November 2007

· IN THIS ISSUE ·

• Feature: Public Art and Private Intersections
• From the Executive Director: Eloise Damrosch
• Art Spark Party ignites Creative Community
• Arts Partner seeks Community Input
• November South Waterfront Artist Residency: Dmae Roberts
• First Thursday at City Hall, Nov 1
• Lightship at the Portland Building through Nov 9
• Second Chance Screens Nov 13
• Give to the Oregon Cultural Trust Before December 31

• Current RACC Opportunities:
  • Public Art
  • Grants
  • Internship
• November Events Funded in part by RACC:
  • Character, an exhibition by Stephen Slappe
  • Hidden Stories, installations of paintings by Trude Parkinson
  • NW Film Center: 34th Northwest Film & Video Festival
  • Portland Youth Philharmonic: Opening Fall Concert of 84th Season
  • Conduit Dance presents Charged: Dance Uncovered

Public Art and Private Intersections

Dedication of Lee Kelly Sculpture, Oct 12, 2007, off W. Burnside near PGE Park with (from left to right) Jeff Bachrach, Chair of HAP; Howard Shaprio; Commissioner Eric Sten; (back row) Ethan Seltzer, PSU; Tom Cody, Gerding Edlen; and artist Lee Kelly. Photo: Justine Avera.

Public art has been a part of Portland since its first piece, the Skidmore Fountain, was installed in 1888. Most early pieces were gifts to the city by generous private citizens. In 1980 Multnomah County and the City of Portland passed their first Percent for Art Ordinances mandating that public art be part of all publicly funded capital construction projects. Since then Metro, Tri-Met, the Port of Portland, and smaller regional cities have adopted public art programs. But only fairly recently have private developers seized the opportunity to include publicly accessible art in their projects, because they understand and appreciate its ability to add interest, beauty and complexity to new spaces in our region. RACC is pleased to highlight some recent successes.

The Civic and The Morrison
On October 12, 2007 a new public space and sculpture were dedicated between Gerding Edlen’s new condo tower, the Civic, and the Housing Authority of Portland’s mixed income project, The Morrison. Located on SW 18th between Burnside and Morrison, this highly visible project provides a mix of housing offerings, as well as a new public space between the structures for residents and neighbors to enjoy, and a major public art installation by Portland sculptor Lee Kelly (above, far right).

It all came about when Gerding Edlen, HAP and the Regional Arts & Culture Council joined forces. HAP wanted to honor longtime housing leader and arts patron, Howard Shapiro (above, center), and chose to name the new pedestrian street Howard’s Way. The three partners jointly selected Lee Kelly to create the 4 pieces and funds were contributed by the private and public developers and RACC (City Percent for Art dollars). This is a great example of vision, teamwork, and commitment of resources to create a wonderful new place for people.

Art in South Waterfront
At the other end of downtown as a new neighborhood rises from the ground, developers have committed to another form of public art. The South Waterfront Artist in Residence (AiR) Program is a 13-month creative cycle, September 2007 - September 2008, that is devoted to place-making. Conceived and directed by dance artist Linda K. Johnson, the program is designed as an opportunity for artists working in a variety of media––movement, sound, installation, photography, theater, the written word and others––to create site-relevant work that both interprets the emerging texture and voice of the SWF district and adds their own vision and perspective to it. Funded through a grant from the district’s lead developers, Williams and Dame and Gerding Edlen, the AiR Program is a chance for the entire city to reflect on the relationship among place, person and community and how they contribute to Portland’s uniqueness. All performances and events associated with the AiR Program are free and open to the public.

