COMMUNITY ART PROJECTS
PSAA’s Community Art Program is a unique place-based and site-specific program that facilitates community artwork on buildings across Portland.
These outdoor spaces provide abundant opportunities to local and visiting artists wanting to practice their craft and share their unique creations with the public. For the larger community, this program offers the public with free art galleries that rotate, providing fresh and exciting new visuals in our built environment.
Taylor Electric, PSAA’s Flagship Community Art Project site in the Central Eastside Mural District
HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS
Mt. Whitney Blocks Community Art Project featuring 16 spaces of rotating art
PSAA’s Community Art Program is a unique place-based program that facilitates community artwork at properties across the region. Owners come to PSAA, provide us with a donation to our Community Art Program (based on wall size and complexity) and give permission to actively curate art on designated spaces at their property. Generally, these walls must be outdoors and accessible for viewing to the public.
PSAA secures a City of Portland mural permit for the property, managing all requirements. PSAA provides full insurance coverage and maintenance plan options for all mural work.
PSAA invites local and visiting artists to paint. All walls “rotate,” meaning PSAA may change/rotate out the artwork in the future. No sketches or designs are provided to the owner or tenants ahead of time, instead, a written agreement is in place which outlines general “Content Rules” that participating artists agree to. Agreements with owners are usually for 2 or 3 years, with clauses for demolition, redevelopment, mural removal, etc.
Ladies Up Community Art Project featuring a line-up of all female-identifying artists
Community Art Project at Salt and Straw in the Central Eastside Mural District
Many times, the artwork will be letter/text-based (i.e., style writing), but sometimes it might also include graphics and character work. Artists are provided creative freedom, so it is up to the artists to choose their designs, and provide all their own supplies.
Artists work on their own schedules, but if needed, painting windows are designated and/or property owners are notified when work is happening in case any coordination or tenant notifications are needed.
To make this all happen, PSAA requests that the property owners and/or tenants make a tax-deductible donation contribution to PSAA’s Community Art Program. Donations support public art in the surrounding neighborhood and helps PSAA pay for mural permits, purchase painting supplies, and supports the management of these projects. Artists are provided stipends to cover some of their time and supplies.
If the property is historic, many times PSAA also offers historic research and documentation services, creating an archival website documenting the sites significance and past use. All PSAA projects are promoted heavily on social media and the PSAA website. Owner and/or tenant credits are provided as desired. PSAA has very limited capacity to take on new Community Art Projects, but please reach out if you are a property owner or tenant of a site you would like to have considered for this program.
Villatose painting at a Community Art Project on Alberta, supported by Solterra
Mesnger86 at work on the Burning Bridges Production