Department of Culture & Community

OUR MISSION

We initiate socially, culturally, and politically relevant programming by rooting ourselves and our decision-making processes within our local communities. This involves shifting power internally and distributing power externally to those who’ve been historically and systematically exploited and excluded in the public arts. We believe that the arts have always been steered by these communities as an act of revival and resistance. We honor these histories through our programming in- and outside the theaters. The Department’s mission is facilitated within four areas: the Youth Arts Program (YAP), the Community Arts and Culture Program (CACP), organizational culture, and social equity work.

COMMUNITY ARTS AND CULTURE PROGRAM

The Community Arts Program is the newest community-based program at Portland'5. The Community Arts Program offers events, artistic opportunities, and public engagement activities that center folks holding marginalized sociocultural identities (BIPOC, Queer and Trans folks, folks with disabilities, immigrants, folks experiencing basic needs insecurity, etc.). The goal of the program is to provide experiences to community members that reflect their stories and narratives, while also extending such events to the community at-large, extending economic and accessible opportunities to historically marginalized communities, and utilizing a community council to help curate events and guide social equity initiatives within and across Portland'5. Additionally, the CACP is complemented by a Community Arts and Culture Council, a curatorial and advisory council made up of community members holding marginalized identities.

Programming Includes:
Concerts Speaker series Film screenings Artist Talks Dance performances	Comedy shows Cultural festivals Community panels Collaborative community events (connecting with CBOs, arts groups, etc. to host events)

YOUTH ARTS AND CULTURE PROGRAM

The program (fka The Education Program) restarted at the end of 2022 under new leadership. Immediate changes to the department involved evolving past programming that focused on adult & employee-led programming for Title I schools. To do so, the new leadership redefined community engagement and reoriented goals towards

Integrating community and youth-led initiatives in and beyond schools
Centering youth from our communities exploited and excluded in the public arts
Creating pathways for direct youth decision-making, youth creative expression, and youth arts capital development

THE PROGRAM INCLUDES:

Youth Arts Consultants & Council: In Fall 2023, program worked with 24 paid local youth arts consultants over the course of 24 days to survey current youth needs and interests within the arts. These 24 youth also designed the structure of our current Youth Arts Council where six paid local youth ages 16-25 help govern our program and receive professional development trainings on a 3-year contract.

Up & Coming (fka Youth Night): Since Fall 2023, Up & Coming is a youth-led night takeover of a Portland'5 theater for ages 16-25 involving resource tables, paid youth vendors, paid youth performers, and a masterclass. Our teaching artist facilitates a masterclass. The line up and masterclass is determined by our Youth Arts Council.

Youth Shows: The program offers youth in- and out-of-schools free admission and transportation to chaperone- and youth-only group show at our theaters. When these shows occur, our department reaches out to community partners via social media and email to invite them to apply. Reach out to us if you would like to be on our email list. We prioritize schools and youth-based organizations with groups of youth who are predominately impacted by the oppressive barriers to the arts.

Masterclasses: Masterclasses aim to increase youth skills in the arts and exposure to the arts. Food, teaching artist stipends, and materials are provided. Masterclasses are chosen on a needs-basis by surveying local CBO’s and schools’ art teachers and programs. Youth in these spaces provide input on who they want to learn from and the topic. If you are interested in hosting or teaching a masterclass, please reach us.

Youth Professional Development: The program hosts field trips to our theaters for youth groups and schools to tour and experience a career panel with our staff. You can reach us to book a field trip.

Youth can also participate in our Creative Industry Skills Program (CISP) to learn lighting, sound, and stage managing skills. When CISP opportunities are available, they will be posted on our Instagram and sent to our listserv.

In March 2023, Portland’5 was nominated by Youth Voice, Youth Vote to be one of five project implementers in the first participatory budget process in Oregon that centers on youth communities in East Portland, East Multnomah County, and portions of North Clackamas County and over seven school districts. Our program helped youth develop three feasible $100,000 projects under the category of Youth Public Arts. From May to June 2023, the majority of local youth voted on one of three projects to be implemented by Portland’5. The winning project was Youth Artist Capital, a paid two week intensive for 10 youth mentees and 10 adult mentors to build the youth’s social, cultural, and economic artist capital. Applications have closed. This intensive will occur in August 2024.

ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND SOCIAL EQUITY

The Department of Culture and Community stewards and champions both internal and external social equity and organizational culture initiatives that include staff competency development, recruitment and retention efforts, organizational culture analyses and development, and the facilitation of an overall just venue/public arts environment that fosters equity within access and accessibility, representation, economic growth, safety, and public engagement.

Current Initiatives
The development, implementation, and facilitation of Portland'5's Social Equity Action Plan (SEAP). Staff competency development & training; literacy Recruitment and retention efforts Organizational culture improvements	Safety Budget equity Accessibility And the focus on strong and equitable community engagement with patrons, arts groups, and the community at-large.