Arts & Culture
Reuse or Recylce the Tower of Power
The Office
Should we save this 190 foot tower? It's a soon-to-be former transmission tower on Ross Island, which we're thinking could be fitted with stained glass and reused as a monument. What do you think?
Posted by The Office on May 30, 2006
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Livability & Environment
What works in Work/Live?
The OfficeWe think Portland needs more work/live spaces where artists can devote time to living and working. The benefits are many--colalboration, cost savings, flexibility--but there are a lot of unknowns. For instance, what space is appropriate, and at what price? If affordability is key, can you sacrifice square feet? A dishwasher?...
Posted by The Office on May 30, 2006
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Regional Arts & Culture Council
June 1st Thursday--City Hall Celebrates Pride
The OfficeCity Hall 1st Thursday Celebrates Pride Thursday June 1st 5-7pm City Hall 1220 SW 4th Portland Come join us for a night of Queer art celebrating the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans Queer community at Portland’s City Hall. This historic 1st Thursday event is a collaboration with Portland’s City Council and...
Posted by The Office on May 25, 2006
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Events, Front Page
Alberta Art Hop--Surprising Synergies: City Hall 1st Thursday Retrospective Art Show
The OfficeSurprising Synergies: City Hall 1st Thursday Retrospective Art Show Come in from the heat and join us for this informal reception highlighting a diverse collection of past artists featured at the City Hall 1st Thursday art shows. Hop in to the Alberta St. Pub to meet and mingle with the...
Posted by The Office on May 19, 2006
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Events, Front Page
May City Hall 1st Thursday--The International Language of Art
The Office
Celebrating the multi-ethnic threads in the tapestry of Portland’s life, this event will feature both art and foods from refugees and immigrant community members. Each of the artists received services through IRCO (Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization)...
Posted by The Office on April 28, 2006
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Events, Front Page
Asian Health & Service Center Host Asian Art Exhibition
Warren JimenezOn Saturday, Sam and I attended this art exhibition. The exhibition features the high quality work of over 150 students who have taken art classes sponsored by the Oregon Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts and AHSC. The students come from diverse cultural backgrounds and include retirees, homemakers, caregivers, people recovering from chronic illness and small business owners...
Posted by Warren Jimenez on April 24, 2006
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, East Portland, Front Page
April City Hall First Thursday
The OfficeMayor Tom Potter, Commissioner Sam Adams, Commissioner Randy Leonard, Commissioner Dan Saltzman, and Commissioner Erik Sten, invite you to a free event celebrating the Community Vision Project.Photo by Stewart Harvey Celebration for the Community Visioning Project VisionPDXPortland City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Avenue Thursday, April 6th from 5 pm-7 pm...
Posted by The Office on March 30, 2006
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Events, Front Page
Mill Ends for Mularkey
Guest Author
Kyle Collins is a local filmmaker. Every year MovieMaker Magazine ranks the cities it considers as the best places for independent filmmakers to live and work according to the production benefits offered, and based on feedback from writers, directors, crew people and film office representatives. This is the fourth year in a row Portland has made the list...
Posted by Guest Author on March 12, 2006
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Front Page
February 24th BLOG Update: Oregon's Irish Famine Memorial Foundation Complete
Sam Adams
Surrounded by soggy green hills and shrouded in fog, it was a perfectly Irish morning for us to break ground on Oregon's Irish Famine Memorial. Victor General Father Dennis O'Donovan along with Father Joseph Brown blessed the gathering. Tim Birr played the bagpipes. City Commissioner Randy Leonard and I said...
Posted by Sam Adams on February 24, 2006
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Blog, Front Page
City Hall 1st Thursday Celebrates Black History Month
The Office“From Brokenness to Beauty” - 1st Thursday Celebration of Portland’s African American Community in City Hall. THURSDAY, MARCH 2nd, from 5pm-7pmPortland City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Avenue Portland’s City Council welcomes you to come and share in the celebration of Black History month with artwork by Portland artists of color....
