People
imagine Portland becoming a regional cultural hub for
the Pacific Northwest.
Portland is felt by many to “pack a lot of culture
into a relatively small city,” although others feel
that Portland should have a much more vibrant artistic
and cultural scene. Portlanders value being able to
access artistic and cultural events in the downtown
as well as within their neighborhoods and would like
to see even more neighborhood and community-based cultural
endeavors. They value the city’s vibrant music, film,
literary and theatre scenes and imagine these becoming
even more vibrant and well-known in coming years. However,
there are fears that our collective appreciation for
art and culture will dissipate over time if music and
arts aren’t reintroduced into public school curricula.
There is also a call for “more events that bring members
from all communities together” and more opportunities
to highlight the arts and culture of
ethnically diverse groups.
Notes: This chapter refers to arts
and culture broadly, as well as access to artistic and
cultural offerings. For views on Portland’s unique cultural
identity as a city (e.g. Do It Yourself or "DIY" culture,
biking culture,) please see Urban Livability: The People.
There is substantial overlap
between this chapter and Urban Livability: Entertainment,
as many artistic and cultural offerings are enjoyed
as forms of entertainment. However, that chapter covers
other forms of entertainment such as sports and late-night
entertainment while this chapter covers some forms of
artistic and cultural expression not commonly thought
of as entertainment.
- Portlanders
want access to diverse and innovative forms of artistic
and cultural expression.
- Portland
should aspire to regional excellence in creative endeavors.
- People want Portland to become a national leader in community support for the arts.
- Arts and culture must be
present in schools.
- Ethnically diverse groups
need more support for their arts and culture.
- Portlanders
want access to diverse and innovative forms
of artistic and cultural expression.
- Many Portlanders cite with appreciation
the abundance of artistic and cultural opportunities
currently available downtown and in some of
the city’s neighborhood districts. Particularly
cherished are:
- Cultural activities in the commons such
as Festa Italiana and Salsa en la Calle;
- Outside performances, such as concerts
in the park and free rehearsals of the
Oregon Ballet Theatre orchestra; and
- The city’s vibrant literary, theater
and film scenes.
- Many respondents call for even more access
to artistic and cultural offerings in neighborhoods
as well as better public transportation to
connect them to artistic offerings downtown.
- Portlanders want art and culture to surround
them in their daily lives and call for:
- More public art all over the city and
not just downtown;
- More affordable museum access;
- More cultural festivals;
- More museums; and
- More grassroots, community and neighborhood-based
art.
- A smaller number of respondents also cite
the need for art that pushes boundaries, calling
for public art that is “less politically correct” and more
daring and inspirational.
- A number of respondents would also like
to see more diverse audiences for the arts,
including more ethnic and socio-economic diversity
among artistic and cultural event atendees.
| “[What
I value most is] the Farmers’ Markets,
park events, music events: you can be
exposed to culture and art even without
having to spend a lot of money.”
|
| "The
presence of public art throughout the
city will help to broaden the populace
and will inspire an open dialogue between
the citizenry. Art begets art, so this
increase will likely translate into more
attendance at theatre, concerts, and dance
performances throughout the area.” |
- “Provide ways that the everyday
person can afford to attend live theater.
In New York City, the Theater Development
Fund
makes it very affordable to visit the theater.”
- “Our great arts and cultural events need
to be more readily exposed for the general
public to peruse and pick from. We need a
great clearinghouse to post all events in
the city—posted by categories.”
- Create a “Free Museum Day” once a month
or provide discounted entry to people who
use public transportation.
- Improve public transportation so individuals
in outlying areas can more easily access artistic
and cultural offerings.
- Put high-quality murals inside public buildings
and on public transportation, replacing advertising.
- Have libraries open for longer hours to
promote book readings, literary events and
other neighborhood artistic and cultural activities.
- Portland
should aspire to regional excellence in creative
endeavors.
- A number of respondents voice the opinion
that Portland could have an even more dynamic
artistic and cultural scene.
- These Portlanders call for more artistic
risk-taking as well as greater levels of community
support for the arts.
- A few respondents imagine Portland evolving
into a sought-out destination for high-quality
artists and performers from all over the world.
