What the research found
In April 2026, the National Endowment for the Arts released The Great Connector, an analysis of three national surveys conducted in 2022 or later. In the largest, adults who took part in the arts showed a 386% increase in their likelihood of volunteering, attending community events, and other civic engagement, even after accounting for education, income, and age.

A 2025 Census survey found a smaller but significant 17% increase, and a third survey found no overall link once other factors were controlled.

Three findings stand out:

• Showing up in person matters most. Live attendance carried the strongest link, a 125% increase.
• Breadth builds on itself. People who attend, create, and give showed the highest engagement of all.
• The link crosses lines. It held across race, income, and urban, suburban, and rural communities.

• Show up and make something. Attend a performance or join a choir, band, or class, and bring a neighbor.
• Use the Cultural Tax Credit. Give to a cultural nonprofit, match the gift to the Oregon Cultural Trust by December 31, and claim it on your state taxes.
• Join CACO and talk to your legislators. Ask them to renew the Cultural Tax Credit.

The post Art as the great connector: what Oregon can learn appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

By the numbers:

– $2,250,846 in Cultural Development Grants to 104 organizations ($5,000 to $40,000 each)

– $1,125,423 to County and Tribal cultural coalitions, distributed per capita across all 36 counties and Oregon’s federally recognized Tribes

– $1,125,423 to five statewide cultural partners

– Contributions from more than 10,000 Oregonians to make it possible

– 49% of eligible applicants receiving 75 to 100% of what they requested

What’s at stake

Every dollar of that $4.5 million traces back to the Cultural Tax Credit, the match Oregonians claim when they give to a qualified cultural nonprofit and give an equal amount to the Oregon Cultural Trust. That credit has never been adjusted for inflation since its creation, and it must be renewed by the legislature in 2027.

The gap in the last statistic above, the fact that roughly half of eligible applicants still received less than three-quarters of what they asked for, is exactly what raising the caps is meant to close. We are working with Rep. Rob Nosse (D-Portland) on legislation to renew the credit and raise the caps, currently $500 for single filers, $1,000 for joint filers, and $2,500 for corporations.

Two things you can do:

– Give before December 31. Match your gift to a qualified cultural nonprofit with a gift to the Oregon Cultural Trust and claim the full credit on your Oregon return.

– Contact your legislator. Let them know you support renewing the Cultural Tax Credit and raising the caps.

Thank you for your support!

The post Record funding, uncertain future: save the Cultural Tax Credit appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

The CACO board of directors received applications from arts and culture organizations across the state and, in consultation with the Oregon Arts Commission and the Oregon Cultural Trust, identified projects for their geographic and cultural diversity, economic impact, and potential to expand access to the arts.

These projects are ready for state investment: they have solid progress in their plans, have raised private funds, and are built for long-term viability.

• Art Center East — $250,000 (ADA renovations)
• Nightlab — $850,000 (lighting systems for Portland bridges)
• Britt Gardens Music and Arts Festival Association — $2,000,000 (historic building renovation)
• Cumberland Community Events Center — $250,000 (historic restoration and improvement)
• Cuomo Theatre Fund — $1,000,000 (building purchase and improvements)
• Film Forever Northwest for renovation of the Hollywood Theatre — $1,000,000
• McKenzie River Discovery Center — $2,000,000 (Discovery Center construction)
• Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland — $250,000 (Homeland Gathering Grounds accessibility)
• Portland Youth Philharmonic — $1,500,000 (building restoration and renovation)
• Prismid Sanctuary — $500,000 (Prismid Sanctuary rebuild)
• Shelton McMurphey Johnson House — $400,000 (Garden Terrace project)

“It is a privilege to work alongside a dedicated committee of arts leaders to bring forward a slate of capital projects that reflect the full breadth of Oregon’s cultural life,” said Ginger Savage, Chair of the CREF Committee and Executive Director of Crossroads Carnegie Art Center. “From expanding accessibility at community arts spaces and rebuilding a sanctuary for creative practice to restoring beloved performance venues and launching a new Discovery Center on the McKenzie River, these 11 projects show what Oregon is capable of when we invest in the places where culture takes root.”

