RACC Blog

Reception on June 21 celebrates 30 years of The Visual Chronicle of Portland

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Tuesday, June 21
6:45 – 8:00 p.m.
at the Regional Arts & Culture Council
411 NW Park Avenue, Suite 101
RSVP Salvador Mayoral at smayoral@racc.org

A special collection: As many already know, The Visual Chronicle of Portland is a collection of original works on paper that portray artists’ perceptions of what makes Portland unique. The collection strives to reflect a diversity of populations, artistic disciplines and points of view. It can be viewed as a timepiece that provides a visual and conceptual narrative of greater Portland and is meant to reveal our city’s distinctive and diverse personality. Owned and funded by the City of Portland, the collection has grown to 330 works by nearly 200 different artists since its inception in 1985. RACC displays works from the Chronicle in a variety of public spaces in City of Portland and Multnomah County buildings.

A special purchase: To honor the 30th anniversary of the Visual Chronicle the 2015 selection panel studied the list of artists in the collection to try and identify important artists working in Portland today who might be missing. To work within the program’s modest purchase budget, the panel narrowed their initial list of 36 candidates down to four outstanding artists they felt needed to be included—Avantika Bawa, Calvin Ross Carl, Garrick Imatani and Ralph Pugay. RACC is now pleased to be able to present the works by these four artists that were purchased in 2015 in a special exhibition in our office at 411 NW Park Avenue.  A reception for the exhibition and the anniversary will be held on Tuesday, June 21 at 6:45 pm. (The reception follows an info session for the next Visual Chronicle purchase, for more information https://racc.org/2016/06/15/racc-seeks-submissions-for-the-visual-chronicle-of-portland-2/ )

Avantika Bawa

Coliseum 1  2015, graphite on paper, 24” x 36” (pictured)

Avantika Bawa

Coliseum 1,  2015, graphite on paper, 21 1/4” x 36 1/4”

Avantika completed two drawings in her graphic style that were informed visually and conceptually by Portland’s Veterans Memorial Coliseum, a premier jewel of International Style architecture in the city. “Given the light [the Coliseum] has recently received, I am very interested in doing a series of drawings based on this remarkable building.”

Calvin Ross Carl

The Copper Ribbons on Michael’s Grave, 2015, acrylic on paper, 20” x 26” (pictured)

Calvin Ross Carl

Finally You Can Complete Me (Safe Honest Repair), 2015, acrylic on paper, 20” x 26”

“The pattern painting is appropriated from the ribbons from our own beloved or bemoaned (depending upon who you ask) Portland building…The text painting has text pulled from a business called the VIP Collision Center on the corner of MLK and NE Rosa Parks. The words “Safe Honest Repairs” have been painted on that building’s windows for 5-6 years. I have been driving by the building for many years and those words always catch my eye…Why these two paintings together? The Portland Building is oddly beautiful, and it is a landmark worth saving, but it is in need of major modernization and rehabilitation. This immediately made these two disparate ideas connect. The greatness of the Portland Building being saved by such a simple, thoughtful promise of “Safe Honest Repair”.

Garrick Imatani

Toward A Future Plan | Mirror | Failure | Trap, 2016, mirrored acrylic and photographs mounted on inkjet print, 19 ½” x 24 ½” (pictured)

Garrick Imatani

“Even after it’s declaration as a city, Portland’s margins have fluctuated over time just like the Willamette River which currently splits the city into its eastern and western halves. LIDAR mapping imagery shows that 13,000-15,000 years ago during the Missoula Floods, where you are standing would have been submerged under water. The city is a blip in time. We live at the bottom of a lake.”  Garrick goes on to describe the photos that intersect with his vibrant blue map of the Willamette: “I came across archival photographs of the bombing of Portland City Hall in 1970 in police surveillance files. I made contact prints from 8×10 photographs documenting the Hall’s blown-out window frames…these contact prints were cut down to containers—frames of frames—then overlaid onto the river as imagined those thousands of years ago…This compression of geography and political history is a nod to time and the ongoing development of the city, which can either reflect or elevate what has evaporated.”

