RACC Blog

Response: Maria Garcia

For the spring 2018 primary election, RACC distributed a questionnaire to all candidates running for Portland City Council; Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington County Boards of Commissioners; and Metro Council. Each candidate was asked five questions on March 13 or 14, and given the opportunity to respond by March 30 when this story was first published.  RACC will continue to publish responses from candidates even after the deadline has passed.

Here are the responses provided by Maria Garcia, running for Multnomah County Commissioner, District 2. All responses are reprinted verbatim from what the candidates sent us.

 


 

RACC: In what specific ways have you supported arts and culture in Multnomah County?

MG: In 2011, when I worked in the Mexican Consulate in Portland, in the Community Affairs Department, part of my job was to promote cultural events. I supported and organized different cultural events, including indigenous celebrations in Multnomah County.

Working with the Mayan community in the NE Cully neighborhood, I have supported, sponsored and organized together with INDEMAYA (Mayan organization in Yucatan, Mexico) a cultural event called “Vaqueria”. For the past 6 years, every September, representatives of the Mayan government from Yucatan come to celebrate their folklore, music, sell of textiles and jewelry, gastronomy and community unity as well as listening to their main concerns and problems living abroad so when they go back, they create programs of support that help the Mayan community to be connected with their families and government back home.

Another event I helped to organized together with another indigenous group from Oaxaca, Mexico, in Portland was called “La Guelaguetza in Porltand”. La Guelaguetza is an annual indigenous cultural even in Oaxaca, Mexico. This celebration centers on traditional dancing in costumes in groups, includes parades with indigenous walking bands, traditional Oaxacan food and state wide artisanal crafts such as prehispanic style textile. We hold this event 2 consecutive years. We are currently getting together to host this event again for summer 2019.

Those celebrations are important for the continuing survival of these cultures, especially those living abroad since their kids started to lose their identity and mother language.

Another cultural event I helped organized in 2010 and 2011 at the Portland Art Museum, was a gastronomic event “Sabor  a Mexico”, where the most re- known Mexican restaurants were invited to participate in a fund raiser for a program called “IME BECAS”. The money was donated to local educational institutions that served Mexican milenios to pay for their tuition at Portland State University.

During my tenure at the Mexican Consulate, I organized for 2 consecutive years at The Arlington club, a 5 de Mayo celebration where I brought the “Charros”( Mexican cowboys), to performed and promote their traditions, a Ranchero singer, dances and coordinated with the chef a Mexican menu for dinner. The main floor was decorated with Ranchero items and really brought a Mexican experience to the club. It was a very well received event.

Day of Death celebration is a very important event closed to my heart. In 2016, with the support  of the Multnomah County Employees of Color, I organized a Day of Dead celebration at the Lincoln Center. This is a celebration of dead and life, very close to the Mexican culture. In this event, we honored the dead a young man of color killed by  police brutality, Christopher Kalonji. His mother, Irene Kalonji, set up an altar with pictures of Cristopher and his favorite cookies, made by her. Don’t Shoot Portland was present with an altar name “Black lives matter”, where the pictures of the most national known African American young men were killed by police brutality too. Donor life organization was present with an altar. They talked about the importance of donating organs after dead.

A recipient of the Governor’s Arts Awards, artist Arvie Smith, participated too building a great altar where he brought the African roots together with the religious Catholic believes of this celebration. One more participant was a famous local photographer, Paulina Hermosillo, who was a reporter for the most prestigious Mexican magazines many years ago She brought her collection of pictures of all the social justice movements in Mexico which was part of my Revolutionary altar.

Another talented young artist, Ameya Marie, brought beautiful artistic pictures of known activist all over the world and the images of young men killed by police brutality nationally too. The last participant was Voz Hispana, a pro- immigrant non profit organization with an altar honoring immigrants crossing the borders.

