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Arts tax dollars aren’t stretching quite as far as they used to—at least when it comes to the city’s annual grants to Portland’s arts and culture organizations.
The city’s Office of Arts & Culture intends to award $2,805,000 in general operating support to 79 organizations for the 2025–26 fiscal year. That’s more than a million dollars less than the office’s $4,098,538 in awards that went out in the last fiscal year.
The grants are going out to 79 local organizations, big and small. The money is divvied up according to the organizations’ overall budgets. At the top of the heap are the Portland Art Museum and Oregon Symphony Association, with $175,000 each, and Portland Center Stage and Oregon Ballet Theatre each getting $100,000 awards. The awards go down to $15,000 for much smaller organizations.
“Portland-based arts organizations are an asset to our community. I’m inspired by their work: from murals and activations throughout downtown, to the performances hosted at Portland’5 venues. They also buoy our larger efforts to renew and invigorate the central city and beyond,” said Portland Mayor Keith Wilson in a press release. “The city is one of the region’s largest arts funders, and the return on that investment ripples through every corner of Portland.”
The money for the grants comes from the Arts Access Fund, which is funded through the city’s annual Arts Tax. Collections have been flat in recent years, while the cost of collecting the tax and the delivery of arts education services at Portland schools have both increased, according to the Office of Arts & Culture. Finally, the office points out that this year’s funding pot is smaller due to citywide budget cuts that have affected every bureau and office.
A list of all 79 awards is available here.
