Downtown Portland, March 2, 2023.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
In Portland, arts organizations are facing shrinking budgets, donor fatigue and other financial struggles. The city launched the Office of Arts & Culture last year, but Portland faces a $27 million budget gap. As people move out of Portland, an arts tax aimed at boosting the region’s arts and culture offerings might yield less money.
Blake Shell is the executive and artistic director of Oregon Contemporary. Marissa Wolf is the artistic director of Portland Center Stage. Kimberly Howard Wade is the executive director of Caldera, which serves young people in Portland and Sisters. And Darion Jones is the assistant director of the city’s Office of Arts & Culture. They join us with more about these challenges and what they mean for a city that prides itself on a robust arts and culture scene.
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