In 2017, together with Mexican muralist, Hector Hernandez, I organized a Day of dead celebration at PNCA, where the event was hosted. Artist Vojislav Radovanovic, came from LA to present his version of pagan celebration of dead. Teressa Raiford, from Don’t Shoot Portland, set up an altar with pictures of African American activist through history. Donate life organization was present again and together with the sutdents of color  of PNCA, built   an altar honoring Latino  immigrants  deaths . We had Aztec dancers, Mexican coffee, hot chocolate and pan de muerto, a traditional pastry eaten in this special occasion. The Portland Art Museum participated as sponsor of the event. In June, this year,  I will start organizing for the 2018 Day of Death celebration again.

On September 2017, I host a bystander intervention event at the Artist Repertory Theater where we talked about the difference of being “Latino, Chicano and Hispanic”, how we intersect with the slavery in Africa and how this gave place to a part of our Mexican-African culture expressed in some traditional dances of specific regions of Mexico. An expert in Chicano studies and artist, Hector Hernandez talked to us about the difference between “Assimilation and Inclusion” of the Latino diaspora in USA. Local dancers were performing such as Kenya Marquez, with her folcloric dance group, “Papalotl”. Kenya brought her dance group formed mainly by kids between the ages of 8-15 years old and  performed “La Bamba”, famous mestizo song. Keny explained the meaning of this song and the strong African influence in Mexico. “Los Chinelos”, folcloric dance group from central Mexico brought their majestic outfits and dances. They talked about the meaning of their dances and costumes, where they are from, how strong the Spanish influence in their region is and the importance of promoting our culture in Portland.

As a community advocate, I started a beautiful project together with the Latino Club from Oregon State Penitentiary. It was a “papel picado” project. Inmates made the colorful traditional Mexican cut paper. They costume made logos, different shapes and colors were made by this men. I distributed the paper and got orders from different organizations and restaurants that supported this project. In 2015, the first Hispanic Heritage month celebration took place at the Capitolio, in Salem. Many Latino artists participated as well as the  “papel picado” made by the inmates. They were very proud of knowing their work was exhibited at the same time. My intention was to bring awareness about this other part of our community.

I am the former president of Don’t Shoot Portland, a community action organization focus in social justice and art. I can proudly say that I did influence the arts and culture emphasis of the organization. I believe social justice can be express through art and influence at young age is best. Now, Don’t Shoot host a Kids arts and Culture Council where kids, all ages, participate creating banners with profound messages. In this council, kids  can express their vision of social justice. They learn about activism and  how to express their surroundings  and life trough art. We support local pop artist who have learned how to turn their art into business.

I am a current board member of a local theater company, Boom Arts, and a supporter of this organization. On Sunday, March 11th, I host a work shop with a Mexican theater company brought by Boo Arts. We invited Latino women living in Porltand and together with the director of Linea de Sombra, the Mexican theater company, we talked about the challenges on immigrant women living in USA and how art has influence our lives and/or the people we have worked with. They goal of this workshop, was to support the work of the theater company transforming our stories into hopefully a play. Since it was a wonderful and unique topics, I decided that I want to hold a monthly meeting open to the public, where people can come and have substantial conversations about the importance of art and how to promote it.

 

RACC: Artists and arts organizations add measurable value to our region’s economy, our education system and our quality of life. Yet there are a number of pressing needs in Multnomah County that often compete with arts and culture for attention and investment. How would you describe the importance of arts and culture in our community, and what should Multnomah County be doing to support this sector?

MG: Arts and culture are the result of all the collective effort that identifies society and its life style. Culture identifies specific social groups and art generates artistic expression using different symbols, techniques and materials that an artist produce.  Art take us to different worlds without living our own space.

