RACC Blog

Learn more about RACC’s General Operating Support program.

General Operating Support Partner Base Awards

Cycle 1 – Reports received in December 2023 and awarded January 2024

• Artists Repertory Theatre – $45,000
• Blue Sky Gallery (Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts) – $15,000
• Boom Arts- $15,000
• Friends of Chamber Music – $45,000
• Literary Arts – $60,000
• Oregon Ballet Theatre – $100,000
• Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra- $20,000
• Portland Youth Philharmonic – $45,000
• Third Angle New Music – $15,000

Cycle 2 – Reports received in February 2024 and awarded March 2024

• Alberta Abbey Foundation – $20,000
• Bodyvox – $45,000
• Caldera – $30,000
• Chamber Music Northwest – $45,000
• Coho Productions – $20,000
• Imago Theatre – $20,000
• Metropolitan Youth Symphony – $30,000
• Oregon Symphony Association – $175,000
• Outside the Frame – $20,000
• Pacific Youth Choir – $15,000
• PlayWrite – $15,000
• Portland Art Museum – $175,000
• Portland Center Stage – $100,000
• Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble – $15,000
• Portland Opera – $85,000
• Portland Playhouse – $45,000
• Profile Theatre – $30,000
• Shaking the Tree Theatre – $20,000
• Street Books – $15,000
• The Portland Ballet – $30,000
• Third Rail Repertory Theatre – $20,000
• White Bird – $30,000

Cycle 3 – Reports received in May 2024 and awarded June 2024

• All Ages Music Portland (Friends of Noise) – $15,000
• Arts for Learning Northwest – $45,000
• Cappella Romana – $30,000
• Children’s Healing Art Project – $15,000
• Corrib Theatre – $15,000
• Echo Theater Company – $30,000
• Ethos Music Center – $30,000
• Hand2Mouth – $20,000
• Hollywood Theatre – $60,000
• Independent Publishing Resource Center – $15,000
• Lan Su Chinese Garden – $30,000
• Live Wire Radio – $30,000
• My Voice Music – $30,000
• New Expressive Works – $15,000
• Northwest Children’s Theater & School – $60,000
• Northwest Dance Project – $45,000
• NW Documentary Arts & Media – $15,000
• Oregon BRAVO Youth Orchestras – $45,000
• Oregon Children’s Theatre – $60,000
• Oregon Contemporary – $20,000
• PassinArt: A Theatre Company – $15,000
• PDX Jazz – $30,000
• PHAME – $30,000
• Polaris Dance Theatre – $15,000
• Portland Baroque Orchestra – $30,000
• Portland Gay Men’s Chorus – $30,000
• Portland Institute for Contemporary Art – $45,000
• Portland Piano International – $20,000
• Portland Street Art Alliance – $30,000
• Portland Taiko – $15,000
• Resonance Ensemble – $15,000
• The Red Door Project – $30,000
• Triangle Productions – $15,000
• World Stage Theatre – $20,000
• Write Around Portland – $20,000

GOS New Partner Organizations – awarded June 2024

• North Pole Studio – $20,000
• OK You –$15,000
• Open Hearts Open Minds – $15,000
• Rejoice! Diaspora Dance Theater – $15,000
• Vanport Mosaic – $15,000
• Willamette Light Brigade, dba Portland Winter Lights Festival – $15,000

Capacity Building Organizations participating in FY23-24

• 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
• Takohachi- $25,000
• Theatre Diaspora- $25,000
• Vanport Mosiac – $25,000
• World Arts Foundation- $25,000

GOS Investment Awards – awarded June 2024

• Alberta Abbey Foundation – $20,000
• All Ages Music Portland (Friends of Noise) – $22,000
• Artists Repertory Theatre – $11,000
• Arts for Learning Northwest (formerly Young Audiences) – $13,000
• Blue Sky / Oregon Center for the Photographic Art – $16,000
• Bodyvox – $11,000
• Boom Arts – $22,000
• Caldera – $20,000
• Cappella Romana – $13,000
• Chamber Music Northwest – $20,000
• Coho Productions – $20,000
• Corrib Theatre – $11,000
• Ethos Music Center – $23,000
• Friends of Chamber Music – $7,000
• Hand2Mouth – $11,000
• Hollywood Theatre (Film Action Oregon) –  $22,000
• Imago Theatre – $11,000
• Independent Publishing Resource Center – $25,000
• Literary Arts – $20,000
• Live Wire Radio – $11,000
• Metropolitan Youth Symphony – $11,000
• My Voice Music – $22,000
• New Expressive Works – $13,000
• Northwest Children’s Theater & School – $20,000
• Northwest Dance Project – $11,000
• NW Documentary Arts & Media – $16,000
• Oregon Ballet Theatre – $20,000
• Oregon BRAVO Youth Orchestras – $7,000
• Oregon Contemporary – $22,000
• Oregon Symphony Association – $16,000
• Outside the Frame – $15,000
• Pacific Youth Choir – $16,000
• PassinArt: A Theatre Company – $20,000
• PDX Jazz – $16,000
• PHAME – $30,000
• PlayWrite – $16,000
• Polaris Dance Theatre – $22,000
• Portland Art Museum – $25,000
• Portland Baroque Orchestra – $7,000
• Portland Center Stage – $27,000
• Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble – $20,000
• Portland Gay Men’s Chorus – $17,000
• Portland Institute for Contemporary Art – $20,000
• Portland Opera – $11,000
• Portland Piano International – $5,000
• Portland Playhouse – $27,000
• Portland Street Art Alliance – $20,000
• Portland Youth Philharmonic – $7,000
• Profile Theatre – $25,000
• Resonance Ensemble – $22,000
• Shaking the Tree Theatre – $20,000
• Street Books – $22,000
• The Portland Ballet – $13,000
• Third Angle New Music – $27,000
• Third Rail Repertory Theatre – $17,000
• White Bird – $20,000
• World Stage Theatre – $15,000
• Write Around Portland – $11,000

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

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

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):