Oregon Arts Commission Awards $1.2 Million to 154 Arts Organizations

Oregon Arts Commission Awards $1.2 Million to 154 Arts Organizations

by | Jan 22, 2022 | Art, Events, Features, News

Salem, OR. “We often hear that operating support is the most important type of award,” said Arts Commission Chair Jenny Green. “Especially now, as arts organizations struggle to recover from losses caused by the pandemic, these awards help relieve a bit of the economic pressure.”

Grants totaling $1,265,166 will be distributed to 154 Oregon arts organizations through the Oregon Arts Commission’s fiscal year 2022 Operating Support Program. Including Artists Repertory Theatre (A.R.T), which received $10,490. Seen above is a photo by Owen Carey of A.R.T’s production of The Miracle Worker. There are six more recipients than in the fiscal year 2021 due to a growing number of eligible organizations. Ranging from $2,000 to $ 25,000, the grant awards are available to nonprofit organizations with arts at the core of their mission and budgets over $150,000.

One of the largest grants was one made to Oregon Symphony for $25,000.

In 2019 organizations receiving Operating Support from the Arts Commission expended $213 million, employed 11,681 FTE and produced events and activities that were attended by close to 3.7 million people. *Organizations with budgets under $150,000 are eligible to apply to the Small Operating Program. This program funds an additional 109 arts organizations.

The fiscal year 2022 Operating Support Grants, in the Portland Metro area were awarded to the following nonprofits:

45th Parallel, Portland: $4,899,

Alberta Abbey Foundation, Portland: $6,147,

All Classical Public Media, Inc., Portland: $11,900,

Artichoke Community Music, Portland: $5,934,

Art In The Pearl, Portland: $4,899’

Artists Repertory Theatre, Portland: $10,490,

A-WOL Dance Collective, Inc., Clackamas: $4,899,

Bag & Baggage Productions, Inc., Hillsboro: $7,531,

BodyVox Inc., Portland: $13,521,

Bosco-Milligan Foundation, Portland: $5,435,

Broadway Rose Theatre Company, Tigard: $11,265,

Caldera, Portland: $13,091,

Camp45 Contemporary, Portland: $5,506,

Cappella Romana Inc., Portland: $7,997,

Chamber Music Northwest, Portland: $13,226,

Children’s Healing Art Project, Portland: $4,899,

Clackamas County Arts Alliance, Oregon City: $8,360,

Clackamas Repertory Theatre, Oregon City: $4,899,

CoHo Productions Ltd, Portland: $4,899,

Corrib Theatre, Portland: $4,899,

Curious Comedy Productions, Portland: $6,657,

Echo Theater Company, Portland: $5,620,

Ethos Inc., Portland: $8,230,

Film Action Oregon dba Hollywood Theatre, Portland: $8,794,

Friends of Chamber Music, Portland: $9,200,

Hand2Mouth, Portland: $4,899,

Imago the Theatre Mask Ensemble, Portland: $4,899,

In a Landscape, Portland: $4,899

Independent Publishing Resource Center Inc., Portland: $7,330

Lakewood Theatre Company, Lake Oswego: $11,535

Literary Arts Inc., Portland: $14,004

Live Wire Radio, Portland: $8,705,

MetroEast Community Media, Gresham: $11,970,

Metropolitan Youth Symphony, Portland: $10,421,

Miracle Theatre Group, Portland: $20,854,

Music Workshop, Portland: $4,899,

My Voice Music, Portland: $6,511 Northwest Children’s Theater & School Inc., Portland: $11,162,

