Courtesy of RACC Arts3C Grantee Jennifer Wright who’s grant funded the project Break to Build 2. Photo by Rowdy Webb.

In collaboration with the City of Portland’s Office of Arts & Culture, the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) has awarded $1.2 million in arts funding to 275 Portland-based artists and arts and culture organizations out of 514 applications. Of the applicants who provided demographic information, over 43% of the grant recipients identified as people of color, 53% identified as LGBTQIA+, and 38% identified as low income. From performing and visual arts to film and literature, art forms from every medium are represented among selected grantees. 

Portland Arts Project Grants are a new funding initiative to support innovative artistic projects in the city of Portland. The program invites applications from Portland-based artists and organizations seeking to advance their work through programming, presentations, events or artistic development that engages and benefits the public. Grants between $1,000 and $5,000 have been awarded to support arts programs and activities that show community impact.

This grant program continues RACC’s decades-long relationship with the City of Portland, serving our region with grant programs that celebrate community engagement among diverse creative disciplines. Funding is awarded through a competitive process wherein arts community members serve on peer review panels, separated by discipline, to evaluate each request. 

Thank you to the 35 community reviewers from the local arts community who evaluated these applications through generous discussion and review. We invite you all to celebrate this round on March 6th, from 5-8 pm, during RACC’s First Thursday Open House! RSVP here.

While incarcerated at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility (CCCF), Noelle St. John took the opportunity to paint multiple murals within the Oregon Department of Corrections. Proudly self-taught, her mural within the medium facility garnered much admiration allowing her to paint most of the housing unit with minimum. Noelle was released back to her community on September 23rd, 2022, after 7 years of incarceration. RACC Arts3C Grantee Growing Gardens received financial support from RACC to support her re-entry, to beautify the building, and to showcase to our local neighborhood that artistic skill can be grown in all places by contracting Noelle to paint a mural on the front of Growing Gardens. Photo courtesy of Growing Gardens and Sara Beasely. 

This round of grantees exemplifies our mission to enrich our communities through arts and culture. The work we support in our community enlivens our region in galleries, local businesses, parks, community centers, government buildings, libraries and health clinics; brings people and communities together; and makes our region a more vibrant and welcoming place to be. Stay tuned for new upcoming opportunities to grow your artistic career or your organization’s impact. 

Our commitment to serving you hasn’t changed. Our dedicated staff, many of which are artists themselves, are working hard to advocate for equitable support for arts and culture in our region and beyond. However, big transitions at all levels of government mean that the future of arts funding may also change. Want to stay involved? The City of Portland's Fiscal Year 2026 budget process is underway in the Mayor and City Administrator's offices. There will be more opportunities for public comment once the draft budget is released in March. Learn more about the schedule and leave budget feedback by following along here. 

During a celebratory opening event, artists who created public artworks for North Portland Library attended a meet and greet hosted by RACC, Ditroën Inc and LEVER Architecture. Visit the new Black Cultural Center and remodeled North Portland Library to view works by Sadé DuBoise, Melanie Stevens, Kayin Talton Davis, Arvie Smith, Nia Musiba, Latoya Lovely, Samantha Wall, Daren Todd, Philip Robinson, Lisa Jarrett and Jeremy Okai Davis, with more artwork to come later this year. Learn more about the library reopening in Street Roots!

Behind the scenes with Melanie Stevens for North Portland Library. 

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.