RACC Blog

Arts for All Program Increases Access and Outreach in Community

The Regional Arts & Culture Council Announces a Relaunch of the Arts for All Program to Increase Engagement and Outreach in Our Community, and Beyond, Ensuring Arts & Culture Are Accessible for All

We envision a community that supports, engages with, and finds joy in arts and culture being accessible by all–not just those who can afford to pay, but also for those with limited resources. RACC wants opportunities to be available for all members of our community. We want people to be uplifted, enjoy arts and cultural events, and be part of the creative fabric of our state. The Arts for All program was conceived by a group of thoughtful arts leaders more than 10 years ago to ensure that everyone receiving assistance through the Oregon Trail Card/SNAP could attend arts and cultural events for $5 a ticket.

While the Arts for All program has flourished and steadily grown, we have seen that there is a need to increase its accessibility. To achieve our goals, we are relaunching the program with renewed engagement and outreach. Our goals include making the information downloadable from our website at www.racc.org and distributing printed materials throughout the region to hundreds of non-profit social service agencies, county and city government offices, schools, health departments and clinics, community centers, arts and culture organizations, and more. Program information will be available in six languages and will be at culturally specific locations.

Friends of Chamber Music was proud to be one of the founding member organizations of Arts for All back in 2011, and I’ve personally had the privilege of continuing to help coordinate the program for the last several years. It’s been so gratifying to see the impact Arts for All has had in making the arts accessible to all parts of our community and see it become a model for similar programs across the country.  – Pat Zagelow, Friends of Chamber Music Executive Director

The Arts for All program enables us to enjoy arts and culture together while ensuring access for all. Without the support and dedication of arts organizations in our community, this program would not be possible. We are thrilled to announce a new partnership with the Hult Center for Performing Arts in Eugene, Oregon. The expansion of the Arts for All program throughout the state ensures better access to arts and culture for all of our residents.

RACC looks forward to hearing the community’s response for this renewed launch and engagement opportunity for Arts for All. Please let us know how we can continue to ensure that access to arts and culture activities is available for all who wish to participate. Let us know how we can make this community-centered program better! – Carol Tatch, Executive Director, Regional Arts & Culture Council

The organizations who have joined RACC to ensure access to arts and culture in our community are listed at racc.org/artsforall. Please support these arts and cultural organizations any way that you can to show your support for arts and culture access for all. For more information, please email us at arts4all@racc.org.


Please join us: RACC in Community on Thursday Sept.14, 2023

We invite you to our first RACC in Community engagement. This is an opportunity to ask questions about the recent announcement from the City of Portland about the proposal to not renew RACC’s contract, and to learn how you can support RACC at this timeThis is the first of a series of community events we will hold throughout the region. Bring your voice, curiosity, and your questions. RACC was built by community for community. RACC is your solution for a thriving ecosystem, powered by creativity, with arts and culture in every neighborhood. Our first engagement will kick off in NE Portland.

When: Thursday, September 14, 2023

Time: 6:00-8:00 pm

Where: openHAUS, 5020 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Portland OR 97211

Please RSVP here and remember to let us know if there are accessibility needs that we can accommodate for your participation.

Please come to hear our response, plans for the future, and to learn how you can be activated to respond to the City. Food and artistic engagement will be provided. We are looking forward to your presence! Thank you for your support—RACC was created by community, for community.

SAVE THE DATE: Our second engagement will be in NW Portland at BodyVox, on September 20th from 6-:00-8:00 pm. Please  RSVP here More engagement events will be held in SE, SW, and in Clackamas and Washington counties. Check out our Instagram  for updates.

If you have further questions,  please reach out to advocacy@racc.org.

More information can be found on our Advocacy Hub. Click here for our FAQ’s

 

Image Credits: Aztec Dance group “Coatlicue” after performing a blessing at “Our Space of Possibilities” on the final Saturday of June 2023. Photo by Kevin Truong. “Our Space of Possibilities” was created by Patricia Vázquez Gómez in collaboration with local East Portland artists and organizations and funded by the National Endowment for the ArtsPortland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT)Trimet, and RACC.

