ARTS & CULTURE PLANNING
The Clackamas County Arts Alliance is proud to take part in a historical movement to create a tri-county arts and cultural plan for all. Read on to learn more and to join us in this effort.
Representatives from government agencies across the tri-county metropolitan area have joined together to launch a cultural planning process to set the vision for the next generation of arts and culture in our vibrant region.
Led by community members from Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties; the cities of Portland, Hillsboro, and Beaverton; Metro; and the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC); the process kicked off in October 2022 with the initial recruitment of a 20-person steering committee. Individuals have been engaged from across the region, representing a diversity of perspectives. The committee is prioritizing participation by those who may not have historically had a voice in these types of processes.
We will reach out to communities and individuals with fresh ideas and insight to harness emerging opportunities and overcome long-standing challenges. Full community engagement will take place in the first half of 2023 through interviews, listening sessions, and other ways for members of the public to lend their voices. An online portal has now been launched HERE so that anyone can offer comments and help shape the future of arts and culture in our region. Feedback is accepted now through April 15th. The plan will then be developed in the latter half of 2023 and approved in early 2024.
The process is being guided by Cultural Planning Group, a national firm that specializes in developing cultural arts plans for cities and counties, along with Metropolitan Group, a Portland-headquartered social purpose creative and strategic consulting agency. Their approach calls for the development of a plan which is created by, with, and for the communities that make up our cities and counties.
Arts, culture, and creative expression exist everywhere, every day, from the songs sung on the biggest stages to the family dinners made with recipes passed down from generations.
It’s easy to take arts and culture for granted in a region as vibrant as ours. It’s also all too easy for civic engagement processes such as this to overlook voices who might hold the key to unlocking well-known challenges facing the sector or harnessing unique opportunities that can propel different communities in different ways.
That’s why, as the engagement process unfolds over the next few months, it will be important for everyone to have a chance to take part.
Here’s how you can provide feedback:
- You can access the draft plan and comment online here until April 15 (you’ll be asked to enter an email address to access the plan).
- We will hold an in-person town hall on Wednesday, April 3, 4:00-6:00 p.m., at the Native American Student and Community Center at Portland State University. (RSVP, note that space is limited)
- You can also attend a virtual town hall on Tuesday, April 9, 6:00-8:00 p.m. (RSVP)