioritize funding for the arts. This year we contributed $7 million to RACC, about 70% of its $9.7 million budget. If we are to grow the pie, however, our partners also need to step up to support this regional effort.

Under Mike Golub’s leadership, Work for Art, a workplace giving campaign, hit $912,000 this year. I signed up, and not only enjoy the convenience of automatic deductions from my paycheck, but also the added benefit of the Arts Card!

And RACC is fully engaged in the important work of expanding access to the arts and building equity into all of its grant-making. Small community-based arts organizations deserve our support.

The Oregon Cultural Trust

Our vision for the arts extends beyond the region. I once served as vice-chair of the Oregon Cultural Trust. The Trust allows individuals and businesses to support art, culture and heritage statewide, for which they get a tax credit on their state tax return.

2015 saw record fundraising—$4,560,000.  The Willamette Week Give Guide generated over $350,000 in donations. As a result, the Trust awarded nearly $3 million dollars to 149 cultural non-profits. Bravo!

Federal Funding for the Arts

This past year, America celebrated the 50th anniversary of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). At the bill signing ceremony on September 29, 1965, President Johnson declared that “[a]rt is the nation’s most precious heritage…it is in our works of art that we reveal ourselves, and to others, the inner vision which guides us as a Nation.”

Stirring words. But today, federal funding for the arts and the humanities is very modest, and vulnerable to more cuts. Will President-elect Trump defend the NEA, or will we see a repeat of 1995, when its budget and staff were slashed by fifty-percent?

The Arts Tax Delivers for Kids

The voter-approved Arts Tax had a good year. Collections were up significantly, and revenues will exceed $10 million dollars.

That means 36,000 elementary school kids benefited from arts instruction in school. We know from the Right Brain Initiative that arts education improves student achievement across the board.

The Arts Tax has prevailed in three legal challenges. Now the Oregon Supreme Court has agreed to hear a final appeal. The hearing, which is open to the public, will be held at Lewis and Clark College on March 6th, 2017. We continue to believe the tax is constitutional.

Stan Penkin completed four years of service as the chair of the Arts Oversight Committee. He has been a tireless and passionate supporter of the arts, and we owe him a big debt of gratitude.

The Housing Crisis and Artists

Last year, the Portland City Council declared a housing “state of emergency.” With rising rents and land values, Portland is quickly becoming unaffordable for older adults on fixed incomes, full-time minimum wage workers, students and working class families.

Artists and arts organizations are also feeling the squeeze. The eviction of artists from studio spaces in Towne Storage was the proverbial canary in the tunnel. If we do not act quickly, we risk losing something that can’t be replaced.

I believe it is time to convene a panel of stakeholders, including artists, public-spirited developers, the Portland Development Commission, and RACC to identify solutions.  We should look at best practices in other cities, including incentives, zoning changes, and cutting red tape.

My Personal Highlight Reel

This year, arts and culture once again enriched my life. Here are some of my personal highlights:

  • A student art exhibit at City Hall, featuring fourth graders from Boise-Eliot/Humboldt School. They based their inspiring work on a tour of the Bull Run Watershed.
  • The legendary Dianne Reeves, who headlined the Portland Jazz Festival.
  • Architect Brad Cloepfil’s show at the Portland Art Museum.
  • A screening of Skye Fitzgerald’s documentary, 50 Feet from Syria, at the Portland Film Festival.
  • World-class modern dance performances at NW Dance Project and White Bird.
  • A screening of short films featuring survivors of the Vanport flood, produced by Vanport Mosaic.
  • The designation of Veterans Memorial Coliseum as a “National Treasure” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
  • My first visits to the Art Institute of Chicago, the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver, and etown’s studio in Boulder.
  • The Portland 2016 Biennial presented by Disjecta.
  • Portland Institute for Contemporary Art’s TBA:16 Festival, and the celebration of its new home at 15 NE Hancock Street.

I had a cameo role in Artist Repertory Theater’s production of The Skin of our Teeth; was interviewed by Jessica Rand of KMHD Jazz radio about my first encounter with Oscar Peterson, and by OPB’s State of Wonder about the shortage of affordable artist studios; and participated in a City Club forum on the arts at Milagro Theatre.

Sculptor Lee Kelly was named an “Honored Citizen” by the Architecture Foundation of Oregon.  And my friends Walter Jaffe and Paul King at White Bird presented me with their “Angel Award,” a singular honor.

Finally, I visited Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts in Pendleton, Oregon. The collection of prints, made by prominent Native-American artists, is breathtaking.  I met one of the founders, James Lavadour, whose paintings and prints celebrate the natural landscape of Eastern Oregon.

Looking Forward

In 2017, we must continue to build on our success. Complacency is not an option.