Multnomah county has an abundance of artists and diverse cultures that should be paid more attention to. Promoting our diverse neighborhoods, by inviting the different diasporas living in the county to bring their gastronomy, arts, folklore, music, art and crafts and more to everybody into their neighborhoods will be a great way to connect and learn form everybody’s culture in a very safe and  organic way that can built community. It is important to build pride in the neighborhoods because they are the fabric of community. When one neighborhood is in decline, the whole community can be at risk. Neighborhoods, whether official or perceived play a critical role in the success of local housing and infrastructure policy. Strengthening and promoting existing neighborhoods can stabilized the housing stock and contribute towards community ties. These ties produce a stronger community that can effectively react to problems such as crime, litter or deterioration. Dealing with these threats in a proactive and forceful manner can ensure the vitality and property values of a community. Promoting living, shopping and special events within particular neighborhoods increases community pride, communication and social interaction. All this can be done promoting arts, culture and diversity. Let’s take China town in San Francisco or New York as an example, or “La Placita Olvera” in Los Angeles among may other diverse ethnic centered neighborhoods. They bring culture, gastronomy, cultural activities and pride to their neighborhoods, adding a touristic  aspect, very important for local economy.  District 2 can be the leader in culture and community pride.

 

RACC: The region’s affordability is a serious concern for everyone in our community. What are your plans for making housing and creative spaces more affordable for artist, nonprofit arts organizations and arts-related businesses?

MG: I believe that working closed with City council, specifically, Commissioner Eudaly and Fish is important. The 24 recommendations of the Arts Affordability plan to promote arts and culture should be applied to  Multnomah County too. I truly believe in direct communications with community members that are very active in this arena (arts and culture) is important. Inviting them to participate and share their work  and places already existing is important to know. Closer partnerships with already established institutions such as Portland Art Museum, OMSI, PNCA, small galleries that can work together to support local artist and community based cultural events, This is an affordable way of support and promote local talent. The housing crisis is a bigger issue than what we think, and a prompt solution should be taken into action but those are long negotiations at state level where the   non-cause eviction has to be banned as first move so we can keep people housed to avoid more shortage of housing. Extending human services at the county level is important to help people in need to pay for their utilities and rent. The housing issue is a big cycle that is beyond not just paying rent, but a poverty problem and lack of understanding in how fast and bad planned the city has grown. What is happening now is the result of many years of investment in high priced housing and lack of attention to the needs of the community.

 

RACC: How can RACC and Multnomah County do a better job of providing arts experiences for East County and other underrepresented communities?

MG: I think of my answer in question 2 will cover this question too. For our underrepresented communities in particular, the kids need to be influence more into all forms of arts and culture pride. Many kids are losing their identity because there is not reinforcement of it. Because of racism too, many kids are rejecting speaking their mother language now. Parents work long hours, sometimes up to 3 jobs (experiencing myself that issue many years ago), and have no time to bring that cultural awareness to their kids. So schools, in this case, working through the SUN School programs, is an effective way for affordable or not cost approach to arts and culture. Bringing neighborhood pride to all this undeserved communities by allowing locals to express themselves through art is empowering. Allowing the creation of murals that tells the story of the neighborhoods can bring pride and a different approach to art. Partnering with Jails and detention centers is important too. Providing  the artistic education is important. I advocate for Latino incarcerated men and I know many talented men creating beautiful paintings and crafts. They learned inside jail because they never had an encounter with arts before. Maybe art could have save them? Perhaps. Graffiti is a form of art, tatoos are an expression of art, art is everywhere but we are not understanding it because there is not part of our life.

 

RACC: What are some of your other priorities for Multnomah County that would be of interest to artists, arts organizations and arts educators in our community?

MG: I bring cultural awareness, eradication of Institutional racism, accountability. I vision a Multicultural center built in D2 that houses all forms of local arts and promotes diverse cultures, creates a safe space for our local artist and communities. I vision a rich, colorful, vibrant cultural center that will be a sacred home of arts. It is not impossible, is doable and necessary.


Response: Juan Carlos Gonzalez

For the spring 2018 primary election, RACC distributed a questionnaire to all candidates running for Portland City Council; Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington County Boards of Commissioners; and Metro Council. Each candidate was asked five questions on March 13 or 14, and given the opportunity to respond by March 30 when this story was first published.  RACC will continue to publish responses from candidates even after the deadline has passed.

