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News Release
A promotional image for Eugene Ballet's Nov. 9 and 10 production of
A promotional image for Eugene Ballet's Nov. 9 and 10 production of "Swan Lake." Their FY2020 Cultural Trust grant award supports the adaptation of "The Large Rock and the Little Yew," a local story focused on children recovering from emotional and physic
Announcing more than $2.7 million in FY2020 Cultural Trust grant awards to 136 cultural organizations! (Photo) - 09/10/19

Salem, Ore. – Cultural organizations across Oregon will receive more than $2.7 million in funding from the Oregon Cultural Trust in FY2020 thanks to the generosity of citizens who invested in the state’s cultural tax credit.

The awards include a total of $682,005 to the Cultural Trust’s five statewide partners (Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Heritage Commission, Oregon Humanities, Oregon Historical Society and the State Historic Preservation Office); $682,005 to 45 County and Tribal Cultural Coalitions – for regranting in their communities; and $1,354,339 in competitive Cultural Development Program awards to 86 cultural organizations serving most geographic regions of the state.

“We are incredibly grateful to the loyalty of our donors for this significant contribution to the great work cultural organizations are doing to enrich the lives of our citizens,” said Chuck Sams III, chair of the Cultural Trust board. “Our mission is to lead Oregon in cultivating, growing and valuing culture as an integral part of communities and these awards are our most important contribution to that effort.”

Overall grant awards are down slightly from FY2019, he added, due to a 5 percent decline in donations for the last fiscal year. A recent lapsed donor survey revealed the primary reason for the reduction was uncertainty around the change in federal tax laws.  

“We have learned that some of our donors took a break to evaluate the possible impact of the new federal tax laws,” said Brian Rogers, the Cultural Trust’s executive director. “We are working with the Oregon Department of Revenue and the Nonprofit Association of Oregon to develop messaging that reaffirms that the benefits of Oregon’s cultural tax credit, and its impact on our state’s cultural vitality, remain the same. That messaging will be a central focus of our 2019 fundraising campaign.”

Highlights of grant projects funded include:

  • Restoration of the historic Santiam Pass Ski Lodge in Sisters;
  • A tour of Northwest Children’s Theatre and School’s production of “Elephant and Piggie” to Portland suburbs and beyond;
  • Construction of an interpretive kiosk on the 1851 Tansy Point Treaty Grounds in Warrenton by the Confederated Lower Chinook Tribes and Bands;
  • Free and low-cost access to 15 annual art and cultural programs at the Four Rivers Cultural Center (Ontario) for children in Malheur County, Oregon’s poorest county; and
  • The adaptation of “The Large Rock and the Little Yew,” a local story focused on children recovering from emotional and physical abuse, into a ballet by the Eugene Ballet.

The 86 Cultural Development Grants include first-time awards (marked with *) to 14 organizations. The grant awards range from $5,000 to $35,000 with an average grant award of $16,064. The five largest award recipients are: Friends of Santiam Pass Ski Lodge (Sisters); Northwest Children’s Theater and School (Portland); Portland Center Stage at the Armory (Portland); Portland Chinatown History Foundation (Portland); and World Stage Theatre (Troutdale).

Cultural Development Program awards fund projects that address access, capacity, creativity and preservation. Just under half of the 181 applications received were funded. Applications were reviewed and scored by peer panels; final award amounts were determined and approved by the Cultural Trust Board of Directors at its Aug. 30 meeting. Close to half of the grants in this program were awarded to organizations outside of the Portland Metro area; overall more than 60 percent of Cultural Trust funding (including awards to County and Tribal Coalitions) is awarded outside of the Portland Metro area.

Cultural Development Grants, organized alphabetically by geographic region (see end of release for region key), were awarded to:

Central Region (Jefferson, Deschutes and Crook Counties)

Deschutes Public Library Foundation, Bend: $11,099

The project will support “A Novel Idea,” a program that builds community through encouraging everyone to read the same novel and then explore it together through book discussions, cultural programs, art workshops and exhibits, author presentations and social media. “A Novel Idea” promotes and supports culture by hiring local and regional scholars and artists to present and engage participants at more than 25 cultural programs.

*Friends of Santiam Pass Ski Lodge, Sisters: $35,000

The project will support the restoration of the historic Santiam Pass Ski Lodge. The lodge is noteworthy for its location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. It is associated with the Civilian Conservation Corps era and is representative of a unique period of recreational development on public lands. With the services of structural and electrical engineers, work will begin on restoring the Lodge and its immediate environment.

Great Eastern North Region (Umatilla, Gilliam, Morrow and Wheeler Counties)

Athena's Gem, Inc., Athena: $33,764

The capacity building project will focus on completing facility interior painting, flooring of various types, hand railings on staircases and re-installation of vintage theatre seats in the auditorium. The historic Athena’s Gem Theater is now closing up the interior walls with drywall using volunteer labor as an "in-kind" contribution, having wired, plumbed, installed HVAC and insulated last year using funding provided by the 2018 Oregon Legislature.

Metro Region (Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas Counties) 

*Adelante Mujeres, Forest Grove: $9,129

The project's goal is to promote a deeper understanding of the Latinx immigrant experience. Latinx artists and community members will share their history, culture and experiences in Adelante’s newly-renovated building in Forest Grove. Artists will interview Latinx people from various regions and collect their immigration stories in partnership with Portland Community College and the Forest Grove School District.

