Congratulations to Ginger Savage, tireless arts advocate and CACO board member! Ginger was honored with Portland Monthly‘s “Light a Fire 2022: Extraordinary Volunteer” award.
She has been executive director of the Crossroads Carnegie Art Center in Baker City for 14 years. As our board member, she never misses an opportunity to advocate for arts & culture funding across the state. Watch her testify to the Oregon Legislature in February 2022. She also makes sure that when funding is allocated, the rural or less-populated cities across the state don’t get forgotten.
From the article:
“I’m pretty loud and vociferous in my wanting to make sure that we always remember the small organizations around the state who do great work promoting arts, culture, heritage and humanities,“ says Savage, whose testimony helped direct millions in COVID relief to arts groups all over the state.
“Having articulate voices like hers in the mix, that say, ‘All of this is part of the cultural landscape,’ is incredibly powerful,” says JS May, CACO’s executive director.
For arts funding, May says, it’s easy to get focused on the Willamette Valley. Savage, who has lived in conservative-leaning counties her entire life, helps bring in voices from communities that don’t have big-city concentrations of arts organizations—and across party lines. “Culture is a bipartisan issue,” says May. “Having Ginger involved has helped make the case that it isn’t a D and R issue.”
CACO’s senior advisor Sue Hildick added, “Ginger is a beautiful example of leading from the heart and lifting up others for the success of all. She inspires and delights those she touches with her compassion, advocacy, and impact. We are so grateful arts and culture are among her passions.“
Ginger, we are grateful for all you do for our organization and for arts & culture across the state and the country!