Northwest Professional Dance Project, Portland: $11,245,

Old Church Society, Inc., Portland: $7,353,

Open Signal, Portland: $15,965,

Oregon Ballet Theatre, Portland: $11,114,

Oregon BRAVO Youth Orchestras, Portland: $9,670,

Oregon Center for Contemporary Art, Portland: $11,010,

Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts, Portland: $6,116,

Oregon Children’s Theatre Company, Portland: $14,975,

Oregon Repertory Singers, Gladstone: $5,400,

Oregon Symphony, Portland: $25,000,

Outside the Frame, Portland: $5,630,

Pacific Youth Choir, Portland: $7,512,

PHAME Academy, Portland: $9,318,

Polaris Dance Company, Portland: $7,833,

Portland Actors Conservatory, Portland: $4,899,

Portland Art Museum, Portland: $25,000,

Portland Baroque Orchestra, Portland: $11,637,

Portland Center Stage, Portland: $19,018,

Portland Columbia Symphony, Portland: $4,899,

Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble, Portland: $4,899,

Portland Gay Men’s Chorus Inc., Portland: $7,490,

Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Portland: $13,489,

Portland Jazz Festival, Inc. dba PDX Jazz, Portland: $9,072,

Portland Opera Association, Portland: $22,309,

Portland Piano International, Portland: $6,442,

Portland Playhouse, Portland: $11,431,

Portland Street Art Alliance, Portland: $5,131,

Portland Symphonic Choir, Portland: $4,899,

Portland Youth Philharmonic, Portland: $7,642,

Profile Theatre Project, Portland: $7,477,

Regional Arts & Culture Council, Portland: $25,000,

Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls, Portland: $4,899,

Shaking the Tree Theatre, Portland: $4,899,

Stumptown Stages, Lake Oswego: $4,899,

The Circus Project, Portland: $8,966,

The Portland Ballet, Portland: $8,667,

The Red Door Project, Portland: $7,939,

Third Angle New Music Ensemble, Portland: $5,217,

Third Rail Repertory Theatre, Portland: $8,611,

triangle productions, Portland: $6,178,

Vibe of Portland, Portland: $4,899,

Western Alliance of Arts Administrators, Portland: $6,972,

White Bird, Portland: $11,124,

Write Around Portland, Portland: $9,822,

Young Audiences of Oregon, Portland: $8,192,

Young Musicians & Artists, Portland: $4,899,

Youth Music Project, West Linn: $6,390,

From The Oregon Arts Commission:

The Oregon Arts Commission provides leadership, funding and arts programs through its grants, special initiatives and services. Nine commissioners, appointed by the Governor, determine arts needs and establish policies for public support of the arts. The Arts Commission became part of Business Oregon (formerly Oregon Economic and Community Development Department) in 1993, in recognition of the expanding role the arts play in the broader social, economic and educational arenas of Oregon communities. In 2003, the Oregon legislature moved the operations of the Oregon Cultural Trust to the Arts Commission, streamlining operations and making use of the Commission’s expertise in grantmaking, arts and cultural information and community cultural development. The Arts Commission is supported with general funds appropriated by the Oregon legislature and with federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts as well as funds from the Oregon Cultural Trust. More information about the Oregon Arts Commission is available online at: www.oregonartscommission.org.

Portland Youth Philharmonic Musicians Adapt to Virtual Practices and Performances

Portland Youth Philharmonic Musicians Adapt to Virtual Practices and Performances

by | Jul 10, 2020 | Art, Events, Features, nonprofit

Portland, OR. In the midst of a global pandemic, the Portland Youth Philharmonic is finding new ways to connect musicians with each other as well as the community at large. Following the cancellation of its 96th concert season, musicians and directors have replaced in-person practices, concerts and lectures with Zoom calls, YouTube videos and Facebook live streams.

As the PYP continues to adapt to COVID-related changes, the public can engage with the nonprofit via Facebook and YouTube, where PYP posts live streams and a series of video talks entitled “Conversations with the Conductor.” Young musicians interested in joining the PYP may submit virtual auditions in preparation for next year’s season. You can see an example below:

Society Page interviewed four young musicians and composers — 14-year-old violinist Francie Lenhart, 11-year-old double bassist Rowan Lenhart, 13-year-old violinist Haruka Sakiyama, and 15-year-old violinist Koharu Sakiyama — to learn their perspectives on the changes they have had to make. 

