Twenty years is long enough: our 2027 legislative agenda
Dear friends,
Since 2002, the Oregon Cultural Trust tax credit has turned everyday generosity into lasting support for culture in every corner of the state. In all that time, the cap on that credit hasn’t moved. For nearly 20 years, the Oregon Arts Commission’s grants budget hasn’t moved either. Meanwhile, Oregon’s arts and culture sector keeps growing, and so does the need.
When the 2027 session opens, we will head to Salem with three top priorities:
1. Renew and expand the Cultural Trust Tax Credit
Without action, the credit sunsets on January 1, 2028. We’re proposing to renew it for six more years and raise the cap each year through 2033. By then it reaches $1,000 for individuals, $2,000 for couples, and $5,000 for corporations, which is what the original credit will be worth in 2033 after you account for inflation. Legislators also filed a companion bill that renews the credit at its current caps, a safety net in case our action stalls.
2. Invest in 11 cultural spaces across Oregon
Through the Cultural Resources Economic Fund (CREF), we’re asking for $10 million for 11 capital projects, plus $500,000 for Business Oregon to administer the grants:
- Art Center East, La Grande: $250,000 for ADA renovations
- Nightlab, Portland: $850,000 for lighting systems on Portland’s bridges
- Britt Music and Arts Festival, Jacksonville: $2 million for a historic building renovation
- Cumberland Community Events Center, Albany: $250,000 for historic restoration
- Cuomo Theatre, Portland: $1 million for a building purchase and improvements
- Hollywood Theatre (through Film Forever NW), Portland: $1 million for renovation
- McKenzie River Discovery Center, Eugene: $2 million to build the Discovery Center
- Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland, Wallowa: $250,000 for the Homeland Gathering Grounds
- Portland Youth Philharmonic: $1.5 million for a building renovation
- Prismid Sanctuary, Portland: $500,000 to rebuild the sanctuary
- Shelton McMurphey Johnson House, Eugene: $400,000 for the Garden Terrace project
3. Bring the Oregon Arts Commission’s grants budget up to date
Between fiscal years 2017 and 2026, the number of organizations applying for Oregon Arts Commission (OAC) grants doubled, while the commission’s general fund budget stayed flat. Almost half of the nearly 1,000 organizations that applied were turned away, and because the budget hasn’t moved, each grant now covers less than it did in 2017. We’d like to increase the OAC’s budget to $9.6 million, which would in turn double the funds going out to the field.
We’re also supporting:
- Restoring $10 million for the Main Street Revitalization Grant Program, led by Restore Oregon. Lawmakers pulled this funding from the 2025 budget at the last minute, which left the program unable to award capital grants.
- Creating a semi-independent agency for the OAC and the Oregon Cultural Trust. This builds on House Bill 3048 from 2025, which passed its policy committee but stalled in Ways and Means. We believe a more coordinated approach will better serve arts, culture, heritage, and humanities statewide.
How you can help
Your voice carries weight in Salem, especially when legislators hear it from their own districts. Watch your inbox for action alerts and information about Advocacy Day after the session begins, and forward this email to someone who cares about culture in their community.
Thank you for standing with Oregon’s arts, heritage, and humanities.
Warmly,
The Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon