Sean Andries Salem, Oregon – Sean Andries, the executive director of the Chehalem Cultural Center in Newberg, is the new chair of the Oregon Cultural Trust Board of Directors. Andries, elected unanimously at the Board’s Feb. 22 meeting, succeeds Niki Price, who had served as chair since 2021. George Kramer of Ashland continues to serve as vice chair. Andries, who lives in Tigard, first fell in love with art through the theater while growing up in the Rogue Valley amongst the audiences at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Over the years, he has worked for arts organizations of all shapes and s ..read more

Trust Manager Aili Schreiner, center, leads a 2023 “Conversations with Funders” discussion at the World Forestry Center in Portland. Salem, Ore. – Grant makers offering more than $5 million in funding for FY2025 will participate in the Oregon Cultural Trust’s 2024 “Conversations with Funders” events from March 25 through April 4. The five-stop series of open houses and information sessions will inform grant seekers about funding programs, available cultural resources and opportunities to discuss their projects and programming. Open houses from noon to 1 p.m. will allow grant seekers and orga ..read more

Artist Liza Mana Burns puts finishing touches on the Celebrate Oregon! mural. Photo by Athena Delene. Salem, Ore. – In recognition of Portland State University’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, the Oregon Cultural Trust will install a full-scale mural of its Celebrate Oregon! artwork in PSU’s Viking Pavilion on Tuesday, March 12. The 4 to 5:30 p.m. unveiling event is by invitation only but will be open to media. This is the first permanent installation of the artwork in the Portland area.* The event will feature performances by rising star Jimmie Herrod (of Pink Martini and America’s ..read more

enTaiko of Portland received a $20,000 FY2024 Cultural Trust grant award to support an inclusive, multi-sensory concert experience for deaf and hearing audiences.   Salem, Ore. – Oregonians investing in the Cultural Tax Credit contributed more than $5.4 million to support arts, heritage and humanities nonprofits in 2023, the Oregon Cultural Trust announced today. The total, which represents a 3.5 percent increase over calendar year 2022, will fund grant awards to cultural organizations across the state this summer and continue to build the Cultural Trust’s permanent fund, now valued at ..read more

Let the river run! An image created by artists Shelby David and Crystal Schenk that depicts the Salmon Run sculpture for the Oregon Coast Aquarium’s new lobby. In March 2024, a brand-new Salmon Run sculpture will greet visitors to Newport’s Oregon Coast Aquarium, supported by an Oregon Cultural Trust grant award. Designed by Portland-based artists Shelby Davis and Crystal Schenk, the Salmon Run “river” will be constructed out of blue copper mesh and hang from the lobby’s vaulted ceilings. While providing visitors with a warm welcome to the aquarium, the Salmon Run will also serve as an educa ..read more

The Old Church, Portland’s iconic performing arts venue, is getting a makeover. The Old Church ©Evrim Icoz Photography In winter 2024 the Old Church Society, which oversees the popular performing arts venue, will begin refurbishing its historic NW building with support from a Cultural Trust grant award. A fire-safety inspection last year found the venue’s sprinkler pipes had partially corroded. The grant will ensure the fire systems are up to code, allowing The Old Church (TOC) to maintain operations. Built between 1882 and1883, the church is a striking example of Carpenter Gothic style and ..read more

All My Relations is weaving a vibrant tapestry of culture and learning for K-12 students and families in Native communities across Oregon, thanks in part to a Cultural Trust grant award. A family photo taken during a recent All My Relations holiday gathering. Led by Native and Indigenous teaching artists, the Southern Oregon University (SOU) pre-college program offers an array of experiential learning opportunities. Participants can develop printmaking and quilting techniques or practice “powwow yoga” and indigenous folk music. At a recent holiday gathering, students and parents crafted ging ..read more

Oregon Poet Laureate Anis Mojgani presents Poetry Out a Window. Photo by Ellie Esterowitz. Salem, Oregon – The Oregon Poet Laureate Program is now accepting nominations for the state’s next poet laureate. The program is funded by the Oregon Cultural Trust and administered by Oregon Humanities. Over the course of a two-year-term, the Oregon Poet Laureate fosters the art of poetry, encourages literacy and learning, addresses central issues relating to the humanities and heritage and reflects on public life in Oregon. Nominations for the position will be accepted through Jan. 8, 2024. Poets may ..read more

One of 14 stained-glass windowpanes to be repaired at the Catherin Creek Community Center in the Historic Union Community Hall in Union. Salem, Ore. – A “Salmon Run” sculpture for the Oregon Coast Aquarium’s new lobby, a trauma- informed media arts program for social justice nonprofits at Portland’s Open Signal and preservation of the rite of passage ceremony for Warms Springs’ youth receiving their Indian names – those are just a few of the important arts, heritage and humanities projects to be supported by close to $3 million in FY2024 grant allocations from the Oregon Cultural Trust. FY20 ..read more

Governor Tina Kotek presents the Governor’s Award to Cultural Trust ED Brian Rogers. Governor Tina Kotek awarded the Cultural Trust’s Celebrate Oregon! float the Governor’s Award during the live television broadcast of the June 10 Portland Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade, citing it as the float that best depicts life in Oregon. It was the first time in 25 years that an Oregon Governor presented the award in person. “We are incredibly honored,” said Brian Rogers, Cultural Trust executive director. “The Celebrate Oregon! artwork was designed to reflect and respect our people and their cultur ..read more