Hum, part of an installation, Nocturnal Notations by Dana Lynn Louis, created during her October 2007 South Waterfront Artist Residency

The AiR program features, daily, weekly and year-long projects by Johnson, as well as the 13-month Guest Artist Series, First Saturday Salons, and several large-scale summer events. The AiR Storefront Studio on the ground floor of the John Ross forms the hub of activity. With daily office hours, the studio gives neighborhood residents and visitors easy access to the participating artists and the projects that they are/will be creating, as well as serving as a site for lectures, gatherings and community forums. At the conclusion the entire project will be captured in a catalogue available in January 2009. For additional information about the program, the artists and the work in process, please go to www.southwaterfront.com/art_and_design/artist or artistinresidence@southwaterfront.com. This highly creative series sets the tone for future permanent and temporary public art funded by the construction of new public and private spaces. RACC salutes all involved for this innovative approach to public art so fitting for a new and evolving neighborhood.

Maintenance Partnerships
No matter who funds new public art someone must also pay for its maintenance. Even care of the most straightforward outdoor works (ie. your basic bronze in the park) can cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars each year. RACC is lucky to have some great partners to meet these needs. For example, the Oregon Holocaust Resource Center, which donated the Oregon Holocaust Memorial to the City, finances the upkeep. RACC partners with the local chapter of the Theodore Roosevelt Association to help keep Theodore Roosevelt, Rough Rider, on the South Park blocks in prime condition, while The Friends of History at PSU underwrite the cleaning of Abraham Lincoln just down the block. An individual anonymous donor supports yearly care of the Elk sculpture on SW Main, and RACC partners with the Portland Bureau of Water Works for the care and restoration of a number of Portland area fountains with art components.

RACC thanks all of the public and private groups and individuals who generously contribute to the preservation of our cultural heritage and to the growth of our public art collection. These are great examples of “the Portland way” – accomplishing together what would be difficult or impossible to accomplish alone.

From RACC Executive Director: Eloise Damrosch Perhaps all this early rain is advantageous, at least to our Grants staffers here at RACC, because they are deep into applications and panels for Project and Professional Development grants for artists and arts organizations. While we cannot announce recipients until the second week of December, we can share some interesting trends we are seeing at this point in our processes. In the pool of Project Grant applications for 2008, more Visual and Multi-disciplinary artists are applying, while fewer grant requests have come in for Neighborhood Arts, Dance, and Media Arts. Also interesting is that while last year many projects addressed the Iraq War, this year’s content focus is on environmental and immigration issues. When this grant cycle is finished it will be valuable to look carefully at the results to see if and how numbers reflect our changing population, demographics, and artists’ interests. This year we are able to bump up the maximum amount awarded in Project Grants from $5,000 to $6,000 and in Professional Development Grants from $1,500 to $2,000. These increases are made possible due to additional funds from all but one of our public funders, and continued strong growth of Work for Art. Thanks to our elected officials and workplace donors in Portland and all three counties… and may this direction continue! Eloise can be reached at edamrosch@racc.org.

Art Spark Party ignites Creative Community

Photo: Bill Barry

Fortified by a dry martini, Gavin Shettler (at right) of the Portland Art Center converses with City Commissioner Sam Adams at the Art Spark Party on Oct 23, when over 100 local artists and their supporters gathered at Holocene to meet and share ideas. To see how you can get involved with Creative Capacity, see www.creativecapacity.org.

Arts Partner seeks Community Input

Arts Partners is a new initiative to integrate arts and culture into every classroom in the Portland metropolitan area. Community meetings have been scheduled throughout the region designed to identify the educational priorities of the community, essential to the development of a mutually agreed upon agenda for arts education in the region. Your voice is important! To see a schedule for November visit www.racc.org/artspartners or call Marci Cochran at 503.823.5111.

