For artists and cultural producers in Oregon and nationwide, the past five years have been challenging.
Because audiences have been sluggish to return and relief funding has dried up, the COVID pandemic has been difficult for cultural organizations.
Furthermore, stability has not increased under President Donald Trump’s new government.
Trump imposed a spending embargo on government programs earlier this week, but he eventually revoked the order.
The federal government provides around 30% of the financing for the Oregon Arts Commission, one of the primary sponsors of artistic endeavors in the state.
According to Subashini Ganesan-Forbes, chair of the Oregon Arts Commission, “getting funding from the federal government is a requirement as a state arts agency.”
But the daily barrage of news from Washington, D.C., cannot divert Ganesan-Forbes.
“I don’t have the luxury of responding to the daily executive order items that come in and out because I am the Chair of the Arts Commission,” she stated. I must have faith that our democracy, our legislative system, our attorneys general, and all of our courts will handle that task.
She claimed that this would allow her to concentrate on the main goal of these measures, which is to promote Oregon’s arts and culture over the long run.
The Oregon Arts Commission and the Oregon Cultural Trust are two current organizations that Ganesan-Forbes and others hope to combine in order to maintain such funding.
There are several similarities between the Oregon Cultural Trust and the Oregon Arts Commission.
Both award funds to promote the arts, humanities, and culture across the state. Although they get funding in separate ways, Business Oregon, Oregon’s economic development organization, is responsible for both the Oregon Arts Commission, which is primarily supported by state and federal funds, and the Oregon Cultural Trust, which is supported by donations, license plates, and interest.
Company In a call on Wednesday, Brian Rogers, executive director of the Oregon Arts Commission and the Oregon Cultural Trust, stated that Oregon is a $2 billion organization that runs nearly 90 projects ranging from broadband to infrastructure.
What else do the agencies have in common? An executive director.
Nonetheless, they have two distinct boards of directors.
“You can see that there s a lot of similarities between the arts commission and cultural trust,” Rogers stated. Additionally, there has been considerable misunderstanding over the years. There was some difficulty in distinguishing between the differences.
For instance, the Oregon sPoetry Out Loud competition is organized by the arts commission. The state’s poet laureate program is administered by the cultural trust.
In a combined program, Ganesan-Forbes stated, “We will have a lot more flexibility for advocacy, education, relationship with the governor’s office, and building a true arts and culture brand.”
Sean Andries, chair of the Oregon Cultural Trust, adding, “Business Oregon has been a wonderful partner and a wonderful incubator for both the arts commission and the trust. There are a lot of wonderful things about Business Oregon.”
However, if you look at the history of companies like Travel Oregon or Oregon Film, when they left Business Oregon, it has given them the opportunity to expand independently and have more control over how they run their businesses.
In 2024, both boards overwhelmingly approved to formally join and leave under Business Oregon, following a process that started in 2018 to examine the viability of a merger.
They have developed a plan that would preserve the current priorities of each agency and prevent employment losses.
But simply making the change isn’t enough.
Established in 1967, the Oregon Arts Commission is a member of a nationwide network of state-based arts commissions. In 2001, the Secretary of State established the Oregon Cultural Trust.
Legislative action is necessary to integrate them.
House laws 2283 and 3048 are the two laws that lawmakers must approve in order to accomplish that.
Rep. Rob Nosse, a Democrat from Portland and a leader in the Oregon Arts and Culture Caucus, is hopeful that the two groups can work together, even though language still needs to be added to those legislation.
On Thursday, Nosse expressed his excitement about the deal. It will combine the methods and resources of these two organizations to promote the arts in this state.
Everyone engaged agrees that assistance is necessary for the arts, artists, and cultural initiatives. Additionally, proponents of the merger believe it could boost support in Oregon.
“Ever since the heights of the pandemic, there s been a real yearning for more stability in the funding,” Andries stated.
As Ganesan-Forbes stated, we must focus on the long term. To ensure a good future, we must have faith that democracy will endure and will make every effort to construct now.
Lizzy Acker writes the advice column and studies culture and life. Why, Tho?You can contact her at [email protected] or 503-221-8052.
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