Artists Repertory Theatre, Portland: $26,196

The project will support a new Word Press website, allowing Artist Repertory Theatre to employ mobile scanning devices and improve the interconnected systems of database management, digital marketing and optimized social media. This investment in technology and its support systems will not only benefit ART by building both internal and operational capacity but also the ArtsHub companies to reach new audiences.

Beaverton Civic Theatre, Beaverton: $6,764

The project focuses on the integration of performing arts programming with early literacy practices. BCT's Young Audience series eliminates accessibility barriers of cost and transportation for families. Extending beyond the goal of exposing families to quality theatre is the exploration of early literacy. Beaverton Civic Theater’s Young Audience series serves as a Brain Building resource to parents and caregivers.

Boom Arts Inc, Portland: $8,099

Boom Arts will launch a free summer outdoor performance festival in June 2020 called “Acting Out.” This three-day festival will mix contemporary outdoor theatre, promenade and circus performances, plus try-it-yourself workshops, in partnership with The Circus Project and Portland Parks and Recreation. Boom Arts has identified public space as a vibrant next stage to imagine new social and political possibilities through theatre and performance. 

*Cascade Educational Broadcast Service, Portland: $10,485

The project supports the Numberz radio station (96.7 FM) to involve more community members as content makers and help grow its audience. Portland’s black community has been acutely affected by gentrification of North/Northeast Portland. The project aims to re-unify black Portland through the airwaves. The station will remove barriers to cultural opportunities by providing new ways to participate in media for Portland’s black community, making music and other content widely available.

Chamber Music Northwest, Portland: $6,248

The project celebrates Chamber Music Northwest’s 50th anniversary season. Support for the project will allow three resident ensembles’ participation in regular concerts, free community concerts, education programs and visits to those who face barriers to participation: centers for homeless teens, assisted living and medical facilities, community centers and social service agencies.

Ethos Inc., Portland: $23,933

The project supports Ethos’ rural outreach program, Music Across Oregon, which provides 10 rural communities with in-school general music instruction, after-school lessons, summer camps and community concerts. By partnering with the federal AmeriCorps program, Music Across Oregon leverages national service to bring arts education to youth. Music Across Oregon partner schools have not held a district-funded music program in at least six years.

Fear No Music, Portland: $5,000

The project supports the commemorative concert “The F Word” (“F” stands for Forgiveness), marking the 31st anniversary of the brutal murder of Ethiopian immigrant Mulugeta Seraw by three white supremacists on the streets of Southeast Portland. Mayor Ted Wheeler has proclaimed Nov. 13, 2019, to be “Mulugeta Seraw Day.” The program will feature a traveling exhibit, ”The F Word,” in partnership with The Forgiveness Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting restorative justice.

*In Mulieribus, Portland: $5,000

The project commemorates the 400th anniversary of the birth of composer Barbara Strozzi (1619-1677), the most prolific composer of Italian Baroque vocal music. As part of In Mulieribus’ annual concert series aimed at reexamining women's contributions to music history, IM plans to celebrate Strozzi and highlight her musical achievements by presenting two concerts of her songs with pre-concert lectures by singer-scholar Hannah Penn that will provide important cultural context for her works. 

Japanese Garden Society of Oregon, Portland: $13,096

The project supports the Art in the Garden program exhibit “Refashioning Beauty,” featuring the work of avant-garde fashion designer and artist Noritaka Tatehana. The exhibition will invite people to view Japanese identity in a contemporary context by an artist actively working to preserve traditional arts and crafts. Tatehana’s oeuvre ranges from large-scale sculptures that play upon iconized objects associated with Japan, to acrylic paintings that borrow embossing techniques and patterns from textiles, to ornamental representations of platform shoes.

Lan Su Chinese Garden, Portland: $13,920

The project supports the Garden’s Autumn Moon Festival, the second most culturally significant festival in China. The Festival will be filled with arts and cultural activities, engaging thousands of community members in cross-cultural learning. As development and gentrification in Old Town/Chinatown threaten to erase the historical and cultural roots of this neighborhood, the Festival helps engage new and longtime residents and offers a positive impression of a neglected yet culturally significant neighborhood.

Literary Arts Inc, Portland: $10,345

The project supports the Oregon Book Awards, which for more than 30 years has supported, promoted and celebrated the finest accomplishments by Oregon writers in the genres of fiction, graphic literature, drama, literary nonfiction and literature for young readers. This project will connect these writers with readers across the state through the Oregon Book Awards Author Tour. By partnering with local libraries, bookstores, writing groups and arts councils to organize and promote the tour, Literary Arts is able to provide residents of rural Oregon with access to writing workshops, author talks, readings and school visits. All tour events are free and open to the public.

Live Wire Radio, Portland: $21,006

The project will support the hiring of a full-time, experienced Executive Director who understands the business of running a dynamic and creative nonprofit. In the midst of a creative and organizational renaissance, Live Wire’s strategic plan calls for investing in its internal capacity at a time when listenership is increasing while many public radio programs are losing ground. Live Wire must invest wisely in an infrastructure to help it grow into its future potential.

