Photo courtesy of grantee after/time

In partnership with the City of Portland’s Office of Arts & Culture, the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) has awarded $1,220,000 in arts funding to 274 Portland-based artists and arts and culture organizations through the second round of Portland Arts Project Grants!

This round supports 179 individual artists and 95 arts and culture organizations, with 107 recipients indicating that this is their first time receiving a grant from RACC. Funded projects reflect the breadth of Portland’s creative community, spanning visual and performing arts, music, film, literature, and interdisciplinary practices.

Portland Arts Project Grants are a citywide funding initiative designed to support innovative, publicly engaged artistic projects. Grants ranging from $1000 to $5000 help artists and organizations advance programming, presentations, events, and artistic development that contribute to Portland’s cultural vitality and strengthen connections across neighborhoods.

Funding for this round of grants is made possible through the City of Portland’s general fund, and proceeds from the City’s voter-approved Arts Access Fund. RACC is proud to serve as a grantmaking partner for small grants, alongside MusicOregon and Friends of IFCC.

Please find a full list of grantees here. 

Left: Lettie Jane Rennekamp. Photo by Christopher Diego. Right: Mark Small. Photo courtesy of the artist.

In collaboration with the Port of Portland, the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) is excited to announce that Oregon artists Lettie Jane Rennekamp and Mark Small have each been chosen to create a mural design for the exit halls at the Portland International Airport (PDX), anticipated to be installed in spring 2026. The artists were selected through a competitive process by the PDX Terminal Core Redevelopment (TCORE) Public Art Committee that considered applications from an applicant pool of 78 artists and artist teams from across the region. The vibrant 59-foot-long murals will celebrate local mural culture and promote pride of place and a sense of home. Custom-printed and installed in the north and south exit halls of the main terminal, the artworks will remain on display for one to three years. 

Lettie Jane Rennekamp (she/they) is an artist, muralist, teacher, and parent originally from Kentucky and now based in Portland, OR. Through illustrations depicting people, plants, and patterns, Rennekamp aims to capture abstract ideas such as moving through grief, self-acceptance, or a sense of place. Rennekamp’s mural, entitled Watercolor Walk, presents a dreamlike walk through a park, providing the diverse travelers to PDX an experience that is both joyful and soothing. As people pass by the mural, they will find themselves meandering through a visually rich landscape of watercolor washes and collaged elements.

Based in Portland with deep roots in Brooklyn, New York, Mark Small is a visual artist and graphic designer who creates distinctive visual narratives at the intersection of classical design principles and contemporary urban culture. His practice draws from mid-century modernist traditions and Renaissance compositional structures, interwoven with the visual language of hip-hop’s golden era and graffiti culture. Small’s mural presents a panoramic view of Portland’s urban landscape, incorporating recognizable architectural landmarks, neighborhood scenes, and symbolic imagery—including a sneaker-wearing sasquatch integrated into the city’s streetscape. The composition is designed to align with the flow of passengers moving through the Exit Hall, creating a visual rhythm that corresponds to pedestrian movement through the terminal.

Read more here. 

Arts and culture are the heartbeat of our region, helping us reflect who we are and what we stand for. For decades, RACC has believed in the power of art as a resource for community well-being and economic vitality, providing tailored services, growing a nationally acclaimed public art program, and facilitating career-changing opportunities. 

Created by community, for community, RACC remains dedicated to protecting, celebrating, and sustaining arts and culture in our region. We invite you to join us in creating space for arts and culture in every neighborhood. The time to evolve is now, and we want you to be a part of our future.