 


Advocacy in Arts Education

What do we want? Arts Education! When do we want it? Now!

This seems like the mantra every new school year, every budget season, and perennially from youth across our communities. They love art. They love the paint, the sticky glue on their fingers, the seasonal pumpkin sketches, and the field trips to performances and exhibitions. They love using scissors and cutting hearts out of red construction paper, school assemblies, showcasing their ceramics and photography in the halls, learning current media techniques, and most of all, they love the joy of being creative together.

Advocating for arts and culture in our community and schools is a full-time job. We hope that one day it will just be the norm. People will simply understand the value of arts and culture in our community, in our schools. We will not have to advocate for funding and sustaining a vibrant arts education program in our PK-12 schools, but will be thinking instead about all the new courses, and the arts educators we need to hire because the demand for art is so vast and the classes are too full. Imagine.

Yet, arts and culture are in demand now. Arts save lives. We know that because teachers, community members, students, policy makers, data reports and analysis, and arts organizations remind us repeatedly. It is through arts in our schools that an atmosphere of communication and tolerance, a mapping of emotions through creation, enable students to connect to the greater world. There they can express their creative selves, find their voice, and to see the connectedness of the human spirit. In community, we do the same.

Can you recall the world without music, movies, gatherings and performances while we were in lockdown during the global Covid-19 pandemic? The arts enable us to survive through some of our darkest times as a community, and the arts continue to uplift and support us as we struggle not just to survive, but to thrive in our new world.

We ask you to join us as an advocate for arts education in our schools and in our community. Lend your voice to the chorus, and share your experiences and joy with others. Tell your story of how the arts saved you. Nurtured you. Tell your family members to support candidates and board members that want sustained funding in arts education in our community. Support arts councils that advocate for arts and culture in your community. Support arts organizations by volunteering, attending performances, and sponsoring school trips through donations. Whatever you do, be that advocate and voice for arts and culture in our community and schools. Be loud.

Please join us at www.racc.org/arts-education to learn more.  Tag us on Instagram when you share your stories.

-Chanda Evans, Arts Education Manager


From the Capital to the Community: Highlighting culture in arts Advocacy Day 2023

 

‍As an advocate for the arts, I firmly believe that art and culture has the power to change lives and transform communities. Art is not only a means of self-expression of culture, but is a tool for learning, connecting, and social change. However, despite its immense benefits, arts and culture often struggle to receive the support and funding they require.

This year, the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) as part of the Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon (CACO) had the opportunity to attend the in-person Advocacy Day 2023 on April 19th in Salem, Oregon. Organized through CACO, arts and culture leaders from across Oregon had the opportunity to meet and discuss the importance for continued support and funding of arts and culture in Oregon; the impact of art in civic life and economic recovery; challenges, strategies, building a community, collaborating with local government.

Introduction to advocating for support and funding of arts and culture

Advocating for the arts is crucial as it helps to raise awareness of the importance of the arts in our communities. The arts play a significant role in shaping our cultural identity, providing a means of self-expression, and promoting social change. However, the arts often struggle to receive the support and funding they need, leading to a decline in access to quality arts programs for many communities. Therefore, advocating for support and funding of arts and culture is essential to ensure that everyone in the community has access to the arts.