Media-Rites, Portland: $5,000

The project supports the production of the play "Here On This Bridge: The --Ism Project," which addresses the divide and the backlash against People of Color, women, LGBTQI people, and immigrants and refugees that has become more visible and frequent recently. Media-Rites will tour the play and discussion series to southern Oregon and document the conversations through audio and video recordings (to be podcasted and archived online). All shows will be free for ages 14 and older.

Metropolitan Youth Symphony, Portland: $6,505

The project supports the Metropolitan Youth Symphony’s “Music and Equity Program” that addresses barriers to instrumental music for low-income youth. Funding for instrumental school music programs in Oregon remains inconsistent and limited, making instrumental music particularly difficult for low-income families to access. Increased investment will allow the Metropolitan Youth Symphony’s “School Concert Outreach” program, Tuition Assistance program and “Beginning Strings” classes to reach more students in Portland and Hillsboro.

Mittleman Jewish Community Center, Portland: $12,112

The project will expand the Center’s capacity to provide high quality cultural programming, support the cultural arts in Portland and strengthen the campus as a destination for arts-related experiences. Funds will be used to address the technical shortcomings of the theatre venue, allowing it to attract and retain rentals from outside organizations that wish to offer play productions, concerts, lectures, dance performances and much more.

Montavilla Jazz Festival, Portland: $5,000

The project will support the expansion of the festival program, focused especially on promoting and supporting local and emerging jazz artists. The Montavilla Jazz Festival is a growing cultural celebration that puts the East Portland neighborhood on the map of vibrant neighborhoods in a city with a competitive arts scene.

My Voice Music, Portland: $17,671

The project provides 100 additional youth access to the Artist Mentorship Program in the 2019-20 school year through a new drop-in after school program called Open Studio and added instruction hours. The program expansion will maintain “pay what you are able” tuition to ensure that there are no financial barriers to participation, and will serve working families for whom the need for after school programs is acute.

Northwest Children's Theater & School Inc, Portland: $35,000

The project will support the first year of NWCT “On Tour,” designed to bring the wonder of theater to children and families in Portland's suburbs and beyond. Expenses will only be significant in the first years, when essential equipment such as a cargo van will be purchased, and portable sets and props will be designed and constructed. Project support will increase operational capacity and internal capacity through job creation and new opportunities for artistic employees.

Oregon Ballet Theatre, Portland: $14,095

The project supports OBT2, the Oregon Ballet Theatre’s junior company, in developing partnerships with theaters/schools in Crook, Deschutes, Umatilla and Union counties. The project will allow OBT2 to bring its art form, resources and talent out to new audiences in smaller communities, and coordinate with local partners to maximize access/outcomes. It will make the Oregon Ballet Theatre’s programming more broadly available to Oregonians, through in-school workshops, master classes, presentations and affordable performances.

Oregon Children's Foundation dba SMART, Portland: $8,762

The project will support SMART’s initiative to diversify the 145,000 children's books it places into the hands and homes of 11,000 young children throughout Oregon in the coming school year. The project will increase children's access to books representing diverse experiences by purchasing culturally-relevant literature to include in SMART's give-away book selection. SMART serves many low-income children and communities that exist in "book deserts" without book stores, school libraries and sometimes not even a public library.

Oregon Children's Theatre Company, Portland: $15,034

The project will support the production of “The Journal of Ben Uchida: Citizen 13559”, which depicts the imprisonment of 100,000+ Japanese Americans during World War II through the eyes of a young boy. The play is to be directed by Dmae Roberts of MediaRites/Theater Diaspora, Portland’s only professional Asian-American theater company, and will feature its actors. Lobby displays by the Vanport Mosaic and the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center will provide insight to the stories of past and present Asian-American citizens in Oregon.

Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, Portland: $12,066

The project will allow OJMCHE to become the final venue for the travelling exhibition “Bernstein at 100!” curated by the GRAMMY Museum Los Angeles in collaboration with The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and the Bernstein Family. The project comprises the first large-scale multimedia exhibition to illustrate Leonard Bernstein’s life, Jewish identity and social activism in the context of his career. It features interactive media and sound installations along with approximately 100 historic artifacts, including Bernstein’s piano, marked-up scores, a conducting suit, an annotated copy of Romeo and Juliet used for West Side Story and family items and objects from his studio.

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Portland: $8,829

The project supports “Exquisite Creatures,” an exhibit highlighting the work of Oregon artist Christopher Marley and his connection to nature. In his first Oregon show, the exhibit invites visitors to think about how we interact in/with nature. Through the message of conservation, visitors will not only be visually inspired but also learn a scientific story, engaging in a dialogue between art and science that the West has only recently begun to explore.

Oregon Symphony, Portland: $16,779

The project will provide Title 1 schools and free/reduced lunch students free access to the Oregon Symphony’s Kinderkonzerts, Young Peoples Concerts, Link Up, open rehearsals and the Prelude Series (students perform in the lobby prior to an Oregon Symphony concert, then attend the concert for free and are recognized from the stage).

*Outside the Frame, Portland: $13,049

The project supports 35 young homeless or marginalized filmmakers in creating short films with guidance from film industry professionals and paid peer mentors. Outside the Frame currently provides open studio time each week for alumni of its film intensives. The project supports a pilot program with eight-week cycles in which youth complete short films about stories and issues that matter to them. Their work will culminate in a summer film festival for the public in June 2020.

