Art Notes: RACC Opportunities & News

Advocates Help Secure Funding for Arts Partners

On April 15, we learned that critical funding for Arts Partners was not included in the proposed City of Portland FY09 budget. So the next day, RACC sent out a Call to Action that encouraged arts advocates to email Mayor Potter and the Portland City Commissioners and ask for their support. A few days later, those who sent emails received this fantastic reply from the Mayor’s Office: “In consideration for the strong community support for this program, Mayor Potter will ensure that Arts Partners is included in the Proposed City Budget at the initial request of $150,000. Arts is an essential part of every child's education, and we are proud to support Arts Partners.” On behalf of everyone involved in this collaboration, RACC would like to thank those who took the time to be an advocate on this issue. Your voice made a difference!

Tri-County Candidates Respond to Arts & Culture Questionnaire

RACC has posted the responses to an arts and culture questionnaire sent to the 65 candidates running for office in Portland, Metro, Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties. Visit www.racc.org or NW Business for Culture and the Arts at www.nwbca.org. We encourage our readers to consider the candidates’ position on these important issues when they vote. Ballots go out around May 2. Deadline to mail in your ballot is May 20.

Photo: William Rihel

Sunshine Dairy Foods & Work for Art celebrate a new unique partnership

The Dairy will donate 1% of yogurt and sour cream sales to Work for Art, RACC's workplacing giving program, which will then be matched dollar-for-dollar by a special public fund and passed on to arts and culture organizations in the Portland metropolitan area. At right, staff at Sunshine Dairy Foods receive drum instructions from Portland Taiko’s Michelle Fujii (at far right), during the April 10th employee giving campaign. For more on Work for Art visit www.workforart.org.

Upcoming Artists Workshops in May & June

RACC is offering professional development workshops for working artists in all disciplines through June 2008. See a complete listing of workshops and register at www.racc.org/workshops. Below are the two workshops still open:

• 5/16 Grant Writing for Success—102. This advanced workshop is for individual artists who want to improve their chances of success in winning grants.
• 6/27 Will Click for Art. Online marketing workshop for artists and organizations. (workshop just added)

City Hall’s First Thursday on May 1st: Art in our Future: City Hall Youth Art Show

From painting and drawing to sculpture and performance, the spotlight will be firmly focused on the rich talent of Portland’s young artists. City Hall is excited to open its gallery space for the next generation of creative thinkers to exhibit their amazing work! Featuring work from: Buckman Arts Focus School, The Children’s Healing Art Project, Young, Gifted, and Black Art Competition in collaboration with the African American Visual Arts Scholarship project. 5-7pm at City Hall, 1221 SW 4th, Portland, www.commissionersam.com/youthart.

RACC presents Pattern from May12-June 6

Pattern: Exploration & Meaning of the Details by Jessie Smith. Elements of pattern that surround our daily lives will be at the heart of this mixed media installation. Various patterns will spill off of a bed placed in the space, travel across the floor and up the walls, graphically encompassing the space with multiple shapes and colors. Smith is currently a BFA student at Portland State University. The Portland Building Installation Space at 1120 SW 5th Avenue is open to the public from 7am - 6pm, Monday through Friday. To see visuals of past temporary installations, click here.

Summer Art Camps Listings

RACC is providing a listing of summer art camps in the tri-county region. Camps that offer all artistic disciplines are listed here. If you want to submit a listing, please email mbauer@racc.org.