Posted by The Office on February 22, 2006
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Events, Front Page
"An American Looks Like Me"
Jesse BeasonLast weekend, Sam read an Excerpt from Posessing the Secret of Joy by Alice Walker - a favorite - at the African-American Read-in. You can read more about the Read-in in The Oregonian. Context: At this point in Walker’s novel, we find Tashi serving in the home of her tribe’s...
Posted by Jesse Beason on February 21, 2006
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Events, North Portland
Agency Puts its Heart Into The Arts
Guest Author
Chris R. Rasmussen is chairman of the Regional Arts & Culture Council’s board and president of Washington Trust Bank, Oregon region: Portland Tribune columnist Phil Stanford recently mentioned the Regional Arts & Culture Council and its public art program in two of his columns...We believe Tribune readers and the community need to be given a more comprehensive view of RACC and its role and responsibility in the region...
Posted by Guest Author on February 15, 2006
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Front Page, Regional Arts & Culture Council
Sam, the city and the arts
Jesse BeasonFrom The Oregonian: Sam Adams recently sat down with Oregonian art critic D.K. Row.A full transcript of their conversation is below. A shorter print version is in the Feb. 5 O! section. By D.K. ROW When Sam Adams and Nick Fish promised to boost funds for Portland's percent for art...
Posted by Jesse Beason on February 7, 2006
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Front Page, News, Regional Arts & Culture Council
Sight Range: A Desert Storm Exhibit
Jesse Beason
Posted by Jesse Beason on January 26, 2006
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Events
Jack McLarty's Legacy
Guest AuthorWendy Miller works at the Contemporary Crafts Museum Gallery. At City Hall, there's always a lot to get excited about. One development that's made me giddy is the recent unanimous vote amongst City Council to raise Portland's Percent for Art contribution from 1.33% to 2% (and the crowd roared!!!) Amongst...
Posted by Guest Author on January 20, 2006
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Front Page
Mambo Queens Come to City Hall
Maria Thi MaiPeople poured into City Hall while stormwater poured outside at last night's First Thursday. More than 150 visitors helped us celebrate the 25th anniversary of El Hispanic News and our first year of First Thursday art exhibits. We listened to music by the Mambo Queens and feasted on Latino treats...
Posted by Maria Thi Mai on January 6, 2006
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Events, Front Page
When Art Gets in the Way
Jesse BeasonWhen Sam toured Lake Oswego he saw numerous sculptures gracing the downtown area. Judy Hammersted, the mayor of Lake Oswego, told Sam about their rotating sculpture program. Sam decided to bring it to Portland. The program gives neighborhoods who have not benefited from the city’s Percent for Art program the...
Posted by Jesse Beason on January 4, 2006
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Filed Under 2005 Year-in-Review, Arts & Culture
New Year's Cambodian Celebration
Maria Thi MaiOn New Year's Ever, Sam and I were honored guests at the 3rd Annual Khmer heritage celebration. The evening was filled with the indulgence of good food, speeches, and performances. I especially enjoyed the playful flirtation of the Fishing Dance and the beautiful costumes of the Aspara Dance. This year...
Posted by Maria Thi Mai on January 2, 2006
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Events, Front Page
Funding the arts is everyone's business
Jesse BeasonAs Portland's Arts and Culture Commissioner, Sam is steadfast in his belief that a vibrant city has a vibrant arts and culture community. Over the past year, we have continued to advocate for public and private support of this community and pledged to make this a larger issue in our...
Posted by Jesse Beason on December 20, 2005
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Filed Under 2005 Year-in-Review, Arts & Culture
Saving a Cultural Hub
Jesse BeasonThe Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center (IFCC) has been highlighting Portland’s diversity in the arts for nearly 25 years. This year, however, in the course of 4 months, IFCC was without its Executive Director, its entire staff, and its board. Sam decided that we could not just let the center close....
Posted by Jesse Beason on December 19, 2005
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Filed Under 2005 Year-in-Review, Arts & Culture
2% for Art
Jesse BeasonEvery time Portland uses public funds to build, rehab, remodel or improve public buildings, parks and structures, we dedicate a small percentage of funds - currently 1.33% - to public art. But, we discovered there were some kinks in this program. According to the report Sam asked the Auditor's office...