Here are the responses provided by Juan Carlos Gonzalez, running for Metro Council, District 4. All responses are reprinted verbatim from what the candidates sent us.

 


 

RACC: In what specific ways have you supported arts and culture in the Portland metro region?

JCG: My role as Director of Development and Communications at Centro Cultural has given me the special opportunity to work on the forefront of how arts and culture serves everyones needs in our region. I have specifically advocated for, designed and materialized, art programs and services that reflect communities of color. In 2017 we led a partnership with the City of Hillsboro to launch “El Grito” – a hispanic heritage month event honoring Latin American independence – drawing over 3,000 guests to an event full of music, dance and cultural activities. We received a RACC grant in 2016 for our Children’s Day Festival, an event I coordinated for 4,000 youth in the west end of the Metro region. Currently, we’re working with Tualatin Riverkeepers to design stormwater murals in Hillsboro and Tigard that reflect both the Latino and Arabic cultures in those respective communities. Just this year we received a significant grant from the State of Oregon to launch a ballet folklorico program in Cornelius for youth of color, with a grant proposal that I designed to incorporate family learning and place-making.

I will continue to support Arts and Culture ferociously as Metro Councilor, especially when considering the racial equity lens our arts and culture programs need to embrace.

 

RACC: Artists and arts organizations add measurable value to our region’s economy, our education system and our quality of life. Yet there are a number of pressing needs in our communities that often compete with arts and culture for attention and investment. How would YOU describe the importance of arts and culture in our community, and what should Metro be doing to support this sector?

JCG: Quite plainly, the Arts build a sense of place and belonging. These modes of expression channel our stories – of struggle, perseverance, love and hope – and connect narratives and ideas to physical places and objects. I believe we must invest in the Arts alongside transportation, housing and parks because it adds richness to the places we call home.

 

I often think of Winston Churchill’s explanation of why to fund the arts amidst World War, when patriots criticized the government for investing in arts instead of full military expansion and he responded (more or less) “[then] what are we fighting for?”.

In the midst of a housing and transportation crisis it is inevitable that a choir of dissidents will sing a similar tune. As Metro Councilor I will fight to support arts and culture investments both in grant portfolios like Community Placemaking grants, but also more intentional arts and public arts priorities as part of our broader investments. I will specifically advocate for an added racial equity lens to lift the artistic talent of local communities of color, and ensure those stories are told – to wed our experiences with the places we call home, and make Oregon ours.

 

RACC: The region’s affordability is a serious concern for everyone in our community. What are your plans for making housing and creative spaces more affordable for artists, nonprofit arts organizations and arts-related businesses?

JCG: Our affordable housing crisis is regional, and merits a regional approach. I fully support Metro’s affordable housing bond proposal this November. My campaign’s ethos is that we must un-silo the complex of issues of our generation, and look at braided approaches. Therefore, if we invest in housing we must ensure that the housing is dense and well connected on main transportation corridors, and has access to high quality public transportation services, world class schools, and a wide range of services from arts and culture to recreation in the outdoors.

As Metro Councilor I will champion affordable housing for my District, and the region, in order to ensure that creative minds full of potential are able to call this place home – now and into the future.

 

RACC: How can RACC and Metro do a better job of providing arts experiences for underrepresented populations, including rural communities, people of color, people with disabilities and underserved neighborhoods?

JCG: Centro Cultural’s model is an excellent example of how regional government and funders can lift the voices, talents, and artistic experiences of communities of color. It doesn’t only take significant investment to scale up capacity and expertise for a community based organization, but also a proliferation of relationships, trust and understanding. There are systemic barriers that get in the way of local artists receiving funding for projects, presenting their art with equitable opportunity, and even having discretionary dollars to purchase materials.