Ralph Pugay

 Lonely Traveler (Traveling pilot waiting to disembark at PDX), 2015,  Acrylic on yupo, 11” x 14” (pictured)

Pugay_VC

Obstructed Motility (Clerk experiencing astral projection at Portland Cash & Carry), 2015, Acrylic on paper, 12” x 16”

“Lonely Traveler was inspired by a pilot that I saw as I was leaving an airplane on a flight back to Portland. He remained seated in first class as many of the passengers were leaving the plane. I assume that he was there to continue on to the plane’s next destination…As I walked by, I pondered if there was a certain amount of discomfort for the pilot as he sat in the passenger seat. I am drawn to the ambiguous nature of his behavior, and presumably of others who might have witnessed this.”

2016-17 RACC Professional Development Grants (Cycle 1)

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The RACC Professional Development Grant Program individual artists and arts organizations in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties with activities that improve their business management development skills and/or brings to them to another level artistically. A total of $44,905 was awarded to 35 individuals and 3 organizations. These grants were approved by the RACC Board on May 25, 2016:

* First Time Professional Development Grant Recipient

Except where noted, recipients are from Multnomah County

Individuals

*Amorin, Dominic – Travel to San Francisco to attend and exhibit at SoundWave Biennial – $400

*Barrera, Claire – Travel to dance residency in Stolzenhagen, German – $1,400

*Barrett, Eowyn – Travel to present work at the Edinburgh Fridge Festival – $1,250

*Bombardier, Cooper Lee – Attend Lambda Literary Emerging Writers Workshop in San Francisco – $1,200

*Bund, Wayne – Attend Lambda Literary Emerging Writers Workshop in San Francisco – $1,200

Campbell, Carolyn – Mentorship in visual editing software with Kathryn Delany and Susan Bein – $1,250

Chilstrom, Robin – Attend Circlesongs vocal improvisation workshop in Rhinecliff, NY – $1,500

Davis, Quincy – Attend an artist residency at The Organic Art Ranch in Cluj-Napoca, Romani – $1,500

*Dieng, Modou – Attend residency at Pulsar, a gallery in Antwerp, Belgium – $1,500

Farrell–Smith, Ka’ila – Attend Djerassi residency program in Woodside, CA – $800

Fuemmeler, Tony – Travel to attend academy with Familie Flöz in Tuscania, Italy – $1,500

*George, Christy – Attend ArtCOP22 event in Marrakech, Morocco – $1,500

*Gray, Lucas – Development of an artist website – $1,250

*Griffin Hébert , Paloma – Attend masterclasses and workshops with violinist Simon Fischer in Ann Arbor, Michigan – $1,000

*Hannegan, Karen – Travel to monastery in Pecos, New Mexico to study retablo painting with master teachers – $1,000

*Hoyman-Browe, Alanna – Attend 10-day workshop with Dance Exchange in Washington, DC – $800

*Hunter-Ishikawa, Eien – Travel to Tokyo, Japan to study Edo Bayashi with master musician Kyosuke Suzuki – $1,500

*Iaboni, Stefano – Travel to Oxford, England to work with mentor and coach Joe Dieffenbacher – $1,500

*Lantz, Ruth – Shipping of work for show at Governors State University in University Park, IL and travel to attend opening – $900

*LaPrade, Jessica – Attend five day intensive painting workshop on Mischtechnik in Loveland, Colorado – $900

Lin, Fuchsia – Work with consultant Morrie Warshawski on values, vision, marketing, and fundraising – $650

*Marlitt, Michael – Attend “Advanced Photo Workshop: New York City” in New York, NY – $1,500

*Martin, Chas – Study with glass artists Marjorie Anderson in Denver, CO – $1,500

*Mavor, Anne – Work with artist coach Gigi Rosenberg – $600

*Neuenschwander, Ronna – Produce a catalog of recent work – $1,000

*Padian, Brian – Attend the Fall Narrative Lab at Stowe Story Lab in Stowe, VT – $750

Perini, Julie – Attend Signal Culture Residency, present work at NY State Summer School for the Arts, and participate in the NY Arts Practicum in NY – $1,100

*Rudolph, Shelly – Update artist website, rebranding, and creation of print promotional materials – $1,750

*Salazar, Souther – Travel to present work at the John Michael Kohler Art Center in Sheboygan, WI and the creation of displays – $1,500

Stolowitz, Andrea – Travel to Berlin, Germany to attend casting and opening of premiere production of new play at English Theatre Berlin – $1,250

Stoner, Deb – Attend the Medium Photography Festival Review and Lecture Series in San Diego, CA – $1,500 (Clackamas County)

