RACC Blog

Eight company bands head to Battle on May 12

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Preparations are underway for our first annual Battle of the Bands, a celebration of employee creativity and a benefit for Work for Art! The event takes place Thursday, May 12 at the Crystal Ballroom. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. and the competition begins at 7:00.

Eight employee bands, sponsored by their companies, are currently tuning up their ten-minute sets.

Brothers Jam, featuring Jamey Hampton of BodyVox and Hampton Lumber, will open the show.  Seven other bands will perform in a variety of genres to vie for the title of “Best Company Band,” as determined by our panel of celebrity judges. The judges will also award a “Best Showmanship” prize, while everyone else gets to select an “Audience Favorite” by voting for their favorite band with cash. The competing bands include:

  • Burgerville, Dystopia
  • Kaiser Permanente, Members Only
  • KeyBank, The Red Keys
  • Portland General Electric, Larry and the Lightbulbs
  • The Standard, Smoke Before Fire
  • Tonkon Torp, The Legal Limit
  • ZGF Architects, Pencil Skirt Paula and the Straight Edge Rulers

The Portland Timbers Army band Greenhorn will also perform.

Tickets are just $10 each, available at the Crystal Ballroom Box Office or online at http://bit.ly/WFABattleOfTheBands. A limited number of VIP tickets are available for $100 each and include hosted food and beverage, table seating area, validated parking and a complimentary concert t-shirt.

All proceeds benefit Work for Art’s 10th Anniversary Campaign to raise $1 million for local arts and culture organizations. This is an all-ages event, accessible for people with disabilities. For more information visit http://workforart.org/battle-of-the-bands/.


Battle of the Bands

A benefit for Work for Art

Thursday, May 12 at 7:00 pm (doors open at 6:00)

At the Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside, Portland

General Admission $10, VIP $100

workforart.org/battle-of-the-bands/

Elected Officials

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Find contact information below for all elected officials in RACC’s jurisdiction. Updated May 2021.

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City of Portland
Clackamas County
Multnomah County
Washington County
Metro

 

City of Portland

Mayor Ted Wheeler
City of Portland
1221 SW 4th Avenue
Portland, OR 97204
MayorWheeler@PortlandOregon.gov
503.823.4120

Commissioner Mingus Mapps
City of Portland- City Hall
1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 210
Portland, OR 97204
MappsOffice@portlandoregon.gov 
503.823.4682

Commissioner Carmen Rubio
City of Portland- City Hall
1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 220
Portland, OR 97204
Comm.Rubio@portlandoregon.gov 
503.823.3008

Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty
City of Portland- City Hall
1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 230
Portland, OR 97204
JoAnn@portlandoregon.gov
503.823.4151

Commissioner Dan Ryan
City of Portland- City Hall
1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 240
Portland, OR 97204
CommissionerRyanOffice@portlandoregon.gov
503.823.3589

 

Clackamas County

Chair Tootie Smith
Clackamas County
2051 Kaen Road
Oregon City, OR 97045
bcc@clackamas.us
503.655.8581

Commissioner Paul Savas
Clackamas County
2051 Kaen Road
Oregon City, OR 97045
bcc@clackamas.us
503.655.8581

Commissioner Martha Schrader
Clackamas County
2051 Kaen Road
Oregon City, OR 97045
bcc@clackamas.us
503.655.8581

Commissioner Sonya Fischer
Clackamas County
2051 Kaen Road
Oregon City, OR 97045
bcc@clackamas.us
503.655.8581

Commissioner Mark Shull
Clackamas County
2051 Kaen Road
Oregon City, OR 97045
bcc@clackamas.us
503.655.8581

Multnomah County

Chair Deborah Kafoury
Multnomah County
501 SE Hawthorne
Portland, OR 97214
mult.chair@multco.us
503.988.3308

Commissioner Sharon Meieran
Multnomah County
501 SE Hawthorne
Portland, OR 97214
district1@multco.us

Commissioner Susheela Jayapal
Multnomah County
501 SE Hawthorne
Portland, OR 97214
district2@multco.us

Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson
Multnomah County
501 SE Hawthorne
Portland, OR 97214
district3@multco.us

Commissioner Lori Stegmann
Multnomah County
501 SE Hawthorne
Portland, OR 97214
district4@multco.us

 