“CACO consistently brings forward projects that remind me why this work matters,” said Oregon Representative Rob Nosse. “This slate stretches from Portland’s bridges to the Wallowa Mountains, and every project on it is doing something essential: keeping Oregon’s arts and cultural spaces alive, accessible, and ready for the next generation. I’m proud to carry these forward in the legislature.”

CACO will advocate for CREF funding during the 2027 legislative session. Funding decisions are made by the Oregon Legislature; endorsement does not guarantee funding. General funds may be available as early as fall/winter 2027, with lottery bond funding available in spring 2029.

The post CACO endorses 11 capital projects for 2027-2029 arts and culture funding appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

If you thought the summer was winding down, Oregon’s arts and culture community has other ideas. August brings everything from world-class chamber music on the coast to a poetry slam in Portland, a celebration of a beloved Twin Peaks icon at the World Forestry Center, and historic aircraft in Salem. There’s even a little Jaws chaos at a Eugene theater, just in time for the season to close out in style. This is your last full month of summer. Make it count.

Are you a CACO supporter with events to share? We’d love to include you in a future issue. Reach out to Marie Gettel-Gilmartin to be considered for a possible September or holiday events issue.

8/6-29: Summer Free for All concerts and movies in the park across Portland, including the Washington Park Summer Festival from 8/8-9, Portland Parks & Recreation

8/7: First Friday Arts Walk, Lane Arts Council, Eugene

8/7-23: “I Hate Hamlet,” Cottage Theatre, a hilarious send-up of actors, ambition, and the Bard, Cottage Grove

8/9: Clash of the Bands, Portland vs. Vancouver, Friends of Noise, Portland

8/11 and 8/25: Music at the Mill, Water Street Project and PDX Preachers, Willamette Heritage Center, Salem

8/12-22, “Beyond the Sea: Crosscurrents and Convergences,” The Shedd, Eugene, their 35th annual Oregon Festival of American Music exploring American musical crosscurrents and convergences, with 8 concerts, the Jazz Party, talks, films, and 2 community singalongs!

8/13-23: Siletz Bay Music Festival, Lincoln City Cultural Center, uplifting, world-class concert music on Oregon’s beautiful central coast

8/17: Art Exploration Camp for Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, Eugene

8/17-21: Arts Ahoy! Summer camp and other summer activities, Columbia River Maritime Museum, Astoria

8/18-24: Flying Legends Tour, B-17 Alliance Foundation, Salem, hosting historic aircraft, classic car cruise-ins, and live entertainment that celebrates the American spirit

8/20: Slamlandia, Literary Arts, Portland, a poetry open mic and slam providing a creative, fun, and welcoming space for all

8/22: Musical Playground, Reser Center for the Arts, Beaverton, a FREE, fun, interactive event for families with children ages 10 and under where participants can explore music and instruments from around the world

8/22: High Desert Rendezvous, High Desert Museum, Bend, the museum’s signature fundraiser

8/23: Log Lady Day, World Forestry Center, Portland, a celebration honoring the iconic Log Lady and the life and legacy of Catherine E. Coulson from Twin Peaks

8/27: Talking About Values Across Political Divides, Oregon Humanities, online and free

8/28-9/13, “The Shark Is Broken,” Very Little Theatre, Eugene, reveals the chaos behind the scenes, friction, and mechanical failures during the filming of Jaws

All summer: 

“Beyond 250: Conversations about Democracy and Community,” presented by Oregon Humanities across the state, inspired by the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Join your neighbors to dig into questions such as, “what does it mean to be American?” “who are ‘we the people’?” and “are we created equal? Find a conversation near you

Kickstand Comedy in the Park, free comedy in Laurelhurst Park every Friday from June 5 to September 4