My strategy is to go directly to where community already gathers. There is no need for Metro or RACC to re-invent the wheel of community engagement or community relationships. There are places that have historically meaningful and authentic relationships. We must go to where those places are, invest in them, and do everything in our power to life those voices and perspectives.

 

RACC: What are some of your other priorities for Metro that would be of interest to artists, arts organizations and arts educators in our community?

JCG: Our region is at the crux of a recycling crisis, as international markets for plastic jeopardize our ability to process plastics and therefore our entire waste system. I have quite a few ideas with how we can modernize our region’s garbage and recycling system, but at the heart is this idea that we must create a local waste economy that can process materials right here. Not only does that create a new layer of industry, jobs and businesses, but also helps us pump back in the right types of plastics into our economy. Plastics we know we can process responsibly.

 

The intersection between the arts and this new waste system is an opportunity for creative and innovative re-use of recycled materials. I believe we should create an economy that incentivizes a re-use of materials before they event enter the waste system, to benefit our communities.


Response: Sonya Fischer

For the spring 2018 primary election, RACC distributed a questionnaire to all candidates running for Portland City Council; Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington County Boards of Commissioners; and Metro Council. Each candidate was asked five questions on March 13 or 14, and given the opportunity to respond by March 30 when this story was first published.  RACC will continue to publish responses from candidates even after the deadline has passed.

Here are the responses provided by Sonya Fischer, running for Clackamas County Board of Commissioners, Position 5. All responses are reprinted verbatim from what the candidates sent us.

 


 

RACC: In what specific ways have you supported arts and culture in Clackamas County?

SF: As a Clackamas County Commissioner, we closely work with the Clackamas County Arts Alliance (CCAA), providing $279,359 in general fund support. Our support of CCAA helps provide programming and services, including Juvenile Department, Tourism & Cultural Affairs, Transportation & Development, Parks, Community Solutions, Health/Housing & Human Services. These vital partnerships include Youth Arts for Change, the Artist Exhibit Program, and the Public Art Program, allowing us to keep arts and culture central to life in Clackamas County. I also advocated to restore levels of general fund support to Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC). The $100,000 allows RACC to provide key resources to Clackamas County through programs such as Work for Art, benefiting arts access, and the Right Brain Initiative, supporting arts education in many school districts, including North Clackamas.

 

RACC: Artists and arts organizations add measurable value to the county’s economy, our education system and healthy communities – three of Clackamas County’s key performance measures. How would YOU describe the importance of arts and culture in our community, and what should Clackamas County be doing to support this sector?

SF: The nonprofit arts and culture industry generates $14,837,677 in annual economic activity in Clackamas County, supporting 417 full-time equivalent jobs and generating $1,199,000 in local and state government revenues, according to the Arts & Economic Prosperity 5 national economic impact study. This study reaffirms the important impact of arts and culture in Clackamas County. The arts and culture industry provides jobs, supports businesses and attracts visitors. One of the reasons businesses and residents choose to live in Clackamas County is because of the rich vibrancy arts and culture add to the livability of our communities. Clackamas County must continue to support private and public partnerships that provide greater access and opportunity for economic growth. The value of arts in our community cannot be underestimated.

 

RACC: Many schools in Clackamas County are participating in The Right Brain Initiative, which infuses dance, music, visual art and other creative activities into science, language arts, math and other subjects. Rigorous evaluative data has demonstrated that this approach leads to better teachers and more engaged students with improved test scores.  Do you support public investments in programs like these to support student learning in Clackamas County?

SF: In FY 2017-18, RACC in partnership with Clackamas County leveraged $272,906 for Clackamas County Schools. The impact of the Right Brain Initiative has helped schools in North Clackamas and Oregon Trail School Districts, increasing above average math and reading scores and improvement for English Language Learners. It is essential that we support these public investments. I am a strong advocate for preparing students through science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM). Our economic future is dependent upon a workforce that can innovate, communicate, and apply critical thinking. The arts drive our creative class that will create the pathways for our 21st century economy.