Pacific Youth Choir, Portland: $5,000

The project will support the expansion of the Neighborhood Choir program to include Creston and Atkinson Elementary schools. Originally launched at Whitman Elementary in Portland’s Lents neighborhood, and now expanded to Marysville Elementary and Wattles Boys and Girls Club, the program brings choir activities into the neighborhoods of young people in outlying and underserved communities. It provides opportunities for students and their families to come downtown for concerts and participate in the life of the city.

Phame Academy, Portland: $17,170

The project supports the production and performance of PHAME’s original rock opera with the Portland Opera. The project creates high-level, specialized opportunities for PHAME students while bringing mainstream arts organizations into PHAME as partners for inclusion. By providing varied arts opportunities for as many students as want to participate, fostering inclusive practices outside PHAME and welcoming diverse audience members, this performance will do much to further the development of artists with disabilities.

Portland Baroque Orchestra, Portland: $21,884

The project makes key investments in Portland Baroque Orchestra’s infrastructure and staff. After several years of sustained increases in programming, the project will increase the organization’s stability, improve sustainability and ultimately increase the cultural impact of the orchestra as it realizes its potential.

Portland Center Stage at The Armory, Portland: $35,000

The project supports Portland Center Stage’s annual JAW: (“Just Add Water”) A Playwrights Festival. Since 1999, the festival has provided 81 playwrights with the resources to rethink and refine new plays that have gone on to enrich the repertories of more than 150 professional companies in Oregon and throughout the U.S. Each July, JAW brings four playwrights to PCS and supports their artistic development by providing them with: generous rehearsal time; gifted collaborators; smart, supportive dramaturgy; and guided feedback from both peer artists and JAW's engaged and insightful audience.

Portland Chinatown History Foundation, Portland: $35,000

The project is a one-time strategic investment in the Portland Chinatown Museum’s exterior, with a large exterior neon sign, while supporting development and marketing professionals in sharing its exhibitions, programs, collections and elder Chinese storytellers and docents with the community.

Portland Columbia Symphony, Portland:  $5,471

The project will invest in a database, a customer relationship manager and e-commerce solution software Arts People. Arts People boasts robust capabilities in areas of ticketing, reporting, segmentation and more. The data will be applied across all strategies and will significantly influence how Portland Columbia Symphony leverages channels that drive traffic to the website (email, social media, search engine marketing). A website rebuild will integrate Arts People, while yielding increased search engine recognition and site traffic, a stronger visual brand, streamlined workflow, accessibility compliance and a wealth of analytics to measure digital return on investments.

Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Portland: $14,668

The project supports the 17th edition of the Time-Based Art Festival (TBA), activating venues around Portland with contemporary art programming for 10 consecutive days. TBA:19 features a diverse roster of artists, disciplines and forms, including dance, theater, performances, music, film, visual art, workshops, lectures, panels and more. The festival connects audiences to renowned and radical artists of our time; celebrates and amplifies diverse and underrepresented voices; and sparks dialogue and exploration of relevant and urgent social, political and cultural issues.

Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble, Portland: $6,337

The project supports the performance of “From Maxville to Vanport,” a set of songs and short films about these two unique towns, in Malheur, Deschutes and Lane counties, for a combined estimated audience of 900 middle and high school students and 350 adults. Created in 2018 in order to connect audiences with African American Oregonians of the past from both urban and rural areas, “From Maxville to Vanport” acknowledges racism but places the greatest emphasis on a joyful celebration of perseverance and of the spirit of shared belonging to our home state.

*Portland Meet Portland, Portland: $15,060

The project supports the “Experience: Oregon” podcast, which centers and amplifies the voices of marginalized groups by seeking out their culture-keepers and conducting interviews with them. The project then turns to historians who can draw out themes and connect them to the deeply held stories and myths of the state’s past. The end result will be an iterative podcast series, a discussion of the ways culture and history influence our perceptions of what it means to be an Oregonian.

Portland Youth Philharmonic Association, Portland: $6,996

The project supports a three-concert tour featuring young musicians from the Portland Youth Philharmonic. Joshua Ji, 14-year-old winner of Portland Piano International’s 2019 Youth Piano Concerto Competition, will be the featured soloist in Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F Major. This program will be performed three times throughout the state of Oregon: Corvallis (at OSU), Forest Grove (at Pacific University), and Portland (at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall), with ticket prices as low as $5 in Corvallis and Portland, and free of charge in Forest Grove.

Regional Arts & Culture Council, Portland: $25,726

The project expands RACC’s operational capacity by supporting the first full year of implementation and evaluation of the Right Brain Initiative’s use of Arts Integration Leadership Teams. Since 2014, RACC’s evaluation focused on helping teachers scale and sustain effective arts-based strategies long-term. Arts Integration Leadership Teams, composed of teachers, models arts integration for their colleagues and tailors their onsite training to meet the specific needs of the school.

Restore Oregon, Portland: $27,056

The project supports the development and implementation of a Historic Resources Inventory Toolkit to provide step-by-step guidance in identifying, documenting and creating inventories of culturally significant historic places. While Restore Oregon’s new toolkit will be available to all Oregonians, staff plan to work directly with members of the African American community in Portland’s Albina neighborhood, members of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and historic theater stakeholders in Oregon’s rural communities to help identify, celebrate and preserve Oregon’s historic and cultural treasures.

