A Portland Artist and Curator Has Been Appointed to the Board of Directors For a Major National Arts Organization

For two decades, Kristan Kennedy has been a major force in Portland's contemporary art scene. Now, she'll also work to support emerging artists on a national scale. The Portland artist and curator has been appointed to the Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Art's board of directors.

Each year, the New York-based foundation doles out millions of dollars in grant money to art spaces around the country, including many here in Portland. It focuses on supporting small, boundary-pushing projects rather than major institutions.

Kennedy already plays a role in allocating Warhol Foundation funds. She's the founding director of Portland's Precipice Fund, a grant for local emerging artists and one of the foundation's 12 regional regranting programs. She's currently an artistic director at Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, where she curates programs for the annual Time-Based Arts Festival.

Last year, the Andy Warhol Foundation expanded its funding network. Previously, it financially backed programs like Precipice in 11 other cities around the country. Last December, it added Cleveland and Denver to that list.