Posted by Jesse Beason on December 19, 2005
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Filed Under 2005 Year-in-Review, Arts & Culture
Go To Portland! New York is Dead
Jesse BeasonFrom New York Arts Magazine: I return from Portland, Oregon and the Portland Institute for Contemporarys Arts' Time Based Art Festival, a geographical-cultural missionary of sorts. I feel like Malcolm X, ossified and stalwart in my political beliefs, before being thrust into Mecca and realizing that my entire paradigm for...
Posted by Jesse Beason on December 2, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, News
BLOG: Portland’s Sewer Commissioner (Me) Visits “Urinetown”
Sam Adams
The United Nations declared 2005-2015 as the decade of “Water for Life.” Although planet earth is 75 percent covered in water only 1 percent of it is drinkable – and that is disappearing fast. That bottled water you drink? If it comes from an aquifer you could be drinking water from the IceCorey_and_hope Age that is not be replenished with a good rain. “Urinetown, The Musical” is comedy about a town so short on water that people have to pay to urinate.
Posted by Sam Adams on November 26, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Blog, Front Page
Clearing the murkiness of Public Art
Jesse Beason
Every time Portland builds, rehabs, remodels or improves public buildings, parks and structures, we dedicate a small percentage of funds--currently 1.33%--to public art. While there are plenty of exceptions where this doesn't happen, say when we're acting as a public utility (water and sewer) or when we're using funds that forbid it, this program has built a stupendous $5 million public art collection over the 25 years it has been in place...
Posted by Jesse Beason on November 25, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Front Page, Our Initiatives, Regional Arts & Culture Council
Buy Them as Holiday Gifts for Your Family and Friends: Support Oregon's Award Winning Authors
Sam Adams
Saying she liked coming to Portland, “where authors are treated like rock stars,” author Pam Houston opened the 19th annual Oregon Book Awards I attended last night in Northeast Portland’s recently restored Wonder Ballroom. “I am in love with Colorado, but when I feel like having an ‘affair,’ I think of the Pacific Northwest,” says Houston. The Oregon Book Awards...
Posted by Sam Adams on November 12, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Front Page
Creativity: The Fuel in our Engine
Guest Author
Chris Coleman is the Artistic Director of Portland Center Stage: One of my favorite past times since moving to Portland has been reading about the city’s history. This might come as a surprise to my friends back in Atlanta, because during the 27 years I lived there, I don’t think I ever cracked a book about my hometown’s history...
Posted by Guest Author on November 8, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Front Page, Jobs & Economy, Speeches & Testimony
THIS WEEK: City Hall 1st Thursday
David Gonzalez
Join
us November 3, from 5-7pm as we feature the work of Kirk
Botero with wine tastings by Hip
Chicks Do Wine and light refreshments donated by Safeway.
Commissioner Leonard is welcoming guitarist Alfredo
Muro.Commssioner Saltzman will be featuring urban design work by
Bill Badrick. Also, a special dance performance from Hubbard
Street 2, courtesy of Whitebird.
Posted by David Gonzalez on October 31, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Events, Front Page
BLOG: Why Arts!
Sam AdamsIt's the early 1980s. Melbourne is being “out-festivalled” by cities within Australia and around the globe. The state Premier (Governor) wants out of this shadow. He sends scouting parties and researchers to check out 100 annual art events in other cities. They report back saying a Melbourne arts festival would...
Posted by Sam Adams on October 16, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Blog, Melbourne, Regional Arts & Culture Council
Stormwater Art Exhibit Extended
Maria Thi MaiIf you missed the Stormwater Art Exhibit last Thursday at City Hall, you can visit the art exhibit at one of the following locations. Oct 10-22 Ecotrust Building, 721 NW 9th Avenue, second floor Oct 22 OMSI-Community Planning Day Oct 25 Environmental Services Watershed Management Plan Open House, 6-9pm, Hinson...
Posted by Maria Thi Mai on October 11, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Environmental Services, Livability & Environment
BLOG: World Class Melbourne, Arts Funding and Streetcars
Sam AdamsThe London-based magazine The Economist last week ranked Vancouver, British Columbia; Melbourne, Australia; and, Vienna, Austria as the world’s ‘best’ cities to live and visit: Portland ranked 42nd. By coincidence, I’m in Melbourne this week. I am here as a guest of the City of Melbourne and the Portland Institute...