Tavern Books, Portland: $10,327

The project supports a half-time Outreach/Publicity Coordinator. The Coordinator will focus on book promotion, event planning and volunteer coordination while the current two-person staff concentrates on editorial duties and development. Establishing marketing and publicity as a dedicated rather than secondary task will promote organizational stability by increasing earned revenue via book sales, and a stronger focus on outreach will deepen Tavern Book’s impact by improving connectivity with bookstores, the public, schools, libraries and other non-profits.

The Circus Project, Portland: $14,382

The projects supports “Pathways,” a program that creates more equitable access to arts opportunities and a safe, inclusive space for youth and adults to explore their physical and creative abilities. The Pathways Manager supports each student on an ongoing basis to address barriers that may arise and limit student participation in programming. Students may receive free classes or ongoing private lessons and other resources as needed.

The Library Foundation, Serving the People of Multnomah County, Portland: $5,853

The project supports “Everybody Reads,” a shared reading experience with the goal of discussing issues that matter, learning from one another and promoting greater understanding. This year, the teen selection “We Should All Be Feminists” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie fostered frank discussions about relevant, and sometimes difficult, topics in classrooms across our community. The project removes barriers to participation by enabling 945 teens from high-poverty schools and youth organizations to engage in Everybody Reads. Public library funds pay for part of the program but the purchase of thousands of books, including those for 2,100 teens, rely on private support.

The Shadow Project, Portland: $19,679

The project supports the “Reading Mentors” program, which equips Oregon students with disabilities such as dyslexia, ADHD and autism with assistive reading technology and pairs them with a caring mentor to help them discover a favorite literary genre. The project makes text-based art forms accessible for creative, capable children who have been marginalized because of their learning differences. Expanding the “Reading Mentors” program from 5 to 8 schools will make access to literacy more broadly available to students.

The Vanport Mosaic, Portland: $15,408

The project supports accessibility for The Vanport Mosiac’s public programming in cultural spaces meaningful to historically marginalized communities. Funding will contribute to project management; an outreach coordinator, transportation, venues rental, ASL and ADA, captions, as well as a venue mapping embedded throughout the Vanport Mosiac Festival. Through oral history recording and screenings, original theater, tours, exhibits and dialogues the Festival has engaged Portlanders with stories of resistance and resilience from multiracial communities.

Third Angle New Music Ensemble, Inc., Portland: $9,839

The project supports “SANCTUARIES’, a three-act contemporary chamber opera exploring the racial and political underpinnings of gentrification. Through jazz, performance poetry, sound design, video, historical and contemporary images and recorded narratives, it tells the tale of displaced residents of color in Portland’s historically black Albina district. Commissioned by Third Angle New Music, “SANCTUARIES” is conceived and composed by pianist and composer Darrell Grant, with a libretto by twice National Poetry Slam Individual Champion Anis Mojgani and stage direction by Los Angeles-based director Alexander Gedeon

*Tucker Maxon School, Portland: $25,496

The project supports a new “Chalk Art Festival” to raise the school’s visibility in the community, drawing students with hearing loss and typical hearing to the school. Support for a full-time events manager will cement Tucker Maxon’s reputation as a center of art and music, as well as deaf education. The “Chalk Art Festival” will provide revenue for the school to support the financial aid program for students who are deaf and hard of hearing, ultimately ensuring the school’s sustainability into the future.

*Willamette Light Brigade, Portland: $16,413

The project invests in a part-time development manager to support the stability and sustainability of the Portland Winter Light Festival. The new position support the creation and implementation of a fundraising plan to pursue funding opportunities, build an annual giving program, expand foundation and corporate relations, create fundraising events and cultivate new donors. The Light Festival’s attendance growth over the last four years from 30,000 in 2016 to 154,000 in 2019 highlights the demand for and interest in this free, accessible art program.

Wisdom of the Elders Incorporated, Portland: $33,671

This project supports the creation of the “Discovering Yidong Xinag” [“Discovering the Old Wisdom” in Athabascan] Educational Toolkit. It builds upon Wisdom of the Elder’s culturally tailored multimedia environmental science curriculum. Oregon Senate Bill 13 directs the Oregon Department of Education to develop curricula and train educators relative to the Native American experience in Oregon. The Educational Toolkit will engage Native and other students by integrating cultural arts into environmental science studies.

*World Stage Theatre, Troutdale: $35,000

The project supports World Stage Theatre’s “Black History Festival NW” which celebrates African-American heritage and culture unique to the Pacific Northwest. The project showcases more than 100 of the region’s Black artists, organizations and businesses. The culturally specific activities help bridge generational, economical, racial, social and emotional gaps. With activities in diverse locations, participants are able to celebrate their connection to old and new communities.

*YU Contemporary Inc, Portland: $34,904

The project supports the Yale Union Laundry building’s restoration of its second floor windows. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the preserved building can share the stories of American industrialization, commercial laundry business of the early 20th century, the women’s labor movement and the rise of the middle class. Efforts to repurpose the building into a contemporary art center help fulfill this goal by investing in historic preservation. Alongside this preservation project, Yale Union Contemporary will also engage the community with an artistic program related to the centennial of the laundry workers’ strike and discussions around labor and working conditions relevant today.