Washington County

Chair Kathryn Harrington
Washington County, At-Large
155 North First Ave.
Hillsboro, OR 97124
cao@co.washington.or.us
503.846.8681

Commissioner Nafisa Fai
Washington County, District 1
155 North First Ave.
Hillsboro, OR 97124
District1@co.washington.or.us
503.846.8681

Commissioner Pam Treece
Washington County, District 2
155 North First Ave.
Hillsboro, OR 97124
District2@co.washington.or.us
503.846.8681

Commissioner Roy Rogers
Washington County, District 3
155 North First Ave.
Hillsboro, OR 97124
District3@co.washington.or.us
503.846.8681

Commissioner Jerry Willey
Washington County, District 4
155 North First Ave.
Hillsboro, OR 97124
District4@co.washington.or.us
503.846.8681

 

Metro

Council President Lynn Peterson
Metro, 600 NE Grand Avenue
Portland, OR 97232
lynn.peterson@oregonmetro.gov
503.797.1889

Councilor Shirley Craddick
Metro, District 1
600 NE Grand Avenue
Portland, OR 97232
shirley.craddick@oregonmetro.gov
503.797.1547

Councilor Christine Lewis
Metro, District 2
600 NE Grand Avenue
Portland, OR 97232
christine.lewis@oregonmetro.gov
503.797.1887

Councilor Gerritt Rosenthal
Metro, District 3
600 NE Grand Avenue
Portland, OR 97232
gerritt.rosenthal@oregonmetro.gov
503.797.1549

Councilor Juan Carlos González
Metro, District 4
600 NE Grand Avenue
Portland, OR 97232
juancarlos.gonzalez@oregonmetro.gov
503.797.1553

Councilor Mary Nolen
Metro, District 5
600 NE Grand Avenue
Portland, OR 97232
mary.nolen@oregonmetro.gov
503.797.1552

Councilor Bob Stacey
Metro, District 6
600 NE Grand Avenue
Portland, OR 97232
bob.stacey@oregonmetro.gov
503.797.1546

RACC extends the John C. Hampton Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Arts to The Standard’s Greg Ness

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PORTLAND, ORE — On February 24th the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) will host the annual Arts Breakfast of Champions where it will award The Standard’s Greg Ness with The John C. Hampton Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Arts. The award has only been given out three times and will be presented to Ness by Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish.

Ness is the Chairman, President and CEO of The Standard, where he started in 1979. He is a strong advocate for The Standard’s giving in the arts sector. He has personally given 16 years of service to Portland Center Stage, six of which he served as Board Chair. Ness has also chaired the Armory Theater Fund Board and was instrumental in securing funds for the acquisition, development and maintenance of the Bob and Diana Gerding Theatre.

Under Ness’ leadership, The Standard consistently ranks in the top five for arts giving, and each year runs an unsurpassed employee giving campaign during which the company matches employee giving dollar-for-dollar. In 2015 alone, The Standard’s employee campaign raised more than $2.2 million for the arts, schools and other nonprofits. They are leaders in the Work for Art program, and Ness’ personal commitment to supporting art is clearly infused throughout his company.

Ness believes that arts and cultural organizations play a major role in vibrant communities and that they have the potential to change the way we look at things. The Hampton Award honors and celebrates his commitment to supporting the arts in the Portland metropolitan region.

John C. Hampton was head of Oregon’s largest lumber manufacturer, Hampton Affiliates. In the early 1980s he took the idea to provide long-term funding for three of Portland’s major arts institutions—Portland Opera, Portland Art Museum and Oregon Symphony—and helped establish permanent, restricted endowments for each.

Hampton has said to business leaders, “The arts are not a frill. The arts are not a luxury. The arts are vital to our existence. Without art, without literature, without theatre, without music, without culture, we are a barren society that will atrophy and die. The arts are essential components of the fabric of our society. The arts stimulate the part of our being that is central to progress. The arts are not peripheral to our existence. They are fundamental to our core values.”

The award is for a business leader who not only gives, but inspires others to give; shares his passion for the arts; encourages his employees to participate in the arts and has chaired arts boards or major fundraising campaigns.

The Arts Breakfast of Champions was started in 1995 by Northwest Business for Culture and the Arts as an annual celebration of corporate philanthropy. As NWBCA closed its doors in the summer of 2015, RACC adopted this important event and established a new Business Committee for the Arts that is continuing this breakfast.