Posted by Sam Adams on October 10, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Blog, Front Page, Melbourne, Transportation
Street Twigs
Maria Thi MaiLast Saturday (Sept 24), Sam and I stopped by Sullivan's Gulch Neighborhood's dedication of Street Twig. This 16-foot-tall sculpture represents a gigantic Big Leaf maple Twig and was hand forged by Nick Lyle and Jean Whitesavage of Whidbey Island, Washington. Come on by the corner of 16th and Weidler and...
Posted by Maria Thi Mai on October 6, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Events, News, Northeast Portland
October's City Hall First Thursday-Sam's Office
David GonzalezIn Sam's office, for the month of October, we'll be featuring the steel creations of Portland artist Stashu Smaka. Open House/Artist Reception: Thursday, October 6, 5-7pm...
Posted by David Gonzalez on September 29, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture
Celebrate Preservation in Portland
Maria Thi MaiPlease join us in honoring preservation in Portland at the gay and lesbian reception in Portland's historic City Hall (1220 SW 4th Ave, between Madison and Jefferson), September 28, 8pm. This event will feature Commissioner Sam Adams. This reception is part of the National Preservation Trust Conference being held at...
Posted by Maria Thi Mai on September 23, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Equality, Events
What should we do with Corno's fruit?
Maria Thi Mai
As seen on Northwest News Channel 8 KGW: What would you do with a 6 foot cornstalk sign that has been a Portland icon for more than 50 years? Wander down Martin Luther King Boulevard past the Corno's Grocery site near Alder Street and feast your eyes..
Posted by Maria Thi Mai on September 20, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Front Page, Livability & Environment, News, Southeast Portland (inner)
Landscapes for Rain-The Art of Stormwater
Brian RussellYou're invited: Environmental Services First Thursday at City Hall Thursday, October 6, 2005, 5:00pm-7:00pm, Pettygrove Room, Portland City Hall, 1221 SW Fourth Avenue Rain shapes our landscape and our city. Come see how artists, architects, landscape architects and designers use rain as the guiding element in their work. Presented by...
Posted by Brian Russell on September 15, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Environmental Services, Events, Front Page, Livability & Environment
Podcast Hotel!
Guest AuthorAlex Williams is sponsoring Podcast Hotel, a two-day forum about the phenomenon, logistics and symbolism of podcasting. Podcasting is becoming hugely popular. A form of Internet radio, it gives anyone the ability to do their own radio show. Podcast Hotel Presents Podcast Jams will take place Sept. 7 and 8 in Portland...
Posted by Guest Author on September 7, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Events, Southeast Portland (inner)
BLOG: Art and Cultural Next
Sam AdamsEarly this summer, I attended a gathering of arts and business leaders who met to discuss mutual concerns and ideas. More recently, I met with the Arts Caucus, a group of people from across the creative services sector dedicated to strengthening the role of arts and culture in the Portland...
Posted by Sam Adams on August 31, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Blog, Regional Arts & Culture Council
Mt. Tabor Artists in the SE 55th/Belmont area to host Open Studio Weekend
Jesse BeasonArtists Beverly Bauer, Sharlane Blaise, Greg Danielson, Don Jacobson, and Larry Olson plan to open their studios to visitors on Saturday and Sunday, September 10 and 11, from 11 am to 5 pm. These artists live within walking distance of each other and invite you to visit their studios. Beverly...
Posted by Jesse Beason on August 26, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Events
Homowo Festival of African Arts
Sam Adams
After 15 year of thunderous drumming and powerful rhythms, the Homowo Festival of African Arts elected to embrace a quieter tradition. Honoring one of the most ancient rituals in African culture, Homowo presented a daylong tradition of African story telling...
Posted by Sam Adams on August 21, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Events
DESDEMONA: A PLAY ABOUT A HANDKERCHIE
Sam AdamsOn Friday, August 19, 2005 I watched a 'home planet production' of Paula Vogel’s “DESDEMONA: A PLAY ABOUT A HANDKERCHIEF at the CoHo Theater, 2257 N.W. Raleigh St., directed by Donna McFall. My favorite character is Bianca pictured here. The Oregonian wrote, “…the three actors -- Stephanie Danna as the...
