Salem, Ore. – Using the arts as a means of addressing community need is at the heart of 36 projects awarded $205,386 by the Oregon Arts Commission’s Arts Build Communities grant program for FY2020. The Arts Build Communities program targets broad geographic impact and arts access for underserved audiences in Oregon. Projects funded include “Anna & Abby’s Yard in Forest Grove,” an accessible playground with a culturally responsive design that supports inclusion for children with disabilities by Harper’s Playground; Cameras for Change, an Outside the Frame project offering film training and equipment access for youth experiencing homelessness in Portland; and “What I Know for Sure,” a writing/performance project featuring seniors from both the Klamath Basin Senior Citizens’ Center and EagleRidge High School in Klamath Falls. “This program provides financial support to arts and other community-based organizations for projects that address a local community problem, issue or need through an arts-based solution,” said Arts Commission Vice Chair Jenny Green, who led the review panel. “Local citizens employ creative thinking and collective response to identify a local need and provide an arts-based solution.” The grants also spark and leverage many other investments and resources, serving as a catalyst for greater economic and civic impact, said Green. In recent years Arts Build Communities projects attracted more than $600,000 in additional investment, much of it representing salaries paid to artists and others as well as products and services purchased in the funded communities. Arts Build Communities grants are made possible through a funding partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The FY2020 recipients on the Oregon Coast are: Oregon Coast Aquarium, Newport: $4,973 – To support artist commission fees for scientific illustration and graphic production of murals for three indoor galleries. The murals will provide a visual narrative connecting Oregon’s coastal shores to ocean depths and will depict marine life for interpretation. Oregon Coast Youth Symphony Festival Association, Newport: $4,268 – To support Festival activities and expand the size and scope of its statewide music community. Grant award funds will support expenses (food, housing, etc.) for visiting high school students and teachers to ensure access for participants.