In addition to the John C. Hampton Award, the event will honor Business Champions for the Arts,  Work for Arts Champions, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, a Small Business Champion and an Inspirational Creative Partnership.

The Regional Arts & Culture Council serves artists, arts organizations, schools and residents throughout Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties. RACC values a diversity of artistic and cultural experiences and works to build a community in which everyone can participate in culture, creativity and the arts.

Event details:

Wednesday, February 24, 2016
8AM event, with pre-event coffee and networking starting at 7:30AM

Portland Art Museum
1219 SW Park Ave.
Portland, OR 97205

Tickets are $125 at www.regonline.com/2016ABOC.  

Issued by RACC on 2/17/16

Battle of the Bands scheduled for May 12 at the Crystal Ballroom

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PORTLAND, ORE — Tickets are now on sale for Work for Art’s first annual Battle of the Bands competition, a celebration of employee creativity at the Crystal Ballroom on May 12, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. All proceeds benefit Work for Art, a program of the Regional Arts & Culture Council.

Eight company bands (employees who play music on the side) will perform in front of friends, family, co-workers and a panel of celebrity judges as they vie for the title of Best Company Band. Several other prizes will be awarded as well, including Audience Favorite.

Each band will have 10 minutes to perform any genre of music they choose, with a five minute break between each band. Six of the eight available spots have been filled; confirmed bands include NW Natural, Portland General Electric, KeyBank, The Standard, Tonkon Torp and ZGF Architects.

Work for Art, celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year, is on a mission to raise $1 Million for local nonprofit arts organizations by June 30th, primarily through workplace giving and other partnerships with local businesses. The 2015-16 campaign co-chairs are Mike Golub, President of Business Operations for the Portland Timbers, and David Lofland, President of KeyBank Oregon and SW Washington. All proceeds from Work for Art and Battle of the Bands will be granted to approximately 100 nonprofit arts and culture organizations in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties.

Sponsorship and underwriting support for Battle of the Bands is provided by Alpha Media/KINK 101.9, Burgerville, NW Natural, Portland General Electric, Portland Timbers, KeyBank, Oregon Cultural Trust, The Standard, Willamette Week and ZGF Architects.

Tickets are $10 each, available at The Crystal Ballroom box office at 1332 West Burnside Street in Portland; by phone at 1-855-CAS-TIXX; or online at http://bit.ly/WFABattleOfTheBands. A limited number of VIP tickets are available for $100 each, including complimentary food and beverage plus reserved seating. For sponsorship opportunities and other information, contact Jeff Hawthorne at 503-823-5258 or visit http://workforart.org/bob.

LINK: VISIT WEBSITE
Issued by RACC on 2/17/16

Arts champions to be honored on February 24

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PORTLAND, ORE — The 2016 Arts Breakfast of Champions is coming up fast! More than 400 community leaders will celebrate some of the region’s most powerful partnerships between arts and business on Wednesday, February 24 from 7:30-9:00 a.m. at the Portland Art Museum. Tickets are on sale now at http://bit.ly/1RUiQUV.

The Arts Breakfast of Champions was established in 1995 by Northwest Business for Culture and the Arts (NWBCA) as an annual celebration of corporate philanthropy. RACC has established a new Business Committee for the Arts (BCA) that is continuing the breakfast event to recognize top corporate donors to the arts, and to provide motivating examples of how businesses are using the arts to inspire employees, stimulate innovation and foster creative collaboration.

This year’s honorees include:

  • Top corporate donors to the arts, including Portland General Electric, US Bank, Umpqua Bank, Wells Fargo, Vulcan Inc., The Standard, The Boeing Company and KeyBank.
     
  • The John C. Hampton Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Arts: Greg Ness, CEO, The Standard
     
  • Inspirational creative partnership: Umpqua Bank and Portland Center Stage
     
  • Small business champion: Bill Dickey, Owner, Morel Ink
     
  • Work for Art champions: Portland General Electric, Burgerville and the Oregon Cultural Trust

In addition, Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici from Oregon’s 1st Congressional District will receive special recognition for her work on arts education. As part of congressional committee to reform public education in late 2015, Representative Bonamici won unanimous approval for her amendment to integrate the arts into science, technology, engineering and math education. Her “STEM to STEAM” provision was included in the Every Student Succeeds Act, which President Obama signed into law on December 10, effectively restoring arts education for millions of students and our nation’s future workforce.