Mid Valley Region (Yamhill, Polk and Marion Counties) 

Gilbert House Children's Museum, Salem: $14,888

The project will support improved access by replacing the existing narrow entrance gate with a new safety gate, replacing residential yard fencing with security fencing and removing the current narrow ramps with ADA compliant ramps and hand rails. All efforts are part of a larger capital project to renovate and add new features to the 20,000 square-foot Inventor’s Yard Learning Play Area.

*Keizer Homegrown Theatre, Keizer: $5,000

The project supports an initiative to provide free entry to all shows for Oregon Trail card holders. Support would also address a portion of production expenses including the cost for royalties, rights, costumes, equipment and theater space.

Linfield College, McMinnville: $7,382

The project will highlight the contributions of Oregon vineyard workers through a deep dive into the life and work of dedicated and skilled vineyard laborers, primarily seasonal migrants from Mexico or Central America. The Oregon Wine History Archive collects, preserves and shares materials documenting the history of the state’s wine industry (a $5.6 billion economic sector in Oregon). The focus of the project will be on the level of effort and skill required, the pride taken in the work, and the challenges and successes of life inside and outside the vineyard.

Oregon Black Pioneers, Salem: $21,634

The project will support the hiring of Oregon Black Pioneer’s first executive director in its 25-year history. The board president will help mentor the new executive director and work with a transition committee to ensure a successful transition for staff. OBP was one of four organizations selected to participate in the National Trust for Historic Preservation/National Museum of African American History & Culture board training in Oregon in March. During this workshop, the board worked on plans for a successful staff transition.

North Central Region (Hood River, Wasco and Sherman Counties)

Columbia Arts, Hood River: $9,330

The project supports Columbia Arts’ first Bilingual Onstage Series. This three-part series will demonstrate the organization’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion while promoting the history, culture and contributions of Hispanic and Latinx Americans. Each installment will feature three theatre companies and/or performance-based artists presenting in dual language - Spanish/English. All events will be free and open to the public.

The Dalles-Wasco County Library Foundation, The Dalles: $26,175

The project supports South Wasco County’s new library in Maupin. The new library will be 2,900 square feet with a designated area for children and teens, several computer workstations and a study area. A 75-person community room will host library programs and community events. The library and meeting space will be equipped with current technology and provide access to high speed internet, seamlessly connecting rural residents with modern technology and the larger world.

North Coast Region (Clatsop, Columbia and Tillamook Counties) 

*Astor Library Friends Association, Astoria: $17,327

The project will allow the Astoria Public Library to preserve archival materials dating from the founding of Astoria (1811) to the present. Volunteers and staff will rehouse the collection in archival-safe containers; create and publish descriptions for the main collection areas; scan and publish an initial 100 historical items online; and host two events to inspire community dialogue on the newly available historical assets.

*Confederated Lower Chinook Tribes and Bands, Warrenton: $6,103

The project will support the construction of an interpretive kiosk on the 1851 Tansy Point Treaty Grounds, now owned by the Chinook Indian Nation. The forested wetlands property in Warrenton is bordered by two creeks and Youngs Bay, an area rich with Chinook salmon at its confluence with the Columbia River. The Chinook Indian Nation will tell their story and preserve their legacy at the site where the Tansey-Point treaties were signed in 1851 yet left unratified by the US Congress.

Liberty Restoration Inc, Astoria: $8,685

The project will support the development of a strategic marketing plan, prioritizing the redesign of the Theatre’s website and social media platforms. The Liberty Theatre has been operating for the past 13 years without a marketing plan or marketing activities. With new investment the Theatre’s digital presence will be optimized to convert traffic into increased ticket sales and overall revenue.

Tillicum Foundation, Astoria: $19,402

The project supports the “Radio for Good” campaign to perform a complete overhaul of Coast Community Radio’s aging equipment. The project increases the capacity to provide high quality broadcast and web-based radio transmissions over the long term, increasing community responsiveness and engagement via the ability to produce live remote broadcasts from far-flung, currently underserved communities located in rural Clatsop, Tillamook and Columbia Counties.

Trail's End Art Association, Gearhart: $10,368

The project supports the renovation of the 1903 Trail’s End Art Association building, a long-standing culturally historic building listed in the Gearhart Landmark Commission’s Historical Downtown Area Register. The building plays a significant role in the cultural vision of the City of Gearhart’s master planning for the downtown area. Through a major fundraising campaign and income from workshops, the organization is poised to complete the renovations for close to two-thirds of the building.  

Northeast Region (Wallowa, Union and Baker Counties)

Crossroads Creative and Performing Arts Center Inc, Baker City: $13,701

The project will support all-inclusive access to programming at the Crossroads Creative and Performing Arts Center for children with limited mobility or cognitive abilities and sight and hearing limitations. Working with Access Gallery, staff will assess needs, build capacity, add training, furnish facilities with specialized equipment and supplies, support targeted marketing and provide special classes to fully integrate students into regular programming. 

Eastern Oregon Regional Arts Council, La Grande: $9,116

The project will serve La Grande’s rural population with high-quality arts opportunities that support and showcase local artists and bring performers, teaching artists and arts exhibits to the region. Art Center East will provide free access for at-risk youth to gallery exhibits, community conversations and cultural experiences, and classes. Investing in these services enables Art Center East to connect artists and audiences disadvantaged by income and distance.