RACC team members, Mario Mesquita, Manager of Advocacy & Engagement, Carol Tatch, Co-Executive Director Chief of External Operations, and Phil Barber, Philanthropic Engagement Specialist, visited Senator Elizabeth Steiner (District 17), Representative Rob Nosse (District 42), Senator James Manning Jr. (District 7), Senator Michael Dembrow (District 23), and Representative Maxine Dexter (District 33). We raised up and asked for their support on initiatives identified by our partner, the Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon (CACO):

  1. We note that recovery for our sector is expected to be a 3- to 5-year process because of the prolonged nature of Oregon’s shutdown. We appreciate the legislature’s investment in the sector. We encourage your support of HB 2459, which would infuse $50M in recovery funding into revenues that threaten the viability of organizations across Oregon.
  2. Our organization supports HB 2498, which complements recovery efforts by addressing long -term funding of the sector. HB 2498 seeks to honor the original promise the Oregon legislature made to fund the Oregon Cultural Trust (OCT) with a one-time infusion of $200M in lottery bond funds.
  3. We also support an increase of $10M for grant making of the Oregon Arts Commission (OAC). Oregon is currently ranked 38th in the nation for per capita general fund support for the arts. This represents $0.49 per person. We urge policymakers to recognize the importance of our sector and move it into the top half of states at a minimum.
  4. Along with CACO, RACC also supports HB3532, which would replace the cap on OCT’s administrative costs with a percentage that will create the ability to apply up to 5% of the OCT’s permanent fund to staffing. This will better support the sector through additional technical assistance, OCT operations support, and other activities that encourage cultural activity. We are a fiscal sponsor for the Multnomah County Cultural Coalition, so we are aware of the struggles this organization has due to the limits on tis administrative funds and inability to support any staff. We continue to support their efforts to be responsible equitable funders to cultural programming.

The impact of arts and culture in advocacy

Art has the power to bring people together, create awareness, and inspire change. Through art, individuals can express their emotions, experiences, and beliefs, which can help to create a sense of community and foster empathy. Art can also be used to advocate for social change by fostering learning, raising awareness of critical issues such as social justice, environmentalism, and mental health.

The Oregon Coast Art Bus ready in Salem to welcome everyone in person at Wilson Park next to the capital building. Image by Cultural Advocacy Coalition

 

The Oregon Coast Art Bus made an appearance in Salem during Advocacy Day accompanying live performances by the Portland Opera in their mobile stage, and even a live performance by Representative Nosse playing the guitar.

The Art Bus rolled into the event – wrapped in the vibrant and colorful Celebrate Oregon! artwork developed by the Oregon Cultural Trust. The artwork on the wrap, developed by artist Liza Mana Burns, explores the vibrant arts and culture of the state. The Oregon Coast Art Bus, a program of the Oregon Coast Council, launched in August 2022, is an example of art as learning-opportunity that eliminates transportation and cost barriers for youth. The hope is now to share the experience throughout the state, with youth who do not have regular access to hands-on art activities.

The gathered advocates explored the activities available on the bus which ranged from printmaking, rubbings, and stamping, all while learning about flora and fauna in and around Oregon. A prime example of putting the “A” back into “STEAM” curricula: science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

The challenges of advocating for support and funding of arts and culture

Advocating for the arts can be challenging especially when we face budget cuts from our local cities and counties; communities facing recovery and access, and inadequate services. Many legislators  have a hard time recognizing the value of the arts or understanding how they can benefit from them if they have not experienced first hand the impact of the arts and culture in their lives. Therefore, it is crucial to raise our voices, create platforms, and educate others on the importance of the arts and their impact on our communities and our economies.

You can check out more on RACCs Advocacy Hub.

Strategies for advocating for support and funding of arts and culture

There are several strategies that individuals and organizations can use to advocate for support and funding of arts and culture. One effective strategy is to collaborate with local government officials and organizations to ensure that the arts are included in community planning and development. Another strategy is to showcase the impact of the arts by highlighting success stories and the positive outcomes of arts programs.

Currently, RACC serves as lead in partnership with Americans for the Arts (AFTA) in Multnomah county the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6th study (AEP6). The study documents the economic contributions of the arts in over 250 diverse communities and regions across the country, representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia. During 2015, AEP5 in Oregon found that the nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $687 million of economic activity—$364 million in spending by arts and cultural organizations and an additional $323 million in event-related expenditures by their audiences. This activity supported 22,299 full time equivalent jobs and generated $53 million in revenue to local and state governments.