They would like Portland to attract “big names”
in theater, music and the visual and performing
arts.
- Others imagine Portland becoming a national
leader in arts and culture, while an even
larger number imagine Portland becoming at
the very least a regional center of excellence
in arts and culture.
| “[I
would like to see] a bustling art scene
that is more cutting edge and avante garde
than the boring stuff I see in most galleries
in the Pearl right now.” |
| “I
see Portland as a major cultural destination
in 20 years.” |
| “[In
2030] Portland is known as the exemplary
creative center in the Northwest, just
as it set an example for Public Art innovation
early on. Because Portland is known as
a creative, innovative, center, it draws
creatively intelligent business people
and tourism.” |
- More museums, including a museum
of modern art that rivals that of San Francisco.
- People want Portland to become a national leader in community support for the arts.
- There are many calls to better support
arts and culture at all levels and from all
sectors, including corporations, the local
government, philanthropists and community
members.
- Many people see support for a “culture of
creativity” as essential to maintaining Portland’s
desirability as a place to live and do business.
- There appears to be strong support for the
“One Percent for Art” program, with many respondents
citing this as an essential tool for keeping
the arts alive in Portland.
- A number of respondents request more support
for small theater groups and lesser-known
artists, including affordable/adequate performance
space, gallery space and live/work space.
| “[In
2030] there would be music and theater
going on all over, on the streets and
in public and private places. And that
music and theater would be supported by
government at all levels and by businesses,
as well as by the audiences.” |
| “Create
programs that nurture local small business,
local artists, local visionaries, instead
of trying to lure big industries here
to create jobs – we can create our own
and ultimately have much more stability.” |
- “The one percent for art: include
musicians and other performing artists, not
just public sculptors, as beneficiaries of
that.”
- “Please have the city give rent to artists…and
fill all the vacant buildings and store fronts—especially
along Fremont 20th-82nd and Glisan (MLK to
122nd). Blank store areas promote crime yet
artists would put energy and creativity into
a neighborhood community…”
- Support individual artists (not just nonprofits
or groups) with funds for projects. Create
small grants so individuals can put into action
their visions for a better neighborhood or
community.
- Arts
and culture must be present in schools.
- A number of respondents noted that early
exposure to arts in the schools builds a lifelong
appreciation for arts and culture in students,
as well as fostering students’ own creative
abilities and talents.
- Many respondents expressed concern that
tomorrow’s corporate, philanthropic and community
leaders will place less emphasis on supporting
the arts if they are not exposed to the arts
as children.
- Including the arts in school curriculum is essential
to maintaining our cultural and creative vitality
into the future.
- Some respondents noted that the arts must
not only be present in schools, but must be
well-integrated into school curriculums for
maximum benefit to students and the community.
| “The
arts programs are being cut from schools,
which I believe is devaluing creativity,
diversity, and culture.” |
| “The
children are the future. They need to
be exposed to the arts as it relates to
the cultures of the world and interrelates
to the curriculum in the schools. Only
then can we be sure there is a true appreciation
of the talents in our city…” |
- Provide tax breaks for artists
who volunteer in the schools.
- “Find a way to include artists in the teaching
staff who are accomplished in the field but
may not have teaching degrees.”
- “Advocate for the role arts, education
and the economy play together, not independently.
A ‘good’ kind of co-dependence.”
- Ethnically
diverse groups need more support for their
arts and culture.
- A number of respondents call for more cultural
activities that appeal to minority
populations. Specifically, more movies, plays,
restaurants and cultural festivals catered to African Americans, Native Americans, Asian
Americans and other ethnic minorities.
- There is also a need to provide greater
financial support and visibility to artists,
performers and cultural creatives from diverse
ethnic communities. A handful of respondents
specifically mention the need to provide greater
support to Native American and African American
artists.
- Many respondents see arts and culture as
a means of generating greater understanding
and acceptance between members of different
ethnic, socioeconomic and cultural groups.
| "I
would also like to see more interaction
between the city’s diverse cultural and
social pockets, resulting in creative
projects that bridge economic racial,
and cultural divides.” |
- Host a Juneteenth Festival on
the waterfront similar in size and scope
to the Cinco de Mayo Festival.
|
 | 
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