Eastern Oregon Regional Theatre Inc, Baker City: $16,374

The project is a one-time strategic investment into the Theatre’s capacity to restore a historic property on Main Street in Baker City as a cultural venue. The completed project will not only support all local performing groups with an acoustically sound and specifically designed stage and support structures with adequate seating capacity, but also make it possible to book professional performing groups requiring a quality venue.

Four Rivers Cultural Center and Museum, Ontario: $7,698

The project supports free and low-cost access to 15 annual art and cultural programs for local children of varied socio-economic backgrounds in Oregon’s poorest county. Students in Malheur County can attend the Four Rivers Cultural Center and Museum’s programs regardless of cost or language barriers. Four Rivers Cultural Center addresses issues of access by providing the community -- and specifically educators -- with dynamic learning, art and community resources.

Josephy Center for Arts and Culture, Joseph: $29,471

The project supports the organization’s capital campaign to purchase its building, a stunning log structure on Main Street in downtown Joseph. The campaign will build community ownership in the Josephy Center while investing in the organization’s stability and sustainability in Wallowa County.

Liberty Theatre Foundation Inc, La Grande: $17,428

The project will support the inclusion of ADA access in the rehabilitation and restoration of the Liberty Theatre in downtown La Grande’s Historic District. The Liberty is a 100-year-old building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. When complete, it will be the second ADA accessible performing arts venue in La Grande, making available significant space and a unique resource for the burgeoning and diverse arts community in Eastern Oregon.

South Central (Klamath and Lake Counties)

Klamath Film, Klamath Falls: $7,050

To support free youth programming and access to film arts, artists, equipment and knowledge/training in film studies in Klamath Falls and rural Southern Oregon. Klamath Film introduces year-round film events to its community from animation to Oscar winners; meets regularly to network and share knowledge of the craft; acquires and lends filmmaking equipment to its members including students; collaborates with city agencies to champion film awareness and infrastructure; and produces the Klamath Independent Film Festival.

South Coast Region (Douglas, Coos and Curry Counties)

Chetco Historical Memorial Project, Brookings: $10,057

The project supports the Chetco Indian Memorial, the only interpretive site that represents and focuses on an Oregon coastal tribe and its history on the very site of their ancestral village, making this project unique in the region. Creating a historical marker at this site will help the public understand the site’s historical significance and will ensure that it is protected.

Little Theatre on the Bay, North Bend: $15,525

The project is a strategic investment in Phase IV of the capital campaign to expand and enhance North Bend’s historic Liberty Theatre (1924). Improvements to the Theatre include expansion of the backstage and technical conditions of the fly loft, cat walk and ladder systems, allowing the Theatre to expand the number of programs, scope of performances and range of participants on and off the stage. They will also eliminate rental costs for set-building space and increase rental revenue paid by collaborative partners’ use of the Theatre.

South Valley/Mid Coast Region (Lincoln, Benton, Linn and Lane Counties)

Delgani String Quartet, Eugene: $10,618

The project supports a touring mixed-abilities dance and music production designed to alter audience perceptions of people with disabilities. “Shall We Dance” provides an accurate representation of a diverse cross-section of our society. The 11 collaborating artists will experience opportunities to build a range of social and creative skills, including development of interpersonal ties across artistic genres while building a sense of self-esteem, individual efficacy and the ability to work with diverse groups within a culture of artistic integrity. Bringing artists together from two separate fields will expand both organizations’ artistic reach and raise awareness throughout Oregon and online.

Eugene Ballet, Eugene: $24,221

The project will support the adaptation of “The Large Rock and the Little Yew,” a local story focused on children recovering from emotional and physical abuse, into a ballet. This project will provide an opportunity to present this message-filled story in another medium (dance), and the surrounding talks and presentations planned in conjunction with the performances will provide a forum from which the community will learn more about the challenges facing these youth. The completed project will be added to Eugene Ballet’s repertoire of family programming.

Eugene Opera, Eugene: $14,813

The project supports a new strategic direction for Eugene Opera, from a residency company model toward a more nimble, responsive and scalable company that performs at local venues. Funding will support research into alternative venues, strategic planning and strategic communication with the current audience and donor base regarding the new direction of the company.

Eugene Symphony Association, Inc., Eugene: $22,200

The project supports the Eugene Symphony’s music education programs Link Up and Encouraging Young Musicians to Achieve (EYMA). Link Up delivers an experiential music curriculum developed by Carnegie Hall to more than 2,100 students who engage in 18, 60-minute sessions at each school site. EYMA provides Symphony Teaching Artists to band and orchestra programs in Lane County. The Symphony works directly with educators to choose a teaching artist to co-create content that meets their students' needs, through sectional rehearsals, instruction, career discussion or performance by the teaching artist.

Eugene-Springfield Youth Orchestras, Eugene: $9,794

The project supports the String Academy, free and low-cost beginning strings classes in area elementary schools, including the most culturally diverse, and those with the highest numbers of minority students in the district. Classes are taught on-site, after school, to help working parents avoid transportation barriers. ESYO removes financial barriers for underserved families by offering the lowest fees in the area for classes and instrument rentals, and scholarships for anyone who needs one.