The study put to rest a misconception that communities supported arts and culture at the expense of local economic development. In fact, what AEP5 showed was that communities were investing in an industry that supports jobs, generates government revenue, and is the cornerstone of tourism. This economic impact study sent a strong signal that when we support the arts, we not only enhance our quality of life, but we also invest in the Greater Portland Area’s economic well-being, including Clackamas and Washington Counties.

Building a community around arts and culture advocacy

Finally, building a strong community around art advocacy can help to create a united front and amplify the message of the importance of the arts. Building a community around art advocacy is crucial to creating a sustainable advocacy movement. This can be achieved by organizing events, such as Advocacy Day, and activities that bring people together, and getting involved with your local and state level organizations, like the newly formed Oregon Arts and Culture Caucus. Membership  stands at 23 and makes this group one of Oregon’s largest bipartisan caucuses.

As noted in the Oregon Cultural Trusts blog: “The interest in this Caucus, and its rapid growth, just show how much people value the arts and culture organizations in Oregon and how important it is that we support this sector,” said Rep. Nosse (D-Portland), Caucus coordinator.

The Arts and Culture Caucus was formed in recognition of the vital role arts and culture play in the livability and prosperity of Oregon communities – and in enriching the lives of Oregonians. Formation of the Caucus was led by the Oregon Arts Commission.

Inaugural members of the Caucus include Sen. Dick Anderson (R-Lincoln City); Rep. Janelle Bynum (D-Clackamas); Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-Portland); Rep. David Gomberg (D-Otis); Sen. Bill Hansell (R-Athena); Rep. John Lively (D-Springfield); Rep. Pam Marsh (D-Ashland); Caucus Coordinator Rep. Nosse (D-Portland); and Sen. Deb Patterson (D-Salem).

The Caucus serves as a resource to the Oregon Legislature on key issues impacting the arts and culture sector. Its members work closely with stakeholders including the Oregon Arts Commission, the Oregon Cultural Trust (and its Statewide Partners) and the Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon to stay informed on the latest research and issues. It also sets the agenda on priorities for arts and culture legislation, including a sustainable and robust funding mechanism for arts and cultural initiatives.

~Mario Mesquita, Manager of Advocacy and Engagement

 

 

 


Join RACC on Advocacy Day-Wednesday, April 19, 2023!

Picture of a brightly colored bus with images from across the state of OregonJoin RACC, arts and cultural leaders, and supporters from across Oregon to unite our voices, align our priorities, and remind our elected officials that the pandemic-related hardships felt throughout our creative sector are not going away anytime soon. When it comes to policy, we believe we are most effective when we are unified. We are strongest when we work together. You are an important part of this work to ensure that arts and culture continue to thrive in Oregon.

Register now 

We know you are doing an incredible amount of work to keep your organizations afloat. Your time at a premium. It can be bewildering to navigate the internal workings of Salem.

NOW is the time to schedule meetings (generally 15 minutes long) with your local legislators for the afternoon of Advocacy Day on Wednesday, April 19!

This year’s legislative priorities include HB 2459, HB 2498, HB 3532, CACO’s CREF capital projects, and an increase in the Oregon Arts Commission’s grant budget.

Advocacy Day is a hybrid event again this year.

  • Our morning session will be held via Zoom, featuring more in-depth information and advocacy training to prepare you to meet with legislators in the afternoon.
  • Several CACO members will be present in Salem for in-person meetings in the afternoon, but because of renovations at the Capitol, we are unable to invite our full membership to gather there in person.
  • Please plan to attend Advocacy Day as best fits your needs and schedule – either meeting with your elected officials in person or virtually in the afternoon on Wednesday, April 19, following your attendance at our virtual morning session.

Most legislators are doing the bulk of their meeting scheduling via email, regardless of meeting virtually or in person. NOW is the time to get these meetings on the calendar for Wednesday, April 19. Here is a helpful email template:

[Greeting Rep. /Sen.]