RACC: How can RACC and Clackamas County do a better job of providing arts experiences for underrepresented populations, including rural communities, people of color, people with disabilities and underserved neighborhoods?

SF: As a County Commissioner, I am committed to removing barriers to fairness in representation, opportunity, and access in Clackamas County. As a young mother of a child with severe disabilities, I understand the importance of services that provide a community safety net for our most vulnerable and underrepresented populations. Access to the arts and cultural amenities are essential to quality of life for all Clackamas County residents. RACC and Clackamas County must remain proactive in supporting, developing and promoting access to all the arts throughout the county community. From grant programs, to public art exhibits, to arts related events, Clackamas County and RACC must continue to grow its outreach so that all underrepresented and underserved communities have access to the arts.

 

RACC: What are some of your other priorities for Clackamas County that would be of interest to artists, arts organizations and arts educators in our community?

SF: Housing Affordability is a growing concern for artists and educators in Clackamas County. I will work with both the public and private sectors for housing policies that will allow Clackamas County residents to afford to live in the community they love. Another priority ins protecting our unique quality of life in Clackamas County. Artists and educators choose to call Clackamas County home because of the livable cities, vital rural and natural areas, quality schools, and economic opportunities. It is vital that we create more economic opportunities so that good-paying jobs are available to everyone in every part of the county.


Response: Louse Lopes

For the spring 2018 primary election, RACC distributed a questionnaire to all candidates running for Portland City Council; Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington County Boards of Commissioners; and Metro Council. Each candidate was asked five questions on March 13 or 14, and given the opportunity to respond by March 30 when this story was first published.  RACC will continue to publish responses from candidates even after the deadline has passed.

Here are the responses provided by Louise Lopes, running for Clackamas County Board of Commissioners, Position 2. All responses are reprinted verbatim from what the candidates sent us.

 


 

RACC: In what specific ways have you supported arts and culture in Clackamas County?

LL: This is the very first time I have run for elected office before so I have not had an opportunity to specifically support arts and culture in Clackamas County except as a private citizen. Personally, I strongly support all art and culture because I believe in the advancement of human potential and expression.

 

RACC: Artists and arts organizations add measurable value to the county’s economy, our education system and healthy communities – three of Clackamas County’s key performance measures. How would YOU describe the importance of arts and culture in our community, and what should Clackamas County be doing to support this sector?

LL: Art and culture is important to every community and one of the fundamentals of human experience from the beginning of the origins of our species. It is through drawings on cave walls that we learned about the very first humans and their life (and hence culture). It is especially imperative that all children and youth have a chance to explore their interests and talent in the field of art.  Clackamas County should be supporting art, artists, and art education though funding and other avenues.  As a Clackamas County Commissioner, I would pursue those priorities.

 

RACC: Many schools in Clackamas County are participating in The Right Brain Initiative, which infuses dance, music, visual art and other creative activities into science, language arts, math and other subjects. Rigorous evaluative data has demonstrated that this approach leads to better teachers and more engaged students with improved test scores.  Do you support public investments in programs like these to support student learning in Clackamas County?

 

LL: Yes, I wholeheartedly support public investment in programs like The Right Brain Initiative.  It is so innovative and integrates many creative activities with the more basic subjects, and as noted, results in overall improved test scores.

RACC: How can RACC and Clackamas County do a better job of providing arts experiences for underrepresented populations, including rural communities, people of color, people with disabilities and underserved neighborhoods?

LL: I think that outreach and access are very important to bring the arts experience to underrepresented/underserved populations such as people of color, other minorities, the LGBTQ community, rural inhabitants, and those struggling with economic injustice.  Often times some members of these communities speak a primary language other than English ,and having the ability to communicate with them in that language improves outreach.  Access can be enhanced by providing arts experiences in their schools and communities through funding as well as volunteers, improving the chances they can participate in the same opportunities as those in urban areas.