Britt Music Festival in Jacksonville, featuring diverse events such as Star Wars: the Empire Strikes Back concert, Holst, Dvorak, Mozart, Beethoven, Elle King, David Lee Roth, Young the Giant, Ani DiFranco, Modest Mouse, Portugal.The Man, Alison Krauss, Los Lobos, Pink Martini, Jim Gaffigan, Chicago, and kids’ concerts

Art in the Parks sponsored by the City of Eugene Cultural Services, featuring Ambient Music in the Park, Gilbert Park Community Days, a Juneteenth Celebration, free summer concert and outdoor fun, Oregon Asian Celebration, The Winter’s Tale, Axé Samba Festival, and Oregon Aloha Festival

Events at the Elsinore Theatre in Salem: Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin and Jane Lynch & Kate Flannery

A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Come from Away, A Raisin in the Sun, Yellow Face, and Henry IV, Part 1 at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Ashland

Movies at Portland Art Museum’s PAM CUT Tomorrow Theater (The Seeds of Peace, The Remains of the Day, Cat Video Fest 2026, Wild, Mary Oliver, Heathers, Desert Hearts, Drugstore Cowboy, etc.)

The post Your Oregon summer, curated (August events) #3 appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

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Listen to Ginger Savage, CREF Committee Chair, speak about this year’s CREF process.

The post Apply for 2027-2029 capital construction funding! appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

We’re writing to share an exciting milestone for CACO and for Oregon’s arts, culture, heritage, and humanities sector. Over the past several months, CACO completed the Big Re/Think, a statewide listening and learning process that brought together hundreds of artists, cultural leaders, funders, legislators, and community members from across Oregon to reflect on where our sector stands and where it needs to go. Those conversations, paired with a full-day board retreat this April, helped shape a clear, sector-informed direction for CACO heading into the 2027 legislative session.

What we heard was both sobering and energizing. And what emerged is a 2027 agenda built directly from the voices of the field.

CACO’S 2027 Legislative Priorities

Guided by the Big Re/Think and shaped by our board, CACO will pursue an ambitious slate of priorities in the 2027 session. We will focus on near-term legislative wins while also laying the groundwork for longer-term, transformational change.

Near-Term Priorities for 2027:

• Renewing and expanding the Oregon Cultural Trust tax credit – expanding the caps for individuals and couples to meaningfully grow the private contributions flowing through the Oregon Cultural Trust into our state’s cultural sector.
• Securing and growing the Oregon Arts Commission (OAC) grants budget so OAC funding finally scales to match the sector’s needs and reach across the board.
• Securing approval of the next Cultural Resource Economic Fund (CREF) slate through lottery bonds for major capital projects across the state, with General Fund support of smaller projects – sustaining a vital pipeline of cultural infrastructure investment across Oregon.

Longer-Term Goals We’re Advancing:

• Developing and championing a unified, sector-wide message and long-term vision for arts, culture, heritage, and humanities in Oregon – this is some of the most consistent feedback from the Big Re/Think and the foundation that strengthens every other priority on this list.
• Fully funding the Oregon Cultural Trust.
• Strengthening arts and music education statewide as a core part of K–12 education and for lifelong learning opportunities.
• Pursuing new dedicated funding streams for the arts and culture sector.
• Partnering with OAC and OCT leadership on a merged, semi-independent state agency.
• Advancing social prescription models that formalize our sector’s role in health and wellbeing

Together, these priorities reflect a shared belief that arts, culture, heritage, and humanities are not a luxury, but essential to Oregon’s communities, economy, and quality of life. In the weeks and months ahead, we’ll be sharing more about each priority and the many ways your organization and community can engage.

An Invitation

This is a pivotal moment. With a gubernatorial election year underway and the 2027 session on the horizon, the conditions exist to make real, lasting progress so long as we move forward with clarity, coordination, and ambition. CACO is ready to lead, and we want you with us.