I hope [Friday] finds you well. I serve as the [insert title and organization and mention if you are in their district]. We [include information about your organization, who you serve, etc.]. I will be participating in the Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon’s Advocacy Day, and I am reaching out to request a meeting in the afternoon of April 19 to discuss [e.g., your CREF project, priorities for the arts and culture sector before the legislature for consideration this session]. Please let me know if there is a time that will work best for the [Rep. /Sen.] on Wednesday, April 19. Thank you!

In the meantime, here is a quick preview of our legislative session priorities.

For more information on how RACC is involved please, reach out to Mario Mesquita, Manager of Advocacy and Engagement.

(information provided by the Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon)


The Regional Arts & Culture Council Supports Maintaining Current Arts Education Funding Levels & Encourages School Districts to Join Us in Our Support of Arts Education for All

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Portland, OR –

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As our school districts across the state look to their budgets, reorganize, and prioritize in the coming months, we know that teachers’ jobs are in danger once again. When public education loses teachers, we lose educational opportunities for all of our students. This in turn affects our entire region. Arts education funding in particular is once again at risk.

We urge school districts to maintain your support for arts education programs in our K-12 schools. We are not asking for more funding, even though we know this is necessary to ensure equitable access to arts and culture programing in our schools. We ask you to not decrease funding. We know that art engagement provides a skill set that is critical in our creative economy, and also helps us heal, connect, and build relationships. Art has the power to help move us forward out of trauma. We know that having a robust well-rounded education that includes the arts keeps kids in school, exposes us to diverse cultures, teaches empathy and compassion, encourages us to think critically, to be civically engaged, and, most importantly, brings us joy. We know that the arts create a pathway forward, providing hope and giving voice to the community.

We envision an arts education that is rooted in equity, access, and inclusion. A new bipartisan group of 2023 Oregon legislators have formed an Arts and Culture Caucus. Many leaders in arts and culture in Oregon, including the Oregon Arts Commission and the Oregon Cultural Trust, advocate for increased funding for arts education in our schools, and provide grant opportunities to arts organizations that have arts education programming. RACC is such a leader and, through our grant programs, support organizations who include arts education programming. RACC understands the importance of civic engagement and we encourage you to reach out to your elected officials to share with them your concerns.

Please support arts and culture educational programming in your local schools. Join us in supporting arts education for all.

 

MEDIA CONTACTS

Chanda Evans, Arts Education Program Manager

cevans@racc.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


RACC Creative Spotlight: Artist James Enos

Artist James Enos, Make | Learn | Build grant recipient

Introducing the Regional Arts & Culture Council’s Artist and Organization Creative Spotlight, where we will feature one artist and one organization in consecutive months that have been impacted by the support of programming, training, grants, or other services through RACC, and/or have been nominated for their impact on our community.

James Enos was a Make|Learn|Build grant recipient in June 2021. RACC’s Make|Learn|Build Grant Program was designed to address the ways the arts community in the tri-county region needed support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Artists, creatives, organizations, and businesses were awarded either $1,500 or $3,000 to make work, gain skills, or build up their arts business.

With RACC’s grant award, Booklyn, Inc. represented James Enos at the 2022 Outsider Art Fair. The Outsider Art Fair is a world renowned art fair that provides a stage for self-taught artists, art brut, and Outsider Art and takes place biannually in New York City and Paris.

James Enos works at North Pole Studio, a Portland-based progressive art studio for artists with autism and intellectual/developmental disabilities. With James’ consent, this Q&A was answered collaboratively with North Pole Studio staff and his mother, Beth Enos.


Would you share your journey as an artist with us? When did you begin; how did you begin?

James is an entirely self-taught author and illustrator. James began drawing in high school, and was encouraged to expand his drawings with the encouragement of an early teacher. His deep creativity quickly emerged, as he transitioned away from life drawing to more fanciful subjects. It was years before he started making the books that he is now known for, and the catalyst for this shift is still unknown.

