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Artists ask county not to cut Regional Arts & Culture Council funding
Summary
Local artists urged the board to protect a $300,000 Multnomah County investment in the Regional Arts & Culture Council during budget discussions.
Local artist Latoya Lovely told the Multnomah County Board that the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) played a central role in her professional development and benefits hundreds of artists and families across the county. Lovely urged commissioners to oppose proposed budget amendments that would cut funding to RACC and to preserve a $300,000 county investment in arts and culture.
Lovely described RACC’s support for her work — from accepting early artworks into a portable collection to helping secure mural commissions and residencies — and said the organization’s programs helped her become a full-time artist and homeschooling parent. She told the board: “Supporting them is vital to our community.”
Why it matters: county arts funding supports arts programming, artist development and public-art projects that community members said contribute to local culture and youth opportunities. Lovely said that RACC’s programs have supported youth participation in exhibitions and public murals in neighborhoods such as Cully.
Board response: commissioners acknowledged the testimony during the public-comment period; no budget vote occurred immediately following the comment.
Ending: Artists and arts supporters will monitor upcoming budget deliberations for any proposed cuts to RACC funding.