*Westby, Denise – Travel to New York, NY to study with master flutist Keith Underwood – $1,500 (Washington County)

*Whitten, John – Travel to Colorado River Basin to participate in Signal Fire retreat – $800

*Williams, Gina – Participate in photography software class at Newspace and portfolio review with photographer Geoffrey Hiller – $460 (Clackamas County)

*Wren Stottrup, Jeni – Attend Podcast Movement conference in Chicago, IL – $1,000


Organizations

MediaRites – Travel for five company members to attend National Asian American Theater Conference & Festival hosted by OSF in Ashland – $2,000

*Newspace Center for Photography – Travel for curator Yaelle Amir to attend FOCUS Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada – $1,000

*Portland Storytellers’ Guild – Upgrades of organizational website – $1,195 (Washington County)

RACC awards inaugural Arts Equity Grants

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The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) has awarded $119,380 in Arts Equity Grants to 21 organizations for activities that advance RACC’s goals for equity in Portland and Multnomah County. These grants are funded by City of Portland’s Arts Education & Access Fund, along with support from Multnomah County.

The Arts Equity Grant program is an evolution of RACC’s former Expanding Cultural Access program. Following extensive community outreach, 90 organizations submitted letters of interest in February, and 30 were invited to submit full applications. Of the 21 organizations that were selected for grant awards, 11 are receiving RACC support for the first time.

“Access to the arts remains a top priority of all of us at RACC, and we have been working for several years to diversify the pool of grant applicants and awards,” said executive director Eloise Damrosch. “These new Arts Equity Grants will help get us to the next level, investing in programs and organizations that reach communities of color, underserved neighborhoods, people with disabilities and other under-represented populations.”

Two rounds of panels made up of RACC board members, staff, and community volunteers reviewed letters of interest and applications, evaluating them for impact, organizational capacity, and alignment with RACC’s equity goals. The RACC board of directors approved the final grant awards on May 25, 2016.

First Time Recipient Applicant Name Summary Award Amount

 
APANO Provide support for APANO’s Arts & Media Project to present “Mic Check! Voices from the Margins,” a series of cultural events in  summer 2016. $7,000
* Association of Russian-Speaking Compatriots United States (ARSCUS) Provide visual art classes for children in Russian at the East Portland Neighborhood Office. $5,000
* Community Vision, Inc. Outfit and support the first exhibition in a street level window gallery in Community Vision’s new headquarters building at SE 19th and Division. $5,850
* Division Midway Alliance for Community Improvement Produce the Festival of Nations, a multicultural event featuring traditional music, art, food, and culture from around the world. $5,950
* East County PFLAG Partner with Springwater Studio to create yOUTh OUT Arts, a 12-month series of multi-disciplinary art workshops for LGBTQ youth in East Multnomah County. $4,500
FusionArte Produce LenteMovil: “The Other Side of my Community,” a mobile multimedia project that interweaves video, photography and storytelling. $6,570
Hacienda CDC Produce a series of cultural events at the Portland Mercado, a Latino public market, that will showcase the music, dance, and cultural craft of Latino artists. $5,950
Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization – IRCO Work with artists Jacob Wachira Ezigbo and Baba Wagué Diakité to produce 8 monthly cross cultural arts workshops for youth and two events to showcase participant art. $7,000
* Instituto de Cultura y Arte In Xochitl In Cuicatl Produce Dia de los Muertos ceremony including workshops, mural making, traditional dance, and sharing the history of Dia de los Muertos. $3,500
Kukatonon Children’s African Dance Troupe Collaborate with the Portland Ballet to provide offering fundamental of ballet classes as part of ongoing West African Dance education programing. $5,000
latinoartnow Work with students from Scott K-8 School and PSU to learn about the history and creation of murals and Latino art. $5,950
LAX IdeAL Provide support for one day conference for Latino artists, hosted at Milagro Theatre. $5,000
Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon Produce arts performances and artist vendor marketplace to strengthen intercultural understanding and economic stability for underserved populations. $3,400
* Morpheus Youth Project Offer 8 weeks of breakdancing workshops for youth at Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Center. $7,000
My Voice Music Provide songwriting, music instruction, and live recording sessions for unaccompanied migrant youth, in partnership with Morrison Child and Family Services. $7,000
* National Indian Parent Information Center Produce Native American Inclusive Culture Days which support cultural opportunities for youth with disabilities and learning challenges, and their families. $4,860
* Right 2 Survive Create art for Right 2 Dream Too location in SE Portland and host a House(less) Warming Party including art-making between houseless and housed neighbors. $5,950
* Russian Speaking Community Leaders Group Present a film, and a music and dance performance, at the 2016 Slavic Festival in Ventura Park. $6,750
* The Geezer Gallery Support for Story Catchers Art Therapy program to work with 4 groups of LGBTQ seniors of color for 13 week workshops in writing and visual arts. $7,000
* The Giving Tree Provide two 8-class series of Art Explorations classes for residents of affordable housing in Portland. $3,150
Wisdom of the Elders, Inc Produce Climate and Native Wisdom documentary film and radio series for Discovering Yidong Xinag Program. $7,000