 

RACC: What are some of your other priorities for Clackamas County that would be of interest to artists, arts organizations and arts educators in our community?

LL: My priorities for Clackamas County include addressing many forms of injustice – social, economic, environmental, and more.  Many forms of injustice limit, or exclude, entire groups of people from getting access not only to basic services but to exploring beyond that into the world of art, culture, and more.

I would be interested in promoting a funded educational program (through scholarships) for all ages to explore and advance their talents in all forms of art.  Groups such as the Clackamas County Arts Alliance are vital. I’d like to see more events such as the annual Arts Extravaganza.  A Clackamas County Art Fair would be a priority I would pursue.


Response: Peter Winter

For the spring 2018 primary election, RACC distributed a questionnaire to all candidates running for Portland City Council; Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington County Boards of Commissioners; and Metro Council. Each candidate was asked five questions on March 13 or 14, and given the opportunity to respond by March 30 when this story was first published.  RACC will continue to publish responses from candidates even after the deadline has passed.

Here are the responses provided by Peter Winter, running for Clackamas County Board of Commissioners, Position 2. All responses are reprinted verbatim from what the candidates sent us.

 


 

RACC: In what specific ways have you supported arts and culture in Clackamas County?

PW: My message of building vibrant communities outlined on www.votepeterwinter.com encourages development that allows citizens to live, work and play in their communities. This requires a commitment towards arts and culture to allow for well balanced and healthy population.

 

RACC:  Artists and arts organizations add measurable value to the county’s economy, our education system and healthy communities – three of Clackamas County’s key performance measures. How would YOU describe the importance of arts and culture in our community, and what should Clackamas County be doing to support this sector?

PW: As someone that has lived abroad in Asia for three years I am keenly aware of the importance of promoting arts and cultures in our communities.  Integrating art and differing cultures into our daily lives promotes an environment of learning and understanding.  I’d like to support the arts by encouraging more growth in schools and training centers in the private market.  The county should offer grants to non-profit businesses that promote education of the arts and provide learning opportunities to experience different cultures.

 

RACC: Many schools in Clackamas County are participating in The Right Brain Initiative, which infuses dance, music, visual art and other creative activities into science, language arts, math and other subjects. Rigorous evaluative data has demonstrated that this approach leads to better teachers and more engaged students with improved test scores.  Do you support public investments in programs like these to support student learning in Clackamas County?

PW:  I firmly believe that we are doing are kids a disservice by eliminating these valuable teaching opportunities in our schools. An economy grows when creative innovators fill a niche in the market and if we encourage more exploration in our kids learning we can likely see the returns in our future generation of leaders.

 

RACC: How can RACC and Clackamas County do a better job of providing arts experiences for underrepresented populations, including rural communities, people of color, people with disabilities and underserved neighborhoods?

PW: I think Clackamas County should collaborate with RACC to help make rural communities aware of the programs and opportunities available and to encourage students to become more involved in the arts.  I would like to see the county providing some facilities at no costs to allow members of the community to perform in front of an audience.

 

RACC:  What are some of your other priorities for Clackamas County that would be of interest to artists, arts organizations and arts educators in our community?

PW: I am running on a platform of innovation that encourages all of us to come together to contribute so that we may tackle some of our most pressing social issues.  As a child I was exposed to arts, ceramics, foreign languages, and music that has allowed me to develop a creative side, which I seek to incorporate into my professional career.  I’m not sure if I’d have such a creative side had I not been exposed to these highly critical programs.  I love travel and have seen some very inspiring elements in cities that I hope to bring to our region.


Night Lights on April 5

Night Lights’ final showcase of the 2017-2018 season will be a screening of work from this season’s artists in residence Amy Chiao and Chloe Cooper.

Since this season of Night Lights began last summer, Amy and Chloe have been building a life-size puppet made from plastic waste and filming its trips through public places in Portland.