We are grateful to the hundreds of Oregonians who participated in the Big Re/Think, to our board, and to the members and partners who make this work possible. If you have questions, want to discuss how your organization might engage in CACO’s 2027 advocacy work, or are simply ready to lend your voice, please reach out. We want to hear from you.

With gratitude and determination,

Dana Whitelaw
Board Chair, Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon

Peter Bilotta
Board President, Cultural Advocacy Coalition Foundation

The post CACO’s 2027 legislative priorities for Oregon’s arts, culture, & humanities sector appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

Siri Grubb (she/her), Senior Director of Executive Operations, Oregon Symphony: Siri joined the Oregon Symphony in 2021 as executive assistant to the CEO and music director and liaison to the Board of Directors. In that role, she developed a broad understanding of the symphony’s business and the key concerns facing arts groups in Oregon. Over five years, she has expanded the scope of her position to provide increased high-level strategic support. As senior director of executive operations, she represents the office of the CEO, shepherds institutional initiatives, and helps to drive success across the organization. Siri earned a master’s in communication at PSU, where she focused on political and strategic communication. Why she wanted to join the CACO board: “I believe that art and culture are as important for quality of life as economic opportunity, and I’m honored to join the CACO board. I’m grateful for this opportunity to support the health and vitality of the sector so that Oregon remains a place where everyone can thrive.”

Beth Lewis (she/her), Director of Development, Portland Opera: Beth joined the opera in June 2025 and oversees fundraising, including annual giving, major gifts, corporate sponsorships, grants, and special events. As a lifelong actor, Beth has extensive experience in classical theater, improv, and music across NYC, LA, and regional theaters. Before joining Portland Opera, she directed development and donor engagement at Centro Cultural de Washington County, Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, and Portland Center Stage at The Armory. She was also managing director for Bag&Baggage Productions and Curious Comedy Theater. She has a B.A. in theatre from Connecticut College and a Certificate in Acting from Michael Howard Studios. She is also board president of the Aloha Community Library and the Arts & Communication Magnet Academy parent-teacher organization in Beaverton. Why she wanted to join the CACO board: “I’m excited to join the board of the Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon to help champion policies that sustain a vibrant arts ecosystem across the state and ensure organizations like Portland Opera can continue serving our communities.”

Brian Robrecht, Box Office and Front of House Manager, Newport Performing Arts: Brian has been stage managing for 20 years. He has worked on everything from a one-person show in a small space to large-scale musicals with an orchestra in larger venues.

Javier Dubon, Interim Executive Director and Director of Sales and Marketing, Oregon Shakespeare Festival (he/him): Named interim executive director in June 2025, Javier is helping lead OSF through its continued recovery and growth after the COVID-19 pandemic. Javier has a passion for driving revenue, program impact, and brand reach at nonprofit arts organizations. He has spent over a decade at presenting and producing organizations, marketing nearly every performing arts genre. Before joining OSF in 2022, he directed and managed marketing for theatres in Chicago and Texas. He serves on the adjunct faculty at DePaul University in Chicago, where he earned an MFA in arts leadership, in addition to a bachelor’s of music from The University of Texas at Austin. Why he wanted to join the CACO board: “I look forward to contributing to the cultural vibrancy and support of Oregon through my service on the CACO board.”

The post Welcome, new board members in 2026! appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

Building on the original 2014 Big Think, The Big Re/Think took place between September and December 2025 and included interviews with policymakers and sector leaders, a statewide survey, a virtual convening, and six in-person convenings across Oregon. Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed their thoughtful insights.

The process highlighted several key themes, including the need for a clearer and more unified story about the value of arts, culture, heritage, and humanities in Oregon, as well as the importance of identifying more sustainable funding mechanisms for the sector.

The CACO and CACF boards will be looking at these findings over the coming months as we begin shaping advocacy priorities for the years ahead.

If you’d like to dive deeper, you can also read the full report: Big Re/Think Final Report.

Thank you again to everyone who helped make this process possible.

The post The Big Re/Think findings are in! appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

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