November South Waterfront Artist Residency: Dmae Roberts

Aritst Dmae Roberts on left

Peabody award-winning Writer/Radio Producer Dmae Roberts will be offering a series of writing salons on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings as the focus of her November residency, entitled can I tell you something? Dmae is the 3rd artist in a 13-month series of guest exhibitors who will be developing site-specific works in Portland’s newest urban neighborhood -- South Waterfront. (see this month’s feature article above). With the goal of unearthing stories, images, dreams and secrets, these salons are open to SWF residents, as well the general public. Dmae will work with Visual Artist Ping Khaw to create a final portrait with sound and imagery that will be presented on 11/28 in the AiR Storefront Studio, SW River Parkway at Gaines in the John Ross. Contact: artistinresidence@southwaterfront.com. Come meet Dmae at the First Saturday Salon open house on Saturday 11/3 from 11am-1pm at the AiR Storefront Studio, The South Waterfront Artist in Residence Program (9/07-9/08) is directed by Linda K. Johnson. RACC served as advisor to the program. All events are free and open to the public. Visit www.southwaterfront.com.

First Thursday at City Hall, Nov 1

Artist Naj Ford honors Senator Margaret Carter

Portland City Hall celebrates First Thursday each month by exhibiting local artists. Commissioners Adams, Leonard, and Sten celebrate History of Our Region with paintings of women of color by 9 young participants of Project Look Up. Commissioner Saltzman will feature Portland artist Jennifer Kapnek (www.jenniferkapnek.com). Also featured will be Native American dancers from NAYA, a display about homelessness/transition, and a pet adoption event in the lower level. Refreshments provided. 5-7pm City Hall, 1221 SW 4th, Portland.

Lightship at the Portland Building through Nov 9

RACC presents the installation, Lightship, by Portland artist Noah Nakell in the Portland Building Installation Space. When a visitor approaches the space, they see a full scale window frame in the middle of a wall with a window shade closed to about 6 inches above the sill. Peering through this space, the viewer sees a night scene at sea with what appear to be large ocean swells and, across the water, a house lit by moonlight, afloat on the waves. The Portland Building, located at 1120 SW 5th Avenue, is open to the public from 7am - 6pm, Monday through Friday.

Second Chance Screens Nov 13

As part of the 34th Northwest Film & Video Festival, the NW Film Center premieres a new film, Second Chance, created by teenagers in the juvenile justice system. Working with filmmakers Brian Lindstrom and Brian Yazzie, the youth focused their cameras on the positive experiences of peers learning about the diverse career pathways available to them in healthcare, hospitality, public service, manufacturing and construction. As the story unfolds, their own personal testimonials are interwoven into the narrative, and the youth filmmakers begin to imagine and experience positive change in their own lives and futures. The Film Center and RACC Public Art partnered with the Multnomah County Department of Community Justice, Juvenile Services Division, and Worksystems, Inc., to enable these teenagers to make this film. 7pm, Whitsell Auditorium, 1219 SW Park, www.nwfilm.org.

Give to the Oregon Cultural Trust Before December 31

2007 is winding to a close, and it is time to start thinking wisely about your annual donation to the arts. Start by donating to your favorite non-profit art or cultural organizations (click here for a list of qualifying non-profits). Next, match your donations with a gift to the Oregon Cultural Trust of up to $500 for individuals, $1,000 for couples or $2,500 for businesses. If you do this by the end of the year, you can claim a tax credit for 100% of your Trust gift on your 2007 taxes. These donations help cultural programs throughout the Portland region and the state of Oregon. For more information visit www.culturaltrust.org.

Public Art

• Call to Artists for Zoobomb Public Art. RACC is pleased to invite artists from the Portland Metropolitan area to submit qualifications for a uniquely collaborative public art project with the Zoobomb and the City of Portland Office of Transportation. The total project budget is $10,000. Applications can be downloaded at www.racc.org or contact Kristin Calhoun, Public Art Manager, kcalhoun@racc.org, 503.823.5401. Deadline: 11/5/07.

