26 Oregon Artists Awarded Career Opportunity Program Grants (Photo) - 05/22/26

Salem, Oregon – Twenty-six Oregon artists will access meaningful career development opportunities through the second round of 2026 Career Opportunity Program grants from the Oregon Arts Commission and The Ford Family Foundation.
 

Over $91,000 was awarded, including $46,665 from the Oregon Arts Commission for all artistic disciplines and $44,338 in supplemental funding for 12 established Oregon visual artists, visual arts writers and curators of visual arts through a partnership with The Ford Family Foundation’s Visual Arts Program. Grant funding received ranges from $1,041 to $7,000.
 

Career Opportunity grants support individual Oregon artists by enabling them to take advantage of timely opportunities that enhance their artistic careers. Most grants support the artists’ participation in residencies, exhibitions or performance opportunities.
 

"The creativity of Oregon artists and makers is so inspiring,” said Commission Vice Chair Jenny Stadler, who served as a panel chair. “I always look forward to learning more about the wonderful opportunities they are invited to participate in around the country and world."
 

“Artists are anchors of Oregon towns and cities,” said Kara Carlisle, president and CEO of The Ford Family Foundation. “By investing in artists’ research, training, dedicated work time and new exhibition opportunities, we’re not just amplifying their careers, we’re reinforcing the cultural fabric of our communities. We’re proud to join the Oregon Arts Commission in this shared commitment to impact.”

FY2026 Career Opportunity Program round two grant award recipients are:

Christian Burchard, Ashland

Oregon Arts Commission $1,664

To support the transportation of Burchard’s sculpture “Never Again II” from Ashland to the Wharton Esherick Museum in Paoli, Pennsylvania, for the exhibition “Breaking Ground.”

David Buckley Borden, Eugene

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

The Ford Family Foundation $5,000

To support the creation of an immersive art installation about forest ecology for the upcoming exhibition “Lookout Landscape” at the World Forestry Center in Portland, opening in fall 2026.

Adrian Chavez, Medford

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

The Ford Family Foundation $5,000

To support the creation of a new mural in downtown Phoenix, Oregon, celebrating local people, wildlife, and culture.

Srijon Chowdhury, Portland

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

The Ford Family Foundation $5,000

To support the production and presentation of a new large-scale installation and paintings for Chowdhury’s upcoming exhibition at Converge 45 in Portland.

Teah Cory, Portland

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

To support the development of industry-level skills in stop-motion animation through an online intensive with Aardman, the studio behind “Wallace and Gromit.”

William Cravis, Sisters

The Ford Family Foundation $4,000

To support a 13-week residency at the European Ceramic Work Center in Oisterwijk, Netherlands.

Joel Fisher, Portland

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

The Ford Family Foundation $5,000

To support the production of “Framework,” a solo exhibition in Los Angeles, including preparatory costs for printing, mounting, framing, and shipping.

Kristina Foley, McMinnville

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

The Ford Family Foundation $4,000

To support Foley’s participation in the 2026 XTANT Leadership Program and Textile Marketplace, a community gathering to celebrate the art of craft in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Heather Goodwind, Portland

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

The Ford Family Foundation $1,655

To support a solo exhibition in Seattle, Washington, at LIC Gallery and participation in the Seattle Art Fair.

Marisa Grattan, Portland

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

To support Portland-based post-production finishing, color grading and delivery for Grattan’s approximately 20-minute documentary short film "ho‘oka‘awale / 疏离 (shūlí)."

Garrick Imatani, Portland

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

The Ford Family Foundation $4,050

To support the creation of work for both a group exhibition at the Institute of Contemporary Art at Maine College of Art in Portland, Maine, as well as a monthlong artist residency in Mexico City that concludes with an exhibition.

Emilie Kelly, Portland

Oregon Arts Commission $1,041

To support Kelly’s endeavors as a writer, illustrator and comics creator at the Alaska Robotics Comics Camp.

Charlie Kralin, Portland

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

To support the purchase of equipment and software to complete an experimental stop-motion film for a solo exhibition at the Pacific Northwest College of Art’s Cauduro Gallery in Portland.

Shawna Lipton, Portland

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

To support the completion of a nonfiction manuscript of literary criticism at the Literary Journalism Residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.