Here is a statement from the artists:

“In a developing city, it becomes increasingly difficult to maneuver in public space from the growing amount of physical bodies and accumulation of materials. Our consumption of plastic waste in urban environments tend to disappear from the public eye. Phil, a large puppet created from single use plastic items, is a physical manifestation of this. While Phil moves through the city of Portland, these performances explore how our bodies are affected by the materials we consume.”

Documentation of these “Phil outings” will be projected at Open Signal’s exterior wall (2766 Northeast Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard) April 5th, 2018. This event is free and open to the public, beginning at dusk and lasting around two hours. Night Lights is a collaboration between Open Signal and the Regional Arts & Culture Council.


Portland residents: arts tax payments are due April 17

In November, 2012, 62% of Portland voters approved a groundbreaking new “Arts Education and Access Fund,” commonly known as the arts tax, to restore arts and music education in every public school, and to make arts and culture programs more accessible to every Portland resident.

The arts tax is an income tax of $35 paid by every Portland resident age 18 and older who earns more than $1,000 in a year from sources other than Social Security and state and federal retirement benefits. Persons who live in households that are at or below the federal poverty line are exempt from paying the tax.

Today, thanks to the arts tax, every school in Centennial, David Douglas, Parkrose, Portland, Reynolds and Riverdale School Districts has at least one art, music or dance teacher. In addition, RACC receives approximately $2 million/year to invest in nonprofit arts organizations that are making the arts more accessible to every Portland resident. Here are some examples of how arts organizations are expanding access with funding from the arts tax.

For the 2017 tax year, arts tax payments are due April 17, 2018. For more information, visit www.portlandoregon.gov/revenue/60076.

 

Links:

 

 


In memoriam: former RACC executive director Bill Bulick

Bill Bulick, who served as the executive director of the Metropolitan Arts Commission (MAC) and the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) from 1989-1999, passed away on March 15, 2018 at the age of 65. He had been living with Parkinson’s Disease for many years.

All of us at RACC extend our condolences to Bill’s family, including his partner Carol McIntosh, daughters Eva and Bita, and grandchildren Kaleb, Darmon, and Dalara.

Eloise Damrosch, RACC’s executive director from 2004-2017, worked with Bill as MAC’s director of public art in the early 1990s. “We were a very small joint bureau of the City and Multnomah County, giving grants and managing the public art programs for both entities,” she says. “Bill led the charge to undertake an ambitious cultural planning process. Out of several years of intense planning, goal-setting, benchmarking, and meetings emerged Arts Plan 2000.”

Arts Plan 2000 was the first cultural plan of its kind in the United States. “Many people helped create it,” Damrosch says, “but it was Bill’s dream, and he really laid the essential groundwork for what was ultimately to become the Regional Arts & Culture Council, a tri-county non-profit arts council praised by many to be one of the best in the country.”

“We still refer to Arts Plan 2000 often,” said Jeff Hawthorne, RACC’s interim executive director. “One of its recommendations was to secure regional dedicated funding for the arts, something we partially achieved with Portland’s voter-approved arts tax in 2012. When City Council recently approved a new plan to protect and expand affordable arts spaces in Portland, we noted that several of those recommendations were consistent with the plan that Bill advanced 25 years ago.”

Bill received the Ray Hanley award from Americans for the Arts in 2012, honoring his 40-year career advancing arts and culture both locally and nationally. Americans for the Arts President and CEO Robert L. Lynch said at the time that “Bill is respected for the work he did in Portland and around the country.”

“Bill was also an artist and musician himself, a champion for artists and arts organizations, and a change-agent for our council and our community,” said Hawthorne. “Many of our staff worked with him in the 1990s and remember how he was always eager to share his music in addition to his administrative talents. Those of us who knew him are mourning his loss while we also celebrate his legacy.”

For more reflection on Bill’s passing, visit Oregon Arts Watch. To receive information about a memorial service being planned for the month of May, or to send your condolences, contact Carol McIntosh at carolm@easystreet.net.