In general, these musicians find virtual practices challenging. “You don’t actually get to hear your teachers or your actual sounds,” Haruka Sakiyama, explains. The musicians also point to technical glitches as a major setback: Rowan explains that the audio sometimes takes on a metallic quality or sounds as if the teacher is underwater.

Nevertheless, the musicians offer positives to the situation, all while keeping their good humor. “We don’t have to do the long car ride to practice,” says violinist Francie Lenhart, laughing. Haruka cites increased family time as a positive, while Koharu states: “In some ways, things are less chaotic. We have more time to just concentrate on practicing.”

From the Portland Youth Philharmonic’s website: In 1924, a group of visionary citizens established the Portland Junior Symphony Association (later renamed the Portland Youth Philharmonic Association or PYP for short). Building on the pioneering work of Mary V. Dodge, whose Irvington School Orchestra was the nucleus of the first Junior Symphony, the Association engaged Russian émigré Jacques Gershkovitch as conductor. PYP is the oldest youth orchestra in the United States. The structure and standards that it established for training young musicians in the 1920s became the prototype for youth orchestras across the country.

Over the years, thousands of young musicians have played in one or more of PYP’s ensembles. Some have gone on to professional careers in orchestras across the country, including the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony, the National Symphony, the St. Louis Symphony, the Oregon Symphony, as well as Juilliard and American String Quartets. Others have achieved great success in teaching music or exploring non-musical fields, while continuing to be accomplished amateur musicians and active supporters of the arts in their communities. Alumni often attribute much of their success in life to the discipline and teamwork they experienced as members of the Portland Youth Philharmonic.

Portland Youth Philharmonic and Joy’s Uptown Style Host Benefit Fashion Show

Portland Youth Philharmonic and Joy’s Uptown Style Host Benefit Fashion Show

by | Nov 15, 2013 | Events, Features, Uncategorized

Portland, October 17th, 2013. The Portland Youth Philharmonic and Joy’s Uptown Style presented a Fall Fashion Show, “Beauty of Music,” at the Multnomah Athletic Club. The event raised over $15,000 for the Victor Frederick Walton Memorial Scholarship Fund, which honors Victor Walton, a former elementary school music teacher at Kinnaman Elementary in Aloha, OR and former bassoonist with PYP. Pictured are: his mother, Arleen Walton, Debora Walton (Victor’s widow), Joshua Michael John (former student of Victor’s), Jan Ahrens John (Past President of the PYP Board of Directors and Chairperson for the PYP Fall Fashion and Donald Walton. (photo credit, Brenda Hummelt)

Jan Ahrens John and Joshua John, bassonist. Photo Credit: Brenda Hummelt

Jan Ahrens John and Joshua John, bassoonist.(Photo Credit: Brenda Hummelt)

Joy Walker, owner of Joy’s Uptown Style. Photo Credit: Paul Rich Studio

The Runway show. Photo Credit: Paul Rich Studio

Mr. Walton passed away in May 2011 from A.L.S. (Lou Gehrig’s disease). Guests were treated to music by Samuel Zacharia, a young violist with PYP who has already earned high praise from world renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman; as well as Joshua Michael John, a PYP bassoon alumnus who studied with Victor Walton.

Mr John is now completing his master’s degree in music and “playing it forward” as he continues to teach and mentor using many of the same techniques Victor impressed upon him. The highlight of the evening was a fashion show produced by Joy Walker of Joy’s Uptown Style featuring nine models: Gail Armstrong, Shannon Day, Grace Holland, Jennifer Lamb, Linda Leblond, Najela Scott, Ren`e Steelman and Christine Wooley. Contributions to the Victor Frederick Walton Memorial Scholarship Fund can still be made by contacting the Portland Youth Philharmonic office at 503.223.5939.  

PYP Board Past President Jan John said, “There is no question that Victor would be thrilled to know that a scholarship program has been created in his name that will allow other students the opportunity to play in PYP by providing financial aid or funding private lessons from qualified music teachers.”