| The City of Portland is in the process of restructuring how arts services — including grants and public art — are delivered beginning in July 2024. Rather than renewing a large and complex no-bid contract with the Regional Arts & Culture Council, the City is carefully exploring partnerships with RACC and other potential providers for arts-related services in the future. The City will maintain or increase its investments in artists and arts organizations throughout this process. Later this fall, the City will publish Requests for Proposals, seeking partners who can collaborate deeply with the City Arts Program to provide arts services in Portland in 2024 and beyond. Our goal is to develop contracts that feature more public process with stronger accountability measures, while limiting program management costs and administrative expenses. In the meantime, the Regional Arts & Culture Council (racc.org) continues to provide services on the City’s behalf. All grantmaking and public art activities will continue without changes through June 2024. For more information on the City’s plan and timeline, read our FAQ document. You can also read Portland City Commissioner Dan Ryan’s opinion piece in Oregon Arts Watch. Questions? Comments? Email us at cityartsprogram@portlandoregon.gov. |
 Join us for the District 3 Community Arts Talk Portland City Commissioner Dan Ryan and the City Arts Program are hosting a series of Arts Talks this October and November, spanning Portland’s new voting districts at East Portland Community Center, Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center, Mt. Scott Community Center, and Multnomah Arts Center. These discussions aim to foster a deeper connection with the community, delving into the transformative journey of the City Arts Program, the Arts Education & Access Fund, and the significance of our Monuments and Memorials. These interactive sessions will shed light on the current landscape of the arts in Portland — and we want to hear from you! Each session will feature comprehensive dialogue about the issues that matter most to Portlanders, with a Q&A period. Join us and be part of Portland’s arts evolution! Tuesday, October 17, 2023, from 6:00-7:30 pm at the Mt. Scott Community Center in District 3, 5530 SE 72nd Ave, Portland, OR 97206. RSVP by October 10 here. Tuesday, November 7, 2023 from 6:00-7:30 pm at East Portland Community Center in District 1, 740 SE 106th Avenue, Portland, OR 97216 Registration information will be included in the next City Arts newsletter. Thursday, November 9, 2023, from 6:00-7:30 pm at Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center in District 2, 5340 N Interstate Avenue, Portland, OR 97217 Registration information will be included in the next City Arts newsletter. Thursday, November 16, 2023, from 6:00-7:30 pm at Multnomah Arts Center in District 4, 7688 SW Capitol Highway, Portland, OR 97219 Registration information will be included in the next City Arts newsletter. |