Here are some of my priorities for the next year:

  1. Develop a plan to help keep Portland affordable for artists and arts organizations.
  1. Engage our regional partners in supporting the important work of RACC.
  1. Address the systemic inequality in the funding of minority and community-based arts organizations.
  1. Protect Veterans Memorial Coliseum, a civic treasure, for future generations.

A Holiday Toast

For the past three years, I have had the honor of serving as the Arts Commissioner for the City of Portland—following in the footsteps of past champions like Sam Adams and Mike Lindberg.

I have learned that our success depends on vision, leadership and strong partnerships.

Thanks to our dedicated leadership team: RACC Executive Director Eloise Damrosch, Director of Community Engagement Jeff Hawthorne and Board Chair Mike Golub; OCT Chair Carole Morse and Executive Director Brian Rogers; Julie Vigeland and Libby Tower at the Oregon Arts Commission; Tim Williams at Oregon Film; Stan Penkin, Chair of the Arts Oversight Committee; the Cultural Advocacy Coalition; our city’s Creative Laureate, photographer Julie Keefe; and all the volunteer board and commission members.

Thanks to the artists, teachers, and nonprofit arts and culture organizations that call Portland home.

Thanks to the cast and crew of Grimm—for filming over 100 episodes in Portland, and for giving back to the community through the Grimm Gala.

Thanks to Jimmy Maks, for twenty years of featuring the city’s best jazz players.

Finally, thanks to my Council colleagues, our partners throughout the state, and the taxpayers who share our vision.

Portland is a special place because of your collective good work.

 

Visit Commissioner Nick Fish’s website.

Portland city council candidates Steve Novick and Chloe Eudaly share views on arts and culture

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In March 2016, RACC distributed a questionnaire to all official candidates for Portland Mayor and City Council during the spring primary. The questions were:

(1) In what specific ways have you supported arts and culture in Portland?

(2) Artists and arts organizations add measurable value to our region’s economy, our education system and our quality of life, and yet there are a number of pressing needs in our community that often compete for attention and investment.  What is Portland’s proper role in supporting arts and culture in the region?

(3) The region’s affordability is a serious concern for all of us, including artists and arts-related businesses. What are your plans for making housing and creative spaces more affordable?

(4) Are there other unmet needs when it comes to shaping Portland’s arts and culture policy for the future? If so, what steps would you take to help ensure those needs are met, and how should they be funded?

(5) The Arts Education & Access Fund, or arts tax, has delivered on its promise of providing arts specialists for all K-5 schools in Portland, but the fund hasn’t generated enough revenue to support as many grants for arts and culture organizations as envisioned. If elected, would you take any steps to modify the arts tax, improve administration of it, and/or fulfill the voters’ vision of supporting arts education and access through other means?

For the November 8 general election, Steve Novick and Chloe Eudaly are in a run-off for Portland City Commissioner Position 4. You can read their responses to these questions by clicking the links below.

For Portland City Commissioner, Position 4:

Steve Novick

Chloe Eudaly

Work for Art concludes tenth anniversary campaign

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On June 30, RACC concluded its tenth annual Work for Art campaign. And while it will take a few more weeks to count and confirm all of this year’s campaign contributions, one thing is certain: the 2015-16 fundraising drive will break all records for participation and revenue.

Ten years ago Work for Art burst onto the scene raising $447,000, but this year organizers expect to clear more than $900,000, with all proceeds benefiting local arts and culture organizations. Workplace giving campaigns remain the program’s largest source of revenue, with more than 2,000 individuals in 75 companies participating this year. In addition, 30 individuals stepped up with leadership contributions of $1,000 more, and Work for Art’s first annual Battle of the Bands competition added $70,000 to the campaign total in May.

Work for Art has also enjoyed significant exposure during its tenth anniversary, including a generous contribution from Portland General Electric. If you attended the Rose Festival Starlight Parade or Grand Floral Parade this year, you may have seen – and heard – the PGE float saluting Work for Art. Musicians from Metropolitan Youth Symphony (one of Work for Art’s 100 funded arts and culture groups) jammed out atop a colorful larger-than-life guitar. PGE employees have been the top donors to Work for Art for four years running.

The 2015-16 campaign total and top companies will be announced at a special event on August 4. Local arts and business leaders will celebrate outgoing campaign chairs, Mike Golub and Dave Lofland, and applaud Work for Art’s program manager, Kathryn Jackson, who departs this month after 10 years with the organization. Over the last 10 years, Work for Art has raised more than $7.1 million for local nonprofit arts organizations.

The 2016-17 campaign will be chaired by Kregg Arntson, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility for Portland General Electric and the Executive Director of the PGE Foundation.

For more information on Work for Art and the 2016-17 campaign, contact Jeff Hawthorne at jhawthorne@racc.org or call 503.823.5258.