Legislative Priorities 2025-2027

Legislative Priorities 2025-2027

• Improve access to state funding for arts & culture providers: Increase the grants budget of the Oregon Arts Commission to $10 million to support providers across the state. This will more than double the currrent grant budget.
• Provide capital to 14 arts & culture community projects: Through the Cultural Resources Economic Fund (CREF), build, restore, and preserve Oregon’s community treasures. The peer-reviewed CREF slate designates 14 projects as ready for state funding for a total of $9.325 million. Projects range from $150,000 to $2 million and represent the geography of Oregon including Coos Bay, Jacksonville, Mt. Hood, Ashland, Salem, Bend and others.
• Encourage investment in preservation and reuse of historic properties: Reauthorize the recently expired special assessment for historic properties program which allows a discounted assessment for a historic property for ten years in exchange for making appropriate improvements to the property.
• Create an Oregon State Song anthology: As part of the America 250 Oregon Commission (SB 1531, passed in 2024), establish a larger collective of music celebrating the diversity and community of our state, as part of Oregon’s official observance of the 250^th anniversary of the founding of the United States. Activate Arts is the creator of this concept. This is an advocacy approach to the Commission rather than a legislative concept.