James designs and executes each book from scratch. His extraordinary process includes binding, researching, writing, and hand-drawing illustrations— many of which fold-out and can extend upwards of 275 cm. His stories weave together to form a collection inspired by his life experiences, picture books adapted from major motion pictures, and pop-culture of the late 80s and early 90s, among others.

James began by hand-writing his books with penmanship that is a work of art in itself. James’ early books alternate line for line with a slightly different shade of the same color (i.e. light blue, dark blue; pink, red). Over the past two years, James has transitioned to writing on a type-writer. His illustrations have evolved but adhere to a consistent style.

James created art at the Portland Art and Learning Studio (PALS) until it closed in 2020. During his time at PALS, James was discovered by Marshall Weber at Booklyn, Inc. in NYC who began representing him and selling his books nationally. In 2021, James joined North Pole Studio, where he works to date. 

In a very short period of time, James went from being an unknown artist to boasting an impressive resume which includes being collected by major universities including Bainbridge Island Museum of the Arts; University of California, Los Angeles, Special Collections Library; University of Central Florida, Special Collections Library; University of Delaware, Special Collections Library; Yale University, Haas Family Fine Arts Library.

How would your community of peers (family, friends, other creatives/artists) describe you?

James is incredibly focused and has an admirable art practice, working continuously from 10am – 3pm and pausing only for a lunch break. When James is in the writing phase, his typewriter starts buzzing the moment he walks into the studio, and doesn’t stop until he leaves. It has become a beloved soundtrack of North Pole Studio. 

Because of the seriousness James approaches both his art practice and the world with, many don’t know what an incredible sense of humor he has. He is a prankster at heart and has a sharp and sophisticated sense of humor which is best captured in his books. 

James’ artistic genius and extensive knowledge of pop culture, familiar kids’ stories (such as Mulan, Tarzan, and the Chronicles of Narnia) is admired by his peers.

Thinking back to your artistic journey, bridging to where you are at now, how would you summarize your artwork currently? Where are you now with your work?

James continues to hone his craft; his evolution from hand-writing his books to his typewriter has marked a distinctive shift in his process. James’ illustrational style and syntax are consistent across his stories, but he continues to refine both with each book. 

James experimentation with various methods and materials for binding his large-scale, multimedia books is evident over time. James books are often up to 6” thick and well over 5lbs when complete, with fold-out illustrations strategically folded to fit into a structure that can be read cover to cover.

James’ latest books are tighter, both visually and structurally with consideration to decisions around materials and paper size. Additionally, many of his recent works are written in chapters, and can be read as isolated stories or as a collection.

Based on the award/grant you received from RACC how have you continued your direction in your project/artwork/process?

In 2021, James was invited to exhibit his books in a solo booth at the Outsider Art Fair in New York City. The Outsider Art Fair is a world renown art fair, and provides a huge opportunity for lesser known self-taught artists’ work to be viewed by major art collectors alongside the greats. With the support of his team, James applied for a Make | Learn | Build grant to cover the cost of the booth fee. With RACC’s grant award, Bookyln, Inc. represented James Enos at the 2022 Outsider Art Fair in spring of 2022.

Accessing grant funding is rife with barriers for many artists in the disability community, from awareness of opportunities, through application to the disbursement processes. James’ team values RACC’s recognition of his work through this award, and their collaboration in making this grant funding accessible.

What have been some of the speed bumps you have encountered? Did it change your trajectory or direction?

For a long time, James did not have access to the resources needed to fully develop his creative practice. Being part of a progressive studio community has provided James with access to materials, direct support, and advocacy to both structure and develop his existing practice and promote visibility of the work. Having access to progressive studio programming changed everything, as it provided a platform for James’ work to be seen and acquired. Without this platform, it is unlikely that James’ work would be included in the art collections and conversations it is today.

When the pandemic hit, James’ studio program (PALS) closed, putting a temporary pause on his practice as he no longer had access to materials and space to work. In the spring of 2021, James resumed his practice at North Pole Studio. 

What is next for you?

James is currently working on writing and illustrating and original series based on the Chronicles of Narnia. Both North Pole Studio and Booklyn, who represents James in NYC, will continue to facilitate opportunities for James’ work to contribute to the art and literary world.

Artist James Enos sits among his illustrations.

James Enos working in North Pole Studio. Photo by Kaitlin Green


Change the Conversation About the Arts-AEP6 Now Open

Our nonprofit arts industry generates
billions in economic activity supporting millions of jobs every year.

CHANGE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE ARTS
The arts bring us inspiration and joy, and make our community a beautiful place to live and work. But the arts do so much more. 

Portland, Oregon — The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) is pleased to announce its participation in Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6), the most comprehensive economic impact study of the nonprofit arts and culture industry ever conducted in the United States. Administered by Americans for the Arts, AEP6 will examine the economic impact of the arts and culture in Multnomah County and 386 additional communities representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

After more than a one-year postponement, the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6) study is getting underway nationally this month of May 2022. This is the sixth national economic impact study of America’s nonprofit arts and cultural industry. It documents the economic contributions of the arts in diverse communities and regions across the country, representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Previous partners have included local arts agencies, community foundations, economic development agencies, chambers of commerce, performing arts centers, and more. And RACC is looking for your participation!

It is now more important than ever to demonstrate that, even in the wake of COVID-19 and the resulting economic recession, the arts will provide a significant boost as we recharge the economy in America’s local communities. The arts will draw people out of their homes and back into community life—spending time with each other and spending their money with local merchants. Studies indicate that audiences cannot wait to return, and we are looking to our community along with them to count us in on that.

While the arts have the potential to impact many aspects of our community, the truth is they also have a power all on their own. The arts are an open invitation to engage in our  history, our heritage, our politics, the way we learn—in short, the arts are part of our daily lives, and play a role in all aspects of the human experience. While most appreciate the cultural benefit provided to our community, few realize that our local arts industry supports jobs, generates government revenue, and is a cornerstone of tourism. Economic impact studies such as these will expand the conversation about how many people view the arts.

In the previous survey, AEP5 showed that nationally the nonprofit arts industry generated $166.3 billion in economic activity, supporting 4.6 million jobs and generating $27.5 billion in government revenue. Locally, our arts industry generated $687 million of economic activity—$364 million in spending by arts and cultural organizations and an additional $323 million in event-related expenditures by their audiences. This activity supported 22,299 full time equivalent jobs and generated $53 million in revenue to local and state governments. Our local nonprofit arts and culture organizations have been and will continue to be critical to our community and economic recovery.

We are currently seeking your help to collect this data for AEP6. While part of a national study, our reports will be based on spending by our own local nonprofit arts and culture organizations as well as the event-related spending by their audiences (at local retail, parking, and restaurant establishments). We believe this important research tool will demonstrate that when we invest our dollars in the arts, we are not doing so at the expense of economic development. Rather, we are investing in an industry that strengthens our local economy. 

Let’s change the conversation. The arts mean business. 

Learn more about the AEP6 study and how you can get involved today: AmericansForTheArts.org/AEP6 

In short, the arts mean business. Help us change the conversation.

Interested in getting involved within the City of Portland or anywhere in Multnomah County, please contact Mario Mesquita, Manager of Advocacy and Engagement at RACC, AEP6@racc.org.

More local information about AEP6 can also be found and will be continually updated on our website www.racc.org/aep6/.

 

 


If you are interested in participating and reside in our sister counties please contact the the following:

Washington County
Raziah Roushan, Executive Director of Tualatin Valley Creates, director@tvcreates.org.

Clackamas County
Dianne Alves, Executive Director of Clackamas County Art Alliance, dianne@clackamasartsalliance.org.