The 2016 Arts Breakfast of Champions is presented by The Regional Arts & Culture Council and sponsored byPortland General Electric. Supporting sponsors include Columbia Bank, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, The Standard, US Bank and Vibrant Table.

Tickets for the Arts Breakfast of Champions are $125 each, or $75 for employees of local nonprofit arts organizations. Tables and sponsorships are available at http://bit.ly/1RUiQUV.

LINK: REGISTER
 
Issued by RACC on 2/1/16 
 

The Right Brain Initiative and Work for Art release reports

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PORTLAND, ORE — Two programs of the Regional Arts & Culture Council – The Right Brain Initiative and Work for Art – have published summaries of their accomplishments and finances for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2015. 

The Right Brain Initiative’s 2015 Progress Report illustrates RACC’s unique approach to supporting K-8 educators in the Portland tri-county region. Through workshops, coaching, and collaboration with artists, Right Brain helped 1,220 Portland area educators integrate the arts into their teaching during the 2014-15 school year. The report features profiles of teachers who are served by the program, all of whom describe how Right Brain has helped them and their colleagues learn to teach differently.

“Supporting and training teachers helps us catalyze a new relationship between public schools and the arts, making creative thinking a fundamental part of the learning process for all kids,” said Marna Stalcup, director of arts education at RACC. “We haven’t always talked a lot about this aspect of our work, but it’s part of our DNA.”

The Right Brain Initiative benefited 19,324 students last school year, 55% of whom qualify for the free and reduced lunch program. This school year, Right Brain is growing to serve 63 schools in seven Portland area school districts. Read more by downloading the full report.  

The Annual Report for Work for Art provides a summary of RACC’s 9th workplace giving campaign for the arts. A total of $750,350 was raised between July, 2014 and June, 2015, and the report includes the names of all campaign donors – including nearly 2,000 employees at 75 companies in the region. Work for Art donations are matched dollar-for-dollar by a public-private matching challenge fund, and proceeds are distributed to approximately 100 arts organizations every year.

“Over the past nine years, Work for Art has distributed more than $6.2 million in grants and direct gifts to arts and culture organizations based in Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties,” said program manager Kathryn Jackson. “Their work plays out every day in theaters, concert halls, galleries, hospitals, libraries, classrooms and community centers throughout the region.”

Earlier this year, Work for Art announced that it has set an ambitious goal to raise $1 million in celebration of its 10th Anniversary Campaign that began in July, 2015 and runs through June 30, 2016. Mike Golub, President of Business Operations at the Portland Timbers, and Dave Lofland, President of KeyBank Oregon and SW Washington, are co-chairing the campaign. To learn more and contribute, visit workforart.org.

In late December, RACC will publish its “Year in Review” for all programs along with audited financial statements for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2015.

Work for Art launches million dollar campaign

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PORTLAND, ORE — The Regional Arts & Culture Council has announced plans to raise $1 million during Work for Art’s 10th anniversary campaign benefitting local arts and culture organizations. Mike Golub, President of Business Operations for the Portland Timbers, announced the goal on Thursday evening in front of 100 business and arts leaders at the Gerding Theater at the Armory.

“I am gratified that Work for Art has raised more than $6.2 million over the past nine years, and we are excited to be raising the bar for our tenth anniversary,” said Golub, who will co-chair the 2015-16 campaign along with Dave Lofland, President of KeyBank Oregon and SW Washington. 

“We thank and congratulate the companies that helped Work for Art raise $750,369 last year,” Lofland said. “Our past supporters are stepping up with extraordinary commitments for this year’s million-dollar campaign, which will help local arts organizations provide even more exceptional programs and services in the future.”

Nearly 2,000 employees at 76 companies currently participate in Work for Art. The Standard, NW Natural, state employees, ZGF Architects, OHSU, KeyBank, the City of Portland, and Stoel Rives were among the largest workplace giving campaigns for the arts in 2014-15, and Golub and Lofland extended special recognition on Thursday night to the following:

  • Portland General Electric was the #1 campaign, raising a total of $98,730 from employees and the company’s matching gift program.   
  • Burgerville had the most employees participate in the campaign – 403.
  • The Oregon Cultural Trust was named outstanding community partner for providing several grants that have funded critical program expenses since 2007.

