Huge thanks to Rep. Rob Nosse, arts champion extraordinaire in the legislature, for his comments in today’s Oregonian article, “Oregon arts organizations struggle as audiences are slow to return and money dries up.” The article discusses the continuing impact of the pandemic on Oregon’s arts and culture organizations and community.
The author, Lizzy Acker, interviewed many of our board members and arts leaders: Tyler Hokama from the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Ginger Savage from the Crossroads Carnegie Arts Center in Baker City, Josh Neckels from the Eugene Ballet, and Dana Whitelaw from the High Desert Museum in Bend.
“Arts and culture are a significant part of the Oregon economy, representing a sector that is 3.4% of the state’s gross domestic product. Our sector not only provides over 60,000 jobs in the state, but is also often a cornerstone for other industries like tourism. Prior to the pandemic, it was common for OSF to draw 380,000 to 400,000 tickets per season. In 2023, we recovered just under 40% of these numbers, though we saw double-digit growth compared to 2022. OSF has a robust 10-production lineup prepared for next year, and we are hopeful about seeing audiences return again to our destination theater.” – Tyler Hokama, interim executive director at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
“Those big bedrock cultural attractions are the center of our arts ecology. If they begin to weaken or crumble, the rippling effect is just ridiculous. Take the Shakespeare Festival, which employs many people who do lights, sound, costumes, and makeup. They also end up working for other, smaller arts organizations in the area, too. If the Shakespeare Festival fails and those people leave town, the shock wave would reverberate through all of Southern Oregon.” -Ginger Savage, CACO board member and executive director of Crossroads Carnegie Arts Center in Baker City
Just a few Oregon arts organizations have grown their audiences substantially since 2019, such as the Eugene Ballet.
“The increase in productions has also opened the opportunity for world premiere collaborations. In 2024, we will put on Artistic Director Toni Pimble’s full-length ‘Peter Pan’ featuring a world premiere commissioned score by Oregon composer Kenji Bunch.” –Josh Neckels, executive director of Eugene Ballet
Several organizations were left out in the cold when the Oregon Legislature failed to fund the 16 capital projects the Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon had recommended in 2023. This year marks the first time in 2023 the legislature did not fund our recommended list of capital projects. The High Desert Museum was hoping to receive $2 million to construct a new wing.
“It felt extreme.”- Dana Whitelaw, executive director of the High Desert Museum
How did we get here?
“The bottom line is that at some point in the legislative process, legislators who are more powerful than me have to make decisions about what gets paid for. Candidly, I think some of them, looking at this are like, ‘Hey, given all the things that are challenging in this state, this feels a little extra, and not as important.’ Arts don’t have the sort of moral and political cachet that school funding, university funding, roads, bridges and forestry has. Part of life is being able to experience the arts. It’s part of what’s wonderful about humanity.” -Representative Rob Nosse
Rep. Nosse plans to ask the legislature to fund the full slate of capital improvement projects in 2024. In addition, he will ask for over $5 million to support Oregon’s seven anchor organizations – Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the High Desert Museum, the Portland Art Museum, Portland Opera, Portland Center Stage, Oregon Ballet Theatre, and the Oregon Symphony. He will also ask for $13 million in continuing COVID relief funding.
Thank you, Rep. Nosse and all other arts advocates!