Small Grants Program (Portland Arts Project Grants)

Small Grants Program (Portland Arts Project Grants) is sponsored by Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC). The Small Grants Program provides funding to local artists, nonprofit organizations, and schools through partnerships. The Arts Project Grants support a wide range of artistic endeavors, emphasizing diversity and community impact.

Second Round of Portland Arts Project Grants Awards $1,220,000 to 274 Artists and Organizations - Regional Arts and Culture Council 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 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.

“At its core, this program is about trust in artists and the value they bring to our city,” said Patricia Rojas, Executive Director of the Regional Arts & Culture Council. “This second round of grants invests directly in the people and ideas shaping Portland’s cultural landscape, reinforcing that the arts are a shared public resource.

” This funding round continues RACC’s long-standing collaboration with the City of Portland’s Office of Arts & Culture, expanding access to resources for artists and organizations throughout the city. 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.

Grant awards were determined through a competitive, peer-led review process grounded in community knowledge and disciplinary expertise. “These Portland Arts Project Grants help sustain Portland’s arts ecosystem by awarding funds to individual artists, arts and culture organizations, and creative businesses,” said Office of Arts & Culture Director Chariti Montez.

“Projects funded through these grants are vital—underpinning many of the arts and culture experiences enjoyed by Portlanders all year long. ” For this round, RACC received 625 applications, which were evaluated by 19 peer review panels composed of 38 community reviewers from across Portland’s arts and culture sector.

Reviewers assessed proposals based on artistic quality, project concept, community engagement, public benefit, readiness to carry out the project, and alignment with RACC’s values and the City of Portland’s commitment to inclusive service. “The range of projects funded in this round speaks to the creativity, care, and ambition of Portland’s artists,” said Ingrid Carlson, Senior Programs Officer at RACC.

“It’s especially meaningful to facilitate a process that engages the community in allocating public funds. It wouldn’t be possible without the numerous creative professionals who thoughtfully serve on the review panels or the incredible team who work together to manage a values-driven process. ” Please find a full list of grantees here .

Meech Boakye, Communications Lead, RACC, mboakye@racc. org Kelly Knickerbocker, Communications Coordinator, Office of Arts & Culture, kelly. knickerbocker@portlandoregon.

gov About the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) For decades, RACC has aimed to serve every neighborhood of our region to ensure that arts and culture are accessible to all. Our nationally acclaimed public art program enlivens 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.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we work to elevate the voices and visibility of individual artists, creative organizations and arts nonprofits – especially those that serve underrepresented communities – amplifying their impact through grants, professional development and other vital resources.

Through strategic partnerships, our team works to build coalitions and lead new initiatives, crafting a shared vision for an equitable future for arts and culture in our region. For more information, please visit racc. org .

About the Office of Arts & Culture at the City of Portland Arts and culture are integral to our community and vital to Portland’s identity as a center of creativity. Artists and creatives help define Portland’s culture, fuels its economy, and enhance the quality of life for the people who call it home.

The City of Portland’s Office of Arts & Culture celebrates and supports Portland’s creative economy, expanding opportunities for Portlanders to participate in creative experiences through arts education coordination, cultural planning, grantmaking, public art and the Percent for Art program, and more. Our vision: arts at the center of public life in Portland. Learn more at portland.

gov/arts .