Posted by Sam Adams on August 21, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture
YOU'RE INVITED: Special September 1st Thursday Events
David Gonzalez
Commissioner Sam Adams Invites You to City Hall First Thursday on September 1, 2005 5pm-7pm, featuring the Susan Komen Foundation UP CLOSE in PINK Art Show, a special performance by Oregon Public Broadcasting's Live Wire! Commissioner Adams will show "Mind States" paintings by Megan Scheminske...
Posted by David Gonzalez on August 18, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Downtown Portland, Events
A bit of public art
Jesse BeasonToday the auditor's office released a report of Portland's percent for art program (PDF). The Oregonian wrote about the report in today's paper. The program dedicates a percentage of the costs of construction of certain public works to public art. Currently, the program dedicates 1.33%, though it will likely increase...
Posted by Jesse Beason on August 18, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Front Page, Our Initiatives, Regional Arts & Culture Council
Classical music in the park on a hot summer evening in NE Portland’s Grant Park
Sam AdamsClassical music in the parks is just so very Portland. On this hot summer August evening in NE Portland’s Grant Park, I had my first chance to introduce Lajos Balogh, founding music director of the Portland Festival Symphony. It’s a tough job but someone has to do it! Balogh is...
Posted by Sam Adams on August 15, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Northeast Portland
North Mississippi Street is Rising
Sam AdamsThe 4th Annual Mississippi Avenue Street Fair showcased much of the multi-cultural neighborhood’s artists, music, puppet shows, and a giant community yard sale. It also shows what a small but determine band of business owners with little help from the Portland Development Commission or City government can do to improve...
Posted by Sam Adams on August 14, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Jobs & Economy, North Portland, Northeast Portland
Our Next City Hall First Thursday Event, August 4, 5-7PM
Maria Lynn Lim
Join Commisioner Sam in welcoming our featured installation for August. "A Thousand Words Or Less," oil paintings by Julianna Paradisi. Julianna Paradisi was born on Catalina Island in California. She has lived in the Pacific Northwest since 1993. While she has always been artistically inclined...
Posted by Maria Lynn Lim on July 29, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, Events
IFCC: an update
Jesse BeasonThe Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center is an important place to a lot of folks. I know because I've spoken to many of them over the past months since our office has taken a direct interest in seeing it succeed. Some attended classes at IFCC when it first opened in 1982....
Posted by Jesse Beason on July 27, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, North Portland
Chinese Delegation Comes to Portland
Maria Thi MaiHwan ying! (Welcome). A delegation from our sister city, Suzhou, China stopped by our office this morning and met with Commissioner Adams. They are here to attend the Sister City International Conference in Spokane. Representatives included: Li Xiao Nan; Pan Yue; Tang Rong Long; Cheng Congwu; Chen Tishan; Zhao Chang...
Posted by Maria Thi Mai on July 26, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture
Firehouse center board gives city parks control
Andrew TuttleThe Oregonian June 28, 2005 The board of the financially troubled Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center has voted to suspend its work and hand over supervision of the day-to-day operations to Portland Parks and Recreation and Commissioner Sam Adams' office, Adams said Monday. Adams said he'll convene a community meeting in...
Posted by Andrew Tuttle on June 28, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, News, North Portland
Arts group takes a new tack to court corporations
Jesse BeasonFrom the Portland Business Journal, June 24, 2005 - "A local arts nonprofit group's campaign to win support within Portland-area companies could be an uphill battle. But the Regional Arts and Culture Council has strong support from a number of prominent businesspeople, and hopes with their help to meet ambitious fund-raising goals.
Posted by Jesse Beason on June 24, 2005
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Filed Under Arts & Culture, News
Greetings POVA
Warren JimenezDear Portland Oregon Visitors Association Colleagues, As you know, I’m excited to work with you as your new Commissioner Liaison beginning Friday, July 1, 2005. If you don’t already know me, allow me to tell you a little bit about the aspirations I have for myself and my staff. I...
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