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

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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

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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.”

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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.

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We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to you for being an ally and champion for arts, culture, heritage, and humanities across Oregon.

Over the past several months, we’ve had the privilege of connecting with so many of you through our Big Re/Think events — from Portland to Bend, and from Ashland to the coast. Whether you joined us in person or plan to be part of our upcoming virtual conversation on December 2, your engagement and insights are helping us reimagine what a vibrant, equitable cultural future for Oregon can look like.

The Big Re/Think project is about listening, learning, and building a collective vision for how arts and culture can thrive statewide not just in our major cities, but in every community, large and small. To ensure your voice is part of this process, we invite you to:

Take the Big Re/Think Survey

Your feedback will directly inform how the Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon and our foundation advocate for the arts and cultural ecosystem in the years ahead.

Please also share this survey with your networks: organizations, educators, and supporters. This way we can capture as many perspectives as possible.

Thank you again for your partnership, your passion, and your ongoing commitment to strengthening Oregon’s creative future. Together, we’re ensuring that arts and culture continue to inspire, challenge, and connect all who call this state home.

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On November 4 at Patricia Reser Center for the Arts in Beaverton, more than 100 cultural leaders from across Oregon came together to strategize about what can be done to strengthen the sector. As ArtsWatch reported, “everyone focused on helping decide what to request from state lawmakers.”

The session was the sixth in a series of community conversations following earlier meetings in Eugene, Ashland, Baker City, Bend, and Newport. Participants (from the Oregon Arts Commission to small local nonprofits) agreed that Oregon’s creative organizations are vital to overcoming division and building community. Portland Opera Executive Director Sue Dixon summed up the shared spirit: “We are facing so many challenges in the arts today. This is the group that’s going to make things happen.”

Participants discussed expanding the Oregon Cultural Trust tax credit, establishing a dedicated statewide tax for arts and culture, increasing fundraising support for smaller organizations, and bolstering funding for regional anchor institutions such as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the High Desert Museum.

As ArtsWatch noted, a statewide Steering Committee will refine these ideas into a focused legislative agenda, which will be proposed to our CACO board to consider for 2027. The agenda will reflect Oregon’s collaborative, forward-looking cultural community.

As facilitator Rob Fenty told participants, quoted in the article: “We have to identify a compelling need and the way to solve that need if we want the Legislature to listen to us.”

Read the full article at Oregon ArtsWatch.

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More than 125 people have already participated across the state at events in Eugene, Ashland, Baker City, Bend, and Newport.

You still have two chances to join in the discussion:

• Tuesday, November 4, Portland: 1-4 pm at the Patricia Reser Center in Beaverton (register)
• Tuesday, December 2, Zoom: 4 pm (register)

The meetings have been an exciting opportunity for us to re-engage with our statewide community, in many ways for the first time since COVID-19. The convenings have focused on identifying essential themes for a statewide value proposition for Oregon arts and culture. As one participant in Bend said, “The conversations reflected genuine care for Oregon’s cultural future — and a shared recognition that creativity and community are essential ingredients for collective well-being.”

A new Oregon ArtsWatch article by Jim Redden spotlights what we’ve been trying to do to address the growing challenges facing arts and culture nonprofits amid political and funding uncertainty. The effort builds on the original 2014 Big Think and aims to deliver a focused set of priorities to strengthen the