Other awardees:

Latinoartsnow

Latinoartsnow

Association of Russian-Speaking Compatriots United States (ARSCUS

Association of Russian-Speaking Compatriots United States (ARSCUS

Instituto de Cultura y Arte In Xochitl In Cuicatl 

Instituto de Cultura y Arte In Xochitl In Cuicatl

 

City Club Forum: Are the arts getting squeezed out?

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Eloise’s Blog:

On Friday, May 20th,  several of us from RACC attended the Friday Forum at City Club of Portland to hear a timely dialogue about what artists and arts organizations are facing in our booming city. The panel consisted of MaryKay West, Vice President at Colliers International, and City Commissioner Nick Fish. Kelley Roy, owner and founder of ADX, moderated.  Interspersed into the panel were individuals working in the arts who told their own stories about the extremely challenging current climate.

Commissioner Fish described the very real housing crisis for low income and homeless Portlanders and the City’s commitment to working on all aspects of this problem as it drives people, including artists and arts organizations, from the core of our city to the fringes and suburbs. The city he said has a “moral obligation to protect the most vulnerable people” but recognizes that artists, creatives and  non-profits help make Portland a vibrant and envied cultural destination and contributes to the fact that the Portland is one of the fastest growing urban economies in the US.

MaryKay West, who specializes in finding spaces for just these kinds of creative people and organizations, commented that many of them need large scale raw industrial spaces, many of which are now being snapped up and redeveloped for higher paying tenants. Zoning often is an obstacle, but also has the opportunity for change to accommodate the needs of a range of renters and owners. She also mentioned REITS (Real Estate Investment Trusts) which enables anyone to invest in large scale real estate properties and earn income from their shares, without having to personally own the buildings and land.

Commissioner Fish looks forward to exploring what the new PDC will look like as it experiences leadership change for itself and for our City. He suggested a partnership between RACC and PDC to undertake an inventory of cultural assets (following Seattle’s model) and to bring in the Bureau of Planning to explore potential and protected cultural hubs around the area.

He questioned whether the City cares as much about the 95% of businesses who have 5 or fewer employees as it does about luring in a Daimler Trucks or Airbnb. These companies are in fact attracted to Portland because it is a city of small businesses. Both panelists cited the Creative Advocacy Network, which conceived of and helped pass the Arts Education and Access Fund in 2012 , and challenged that group of smart and strategic people to not only repair the tax once and for all, but also tackle the pressing problems discussed at the forum.

We at the Regional Arts and Culture Council welcome the opportunity to work with the City, businesses, real estate developers and of course all of our friends and colleagues in the arts to shine a very bright light on these issues before it is too late. We must ensure that artists can continue living and working here and that nonprofit arts organizations can thrive in affordable spaces strategically placed throughout our City and region. Let’s all pledge to keep the conversation moving and to taking action. I suspect a meeting with our Mayor-elect will be an important next step. Thank you City Club for this informative, timely and provocative discussion.

You can watch the entire Forum at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RulcumBeOkM .

NEA Approved for Arts Funding Increase

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Issued by Americans for the Arts on May 25, 2016.

Today (May 25)  the House Subcommittee on Interior Appropriations approved a $2 million increase in federal funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), matching the President’s budget request for a total of $149.8 million for fiscal year 2017. The National Endowment for the Humanities was approved at the same increased funding level as the NEA.

This bill will next be considered by the full House Appropriations Committee and later by the entire House and Senate chambers. Amendments to add or cut funding could happen along the way. We will keep you informed of major legislative developments and/or calls to action.

Check the Arts Action Fund website for details of the proposed increases allocated to the other federal cultural agencies and institutions.