The 2014-15 campaign raised a total of $750,396, and all proceeds will be awarded to arts organizations in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties through RACC’s established grants process. For the 10thanniversary milestone, Golub and Lofland reiterated the importance of renewing last year’s donors while developing new strategies and revenue streams for 2015-16:

  • $342,500 has been secured thus far for a Matching Challenge Fund that will double all individuals’ gifts up to $5,000. Participating donors to date include the City of Portland; Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties; KeyBank, Portland General Electric, the Portland Timbers and The Standard; and several individual donors.
  • Securing new participating companies will continue to be a priority. Century Link, Daimler Trucks North America, Providence Health & Services, The Commerce Bank of Oregon and Washington Trust Bank are examples of companies that have recently joined the ranks of Work for Art.
  • A new special event, a “Battle of the Bands,” will debut in May, 2016. Employees from eight local companies will compete in front of a live audience and panel of celebrity judges to win the title of Best Company Band in Portland, with all proceeds benefiting the 10th anniversary campaign. Sponsors (and competing companies) include KeyBank, Portland General Electric, Portland Timbers and The Standard.

Although Work for Art is primarily a workplace giving program, anyone can participate by making a donation online at workforart.org. Donors who pledge $60 or more receive an Arts Card, which provides a full year of two-for-one tickets at hundreds of local arts events.

Company leaders who would like to establish an employee giving campaign for the arts, or provide Arts Cards for their employees, or contribute to the 10th Anniversary campaign in other ways, are invited to contact Kathryn Jackson, Work for Art Manager at 503-823-5424 or kjackson@racc.org.

Americans for the Arts presents national award to Jeff Hawthorne

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PORTLAND, ORE – Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America, announced six recipients of the 2015 Americans for the Arts Annual Leadership Awards. Among this year’s honorees, Jeff Hawthorne, director of community engagement for the Regional Arts & Culture Council, will receive the Michael Newton Award. 

For the past 25 years, the Michael Newton Award has recognized exemplary leadership skills and extraordinary dedication to supporting the arts through a united arts fund, which is a combined effort to raise money on behalf of multiple arts institutions in the community (like Work for Art), and through other unique and powerful partnerships with the private sector.

In his position with RACC, Jeff Hawthorne collaborates with community partners to increase funding and visibility for the local arts community. He is responsible for strategies to secure public and private funds that compose RACC’s annual budget, which has grown from $3.8 million in 2003 to $10.2 million in 2015. Hawthorne designed and implemented Oregon’s first united arts fund, Work for Art, which has raised $6.2 million over the last nine years, mostly through workplace giving campaigns. Hawthorne also oversees RACC’s outreach and communications efforts, and manages research projects that help quantify the value of the local arts community. He graduated cum laude from the University of Portland with a B.A. in theater management, and currently serves on the boards of the Northwest Regional Re-Entry Center and Oregon’s Cultural Advocacy Coalition. 

“All of our Leadership Awards honorees have distinguished themselves as tremendous leaders and passionate advocates for the arts and arts buycialisquality.com education,” said Robert L. Lynch, President and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “These leaders have implemented innovative and transformative programs to strengthen the communities they serve, and their unwavering commitment to local, state, and national support for the arts is deserving of this recognition.”

Honorees will be presented their awards at the Americans for the Arts 2015 Annual Convention in Chicago during the Opening Plenary session, Friday, June 12, 2015 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.

The five other recipients are: 

•           Association for Public Art, Pennsylvania: Public Art Network Award

•           Eric Booth, New York: Arts Education Award

•           Lara Davis, Washington: American Express Emerging Leaders Award

•           Richard E. Huff, Texas: Selina Roberts Ottum Award

•           Ann Marie Miller, New Jersey: Alene Valkanas State Arts Advocacy Award

###

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of more than 50 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.

The Regional Arts & Culture Council, a local arts agency, serves Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties. RACC provides grants for artists, schools and nonprofit organizations; manages an internationally acclaimed public art program; advocates for public and private investments in the arts; provides technical assistance; produces printed and web-based resources for artists; and helps artists and classroom teachers integrate the arts into other K-8 subjects. Online at www.racc.org.