Grants

• RACC Opportunity Grant Program is funded by the City of Portland and is designed to provide grants to Portland-based nonprofit arts and cultural organizations to help meet special opportunities or assist organizations with emergencies that arise during the year and that are not part of the applicant’s annual budget or regular programming. Visit www.racc.org for more information. Deadline for Intent to Apply: 2/6/08

Internship

• Creative Capacity Coordinator and City Hall Liaison. RACC is looking for an enthusiastic intern to help RACC and Commissioner Sam Adams’ Office develop a Creative Capacity initiative. The purpose of this effort is to build and support a sustainable creative community through prioritized strategies with clear costs and achievable ways to fund them. For more information on the intiative, visit www.creativecapacity.org. Over the next six months, the Creative Capacity initiative will be performing research on public opinion, best practices and methodologies for supporting the creative community in our region. This includes regular committee meetings, interviews and polling. This is an unpaid internship. For full description visit www.racc.org/opportunities. Deadline: 11/9/07.

Artist Stephen Slappe with filmmaker, Matt McCormick

Character, an exhibition by Stephen Slappe

November 1-24

Tilt Gallery and Project Space, 625 NW Everett #106, Portland, 908.616.5477
www.stephenslappe.com

Working in collaboration with twenty West Coast artists and filmmakers, Slappe has created a visual archive of characters from popular culture, past and present. Collaborators include: Ryan Alexander-Tanner, Craig Baldwin, Peter Burr, Jaclyn Campanaro, Daniel Duford, David Eckard, Geoffrey Ellis, Dan and Bean Gilsdorf, Emily Ginsburg, Midori Hirose, Jo Jackson, Edward C.H. King, Yoshihiro Kitai, Matt McCormick, Mack McFarland, Adam Sorensen, Julia Stoops, Edie Tsong, and Samantha Wall.

This project was funded in part by a RACC Project Grant

Walking Through Walls: Sign Posts, 2007

Hidden Stories, installations of paintings by Trude Parkinson

November 5-December 9

The Art Gym, Marylhurst University, 17600 Pacific Hwy, Marylhurst, 503.699.6243
www.marylhurst.edu

From 1995 to 2007, Trude Parkinson made four sets of paintings on panel and a series of watercolors, which are all are included in Hidden Stories. Parkinson’s work is about family and the stories that shape individuals. The exhibition also includes more than 20 paintings by David Airhart.

This event was funded in part by a RACC Project Grant

No Bikini, a film by Claudia Morgado Escanilla

NW Film Center: 34th Northwest Film & Video Festival

November 9-17

Whitsell Auditorium, Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park Ave., Portland, 503.221.1156
www.nwfilm.org

Over 35 films will be screened at this year’s Festival with a weighted amount of documentaries including feature length works from Irene Taylor Brodsky, Ian McCluskey (Eloquent Nude*), and Brian Lindstrom (Finding Normal*). Shorts programs will include a new short by Portland filmmaker Gus Van Sant, as well as many familiar filmmakers and new voices from throughout the region.

*Funded in part by a 2007 RACC Project Grant

Northwest Film Center, through the Portland Art Museum, receives General Support funding from RACC

PYP Bassonist, Josh John Photo: Courtesy PYP

Portland Youth Philharmonic: Opening Fall Concert of 84th Season

November 10

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, SW Broadway at Main, Portland, 503.223.5939
www.portlandyouthphil.org

This Fall Concert will feature Ken Selden, Conductor. For his appearance with PYP, Selden selected Debussy, La Mar; Saariaho, Asteroid 4179: Toutatis; and Rachmaninoff, Symphony Dances, Op. 45.

Portland Youth Philharmonic receives General Support funding from RACC

Conduit Dance presents Charged: Dance Uncovered

November 16-17

Conduit Dance, 918 SW Yamhill, #401, Portland, 503.221.5857
www.conduit-pdx.org

Charged is a juried program which supports the creation of new contemporary dance works by area choreographers. Diverse in content, style and medium, Charged encourages artists to bring new work to a live audience, and to experiment with new ways of crafting their work. The second edition of Charged features the work of Portland dance artists Suniti Dernovsek, Lauren Edson and Lizzie Karr.

This project was funded in part by a RACC Project Grant

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