Oregon Coast Council for the Arts Newport: $29,178

The project will support Phase VII of the capital campaign. Capacity constraints will be addressed by creating a fully functional, two-theatre venue that can host simultaneous performances. The audience experience will be enhanced by addressing seating, lighting and sound constraints in the newly renamed David Ogden Stiers Theatre. Backstage support areas will be added as well to improve efficiency and flexibility, improving the movement patterns for props and performers.

Oregon Coast Youth Symphony Festival Association, Newport: $8,986

The project will highlight musicians and enhance the stature and recognition of high school symphonies with the Composer’s Symposium. The Symposium will provide education opportunities for talented music students by serving as a resource for networking, professional development and collaboration. There is no similar opportunity in Oregon and virtually no instruction in music composition in Oregon high schools.

Shedd Institute for the Arts, The John G., Eugene: $10,321

The project supports a new full-time music school administrator position to assist with, and provide redundancy across, all aspects of running the music school, including: student performances; rental instrument bank; Road Scholar programs; Saturday classes; Shedd concerts and curricula for area schools; off-site student mariachi and jazz performances; student recruitment; registration; and more. Adding this position now to support future growth is critical to successful expansion.

The Museum of Natural and Cultural History, Eugene: $18,299

The project supports a new public exhibit and programs about the Civil Rights era in Eugene in partnership with the Oregon Black Pioneers. The project seeks to address the history of institutional racism and elitism at universities and museums. The project increases access to the museum by removing the barrier of cost through subsidized admission and increased awareness of discount programs; building relationships to co-develop programs that are engaging for target audiences; and training front-line staff to offer welcoming and inclusive experiences for broader, more diverse communities.

University of Oregon Foundation, Eugene: $22,057

The project supports the “Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project,” an on-going archival project seeking to recover, preserve and share the unique history of lesbians in Eugene. Housed in the University of Oregon Special Collections and Archives, 74 video interviews of lesbian-identified women in their 60s to 80s, along with their photographs, journals and other records, will inform a documentary film. This will be the first documentary film exploring the personal and social histories of this generation of lesbians, what they accomplished in Eugene and Oregon, and their reflections on their contributions.

Southern Region (Josephine and Jackson Counties) 

Ballet Folklorico Ritmo Alegre, Medford: $5,000

The project will support the organization’s transition to a Latinx managing director. Working with a consultant, Ballet Folklorico will engage in leadership training and succession planning with the board of directors. A Latinx and Spanish-speaking managing director will improve communication with families, donors and other Latinx organizations while empowering Latinx children who serve as cultural ambassadors to neighboring communities.

Butte Creek Mill Foundation, Medford: $26,366

The Butte Creek Mill and Ice House restoration project will return historic structures damaged by fire and revitalize the rural community of Eagle Point. This living history destination will educate and inform locals and tourists through an interpretative center, educational curriculum developed for field trips and summer camps, and internship/apprenticeship opportunities.

Southern Oregon Repertory Singers, Ashland: $5,000

The project supports the use of professional audio and videography services to record all four concerts in the 2019-20 season. Southern Oregon Repertory Singers will offer the audio and video recordings via its website, YouTube channel, Facebook, targeted ads and its email newsletter. The project will generate greater earned income from increased tickets sales and the sale of CDs.

*The Hearth, Ashland: $30,851

The project supports a half-time operations manager for one year to oversee the implementation of the strategic business plan. The new position will be responsible for developing operational systems and policies; research and implementation of new technologies; assisting the Board in developing outreach and onboarding processes to expand and diversify; and supporting the executive director in targeting and marketing the programs of The Hearth.

*First time grant recipient

Region key:

Central (Jefferson, Deschutes and Crook Counties)

Greater Eastern North (Umatilla, Gilliam, Morrow and Wheeler Counties)

Metro (Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas Counties)   

Mid-Valley (Yamhill, Polk and Marion Counties) 

North Central (Hood River, Wasco and Sherman Counties)

North Coast (Clatsop, Columbia and Tillamook Counties) 

Northeast (Wallowa, Union and Baker Counties)

South Central (Klamath and Lake Counties)

South Coast (Douglas, Coos and Curry Counties)

South Valley/Mid-Coast (Lincoln, Benton, Linn and Lane Counties)

Southern (Josephine and Jackson Counties) 

# # #

Created in 2001 by the Oregon Legislature, the Oregon Cultural Trust is a testimony to how much Oregonians value culture. No other state provides a 100 percent tax credit to inspire cultural giving. As uniquely Oregonian as public beaches and the bottle bill, the Oregon Cultural Trust was established 18 years ago by the Oregon Legislature as an ongoing funding engine for arts and culture across the state. Oregonians fund the Cultural Trust. We, in turn, fund the artists, potters, rappers, acrobats and dreamers who make Oregon, Oregon. In 2017 Oregonians gave $4.9 million to the Cultural Trust, our all-time record. Sixty percent of that went straight back to the field. The remaining 40 percent helped grow our permanent fund. Our three grant programs fund our five Statewide Partners, 45 County and Tribal Coalitions and qualified cultural nonprofits through competitive Cultural Development Grants.

 

View more news releases from Oregon Cultural Trust.