• Call Us Now 034-256-7850
  • Send Us Email devin@synopticalfreelancing.com

About Us

Who Are We?

The Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon (CACO) is the only statewide nonprofit dedicated to advocating for public support of the arts, culture, heritage, and humanities.

Founded in 2001, we are a nonpartisan 501(c)(4) organization that works with legislators, cultural organizations, and community leaders to secure public funding and shape policies that sustain Oregon’s cultural ecosystem. We partner regularly with the Oregon Arts & Culture Caucus, Cultural Advocacy Coalition Foundation, Oregon Cultural Trust, and Oregon Arts Commission.

Our supporters—nonprofits, artists, educators, and engaged citizens—form a powerful coalition united in the belief that culture is essential to Oregon’s identity, economy, and quality of life.

We speak up at the Capitol so Oregon’s cultural sector can thrive statewide—from tribal museums and rural arts centers to historic preservation projects and humanities education.

Our Vision

We envision an Oregon where everyone—regardless of geography, income, or background—can access and participate in arts, culture, heritage, and the humanities in their own communities.

We believe every student deserves equitable access to high-quality arts education throughout their academic journey.

We support a thriving cultural sector where organizations can deliver world-class, innovative programming that shares Oregon’s creative voice with the world—strengthening our economy and enriching the lives of all Oregonians.

Our Mission

We advocate at the state level for public policies and funding that support a thriving, accessible cultural sector across Oregon—including the arts, heritage, humanities, and cultural education.

Our Equity Commitment

We are committed to advancing cultural equity in every corner of the state. We strive to reflect and serve the full diversity of Oregon—across race, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geography, citizenship status, and religion. Geography and size are vital pieces of our equity commitment. We consider the needs and perspectives of both rural and urban communities, and we want organizations of all sizes and regions to have access to resources, representation, and opportunities to thrive.

We work to remove barriers and promote inclusion in every aspect of our mission: advocating for equitable public funding, supporting artists and cultural organizations, and strengthening access to creative expression and opportunity for all Oregonians.

Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge the Indigenous peoples who have stewarded the lands we now call Oregon since time immemorial. We recognize the ancestral territories of the nine federally recognized Tribes in Oregon:

  • Burns Paiute Tribe
  • Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians
  • Confederated Tribes of the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians
  • Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
  • Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians
  • Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
  • Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
  • Coquille Indian Tribe
  • The Klamath Tribes

We honor the deep and enduring connections between these sovereign nations and the land, waters, plants, animals, and cultural lifeways of this region. We express our gratitude to the Tribal nations who continue to teach us what it means to live in right relationship with each other and with the land. We commit to learning from and working alongside Indigenous communities in our advocacy for a more inclusive and just cultural landscape.

Skip to content