Alexandra Lewis, Portland

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

To support the wider release of Lewis’s documentary “IROKO: Sacred Roots” through film festivals and in-person presentations.

Karina Lomelin Ripper, Portland

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

To support Mexican-American writer and director Ripper in attending the Latino Film Institute Inclusion Fellowship workshop: LALIFF Connect in Los Angeles.

William Morrow, Portland

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

The Ford Family Foundation $2,500

To support travel and on-the-ground expenses to participate in the International Association of Curators of Contemporary Art Congress in Turin and Milan, Italy.

Andrew Myers, Albany

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

To support an artist residency at Centrum in Port Townsend, Washington, as well as a solo exhibition at Linfield University.

Celeste Noche, Portland

The Ford Family Foundation $4,000

To support travel and production costs during the Interlude Artist Residency in Livingston, New York– the first major residency dedicated exclusively to supporting artists with families.

Brian Parham, Portland

Oregon Arts Commission $1,960

To support a series of live “RISE: The Legacy of Black Guitar Heroes in Rock & Metal” performances.

Aejoo Park, Beaverton

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

To support Naomi Dixon's opportunity to coach and perform with Ooh La La, a BIPOC and queer all-women improv team, at the London Improv Festival in London, England, May 21-24, 2026.

Sara Parker, Portland

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

To support the premiere of “The House of the Heart,” a full evening-length interdisciplinary dance work at A-WOL Dance Collective, marking the culmination of a three-year research arc.

Ido Radon, Portland

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

The Ford Family Foundation $2,000

To support the production and presentation of a major installation in the 2026 Converge 45 triennial at the Center for Contemporary Art and Culture at the Pacific Northwest College of Art.

Aubrey Sloan, Willamina

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

To support “A Year and a Day,” a solo exhibition at Stark Street Studios and Gallery in Portland centering American working-class mothers through new ceramic works, invited collaborators, and public dialogue.

Mike Vos, Portland

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

The Ford Family Foundation $2,133

To support Vos’s first solo exhibition at Laura Vincent Design & Gallery in Portland of photographs and audio pieces made throughout Iceland.

Amber Whitehall, Portland

Oregon Arts Commission $2,000

To support Whitehall's refinement of the historic dance work “Trio A” by Yvonne Rainer.

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The Oregon Arts Commission provides leadership, arts programs and funding for nonprofits and artists through its grants, special initiatives and services. Commissioners appointed by the Governor establish policies and provide advisory support for public investment in the arts. The Arts Commission is part of Business Oregon in recognition of the vital role the arts play in supporting the economies, educational opportunities and vibrancy of communities throughout the state.
 

The Oregon Arts Commission is supported with funds appropriated by the Oregon Legislature, as well as by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Oregon Cultural Trust. Learn more at artscommission.oregon.gov and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Governor Reappoints Roberta Lavadour, Names Elizabeth Quinn To Oregon Arts Commission (Photo) - 05/18/26

Experienced arts leaders from Pendleton and Mosier join state efforts to foster creative expression and community connections

SALEM, Oregon — The Oregon Arts Commission is pleased to announce that Governor Tina Kotek has reappointed Roberta Lavadour of Pendleton to the Commission and has newly appointed Elizabeth Quinn of Mosier—both of whom are distinguished artists and administrators.

Oregon Arts Commissioners play an important role in the state’s cultural vitality. These volunteer leaders oversee a state agency that provides dynamic arts programs, critical financial and technical support for cultural organizations and artists, and meaningful leadership around arts and culture needs. They work to ensure that the arts remain a vibrant part of Oregon’s economy, education system and community identity.

Roberta Lavadour (Pendleton)

Roberta Lavadour, an artist and arts administrator based in Pendleton, returns to the Commission for a new term. Lavadour has served as the executive director of the Pendleton

Center for the Arts for 20 years and is also a member of the City of Pendleton’s Art Commission. As an active studio artist, her artist’s books and design bindings are exhibited nationally and globally and are held in prestigious national and international collections.

“Oregon’s culture is defined by both the making of art and vigorously supporting that work,” Lavadour said. “Fostering a culture of creative expression unlocks problem-solving skills that energize our public spaces, our economy and our families.”

Lavadour’s deep connection to the Oregon arts community is evidenced by her previous recognition as an Oregon Arts Commission Individual Fellow (2002). A graduate of Oregon State University with a focus on communications and community development, she brings a unique perspective that blends professional artistry with a commitment to local growth.

