Keep Portland Creative: What the Arts Need to Thrive

While this event is free, RSVPs are strongly encouraged to help us manage capacity. If you’re able, purchase a sliding scale donation ticket to support future events like this one.

[Register Here!]

About the Event

For residents and visitors alike, the arts are part of what makes Portland feel like Portland. That reputation isn’t just a vibe—it shows up in the numbers, too. Portland has one of the highest concentrations of artists in the country. And in most parts of the city, it only takes a few steps out your door to see it. Across Portland, arts districts like the Pearl, Alberta Street, and Mississippi Avenue draw people out to explore galleries, maker spaces, and take hands-on classes with artists in their studios.

Portland’s arts and culture ecosystem includes major institutions like Portland’5 Centers for the Arts, Portland Art Museum, and Portland Center Stage, as well as dozens of neighborhood-scale venues and arts education nonprofits working to help artists connect with audiences in their own communities. One example: Friends of Noise and their new all-ages music venue, The Off Beat in Kenton.

Join City Club of Portland’s Arts & Culture Committee at The Off Beat for a panel discussion of how to support and grow Portland’s vibrant arts scene. Arts leaders with experience in administration, policymaking, and workforce development will share ideas on investments and strategies to meet immediate funding needs and support long-term sustainability for artists and arts organizations.

About the Panelists

• Blake Shell, Executive and Artistic Director of Oregon Contemporary
• Veronica Bisesti, Executive Director of Portland Radio Project
• Michelle David, Principal of Michelle David Consulting | Former Grants Manager at the Prosper Portland Office of Events and Film | Former Arts, Music, and Culture Liaison to Ted Wheeler
• Andre Middleton, Executive Director of Friends of Noise (Moderator)

Thank You!

This event is made possible with support from Friends of Noise.

City Club of Portland relies on organizational sponsors to help underwrite the cost of bringing our programming to our members and the public. As a nonpartisan, impartial forum for civic dialogue, City Club accepts sponsorships from a wide spectrum of organizations. Our policies prevent sponsors from influencing the content of our programming. City Club is deeply grateful to all of our supporters.