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Artists and cultural coalitions urge Portland to restore equity metrics to arts tax grants
Summary
An arts coalition speaker told council the city’s art‑tax grants now favor large institutions and that removing equity metrics has disproportionately reduced funding to smaller organizations; the speaker urged restoring equity measures and increased funding.
During the public‑comment period at the Oct. 29 Portland City Council meeting, Blake Schell, director of Oregon Contemporary and representing the Coalition Portland Arts and Culture for Equity, urged the council and the Office of Arts and Culture to restore equity metrics in distribution of arts‑tax grant funds.
Schell said national benchmarks show Portland ranks high for artistic vibrancy but low for government support, and reported that the office removed equity metrics from art‑tax grants in 2024 and redistributed funds primarily by organizational budget size. He said 45 of 80 groups lost funding and “only the big five saw increases,” and urged the city to prioritize smaller organizations that provide low‑ or no‑cost access, employ local artists and serve underserved neighborhoods.
"Portland voters expected the art tax to expand access, not diminish it," Schell said. He asked the city to restore funding for groups that lost support and to adopt explicit equity and access measures “protected from politics.”
Councilors did not take action on the request at the meeting; the comment was entered into the public record and posted with the council agenda.