Elizabeth Quinn (Mosier)

Elizabeth Quinn joins the Commission with 25 years of leadership in the arts nonprofit sector. Currently a fiber artist, Quinn began her career as the Executive Director of The Dalles Art Center before founding the High Desert Journal. Her extensive resume includes roles as Program Director at Caldera and Interim Executive Director of PLAYA in Summer Lake. Through her work with Fieldworks Consulting, she has helped guide prominent institutions such as the Portland Art Museum and the Pine Meadow Ranch in Sisters.

Quinn is driven by the belief that “when we engage through the arts, meaningful, exceptional and innovative connections and opportunities arise.” She noted that “supporting and tending to these connections, especially among our most under-resourced communities in Oregon,” is her primary motivation for serving.

In 2016, Quinn was selected for the National Guild for Community Arts Education’s Leadership Institute, further solidifying her reputation as a leader dedicated to the intersection of art, education and community advocacy.

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The Oregon Arts Commission provides leadership, arts programs and funding for nonprofits and artists through its grants, special initiatives and services. Commissioners appointed by the Governor establish policies and provide advisory support for public investment in the arts. The Arts Commission is part of Business Oregon in recognition of the vital role the arts play in supporting the economies, educational opportunities and vibrancy of communities throughout the state.

The Arts Commission is supported with funds appropriated by the Oregon Legislature, as well as the National Endowment for the Arts and the Oregon Cultural Trust. Learn more at oregonartscommission.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Oregon Champion Emma Keen To Compete On Tuesday, April 28 At Poetry Out Loud National Competition In Washington, D.C. (Photo) - 04/27/26

Salem, Oregon -- This week, Emma Keen, a junior at Oregon School for the Deaf in Salem, will represent Oregon in the 2026 Poetry Out Loud National Competition in Washington, D.C. Her itinerary also includes a meeting with Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley and a tour of the Capitol.

Poetry Out Loud is a national recitation contest for high school students. Keen wowed judges in Salem for the state Poetry Out Loud title on March 7. She will compete in the national semifinals on Tuesday, April 28, in a group with the other Western states representatives starting at 2 p.m. PST. The competition will be live-streamed on the National Endowment for the Arts website. The link will be posted on the day of the competition.

Nine students will advance to the national finals, which will begin at 4 p.m. PST on Wednesday, April 29. It will also be live-streamed.

Closed captioning and American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be provided for both the Poetry Out Loud National Semifinals and Finals.

Keen, who in addition to Poetry Out Loud is the student body president, in the drama club and an avid photographer, is excited to perform in the nation’s capital. For the competition, Keen selected “Low-Tide” by Edna St. Vincent Millay, “From One Who Stays” by Amy Lowell, and “I am Like a Leaf” by Yone Noguchi.

“My connection with the poems is strong _­-- I feel like the poems are in my soul,” Keen said. “I’m looking forward to being in Washington D.C., seeing beautiful sights, taking good pictures and meeting new people!”

“The performing of poetry allows students to express themselves freely, create connections, and showcase the bright future of Oregon’s arts community,” said First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson, who attended the Poetry Out Loud State Contest. “Congratulations to Emma Keen for representing Oregon in the national competition. Oregon is rooting for you!”

Poetry Out Loud is organized in Oregon by the Oregon Arts Commission in collaboration with the National Endowment for the Arts. Participants memorize and present poems, practicing public speaking skills while exploring the complexity of poetry.

A total of $50,000 in cash prizes and school or organizational stipends will be awarded at the national finals, including $20,000 for the Poetry Out Loud National Champion, and $10,000 and $5,000 for the second- and third-place finalists, respectively.

See video of Keen performing and being named Oregon’s champion by First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson.

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The Oregon Arts Commission provides leadership, arts programs and funding for nonprofits and artists through its grants, special initiatives and services. Commissioners appointed by the Governor establish policies and provide advisory support for public investment in the arts. The Arts Commission is part of Business Oregon in recognition of the vital role the arts play in supporting the economies, educational opportunities and vibrancy of communities throughout the state.

The Oregon Arts Commission is supported with funds appropriated by the Oregon Legislature, as well as by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Oregon Cultural Trust. Learn more at artscommission.oregon.gov and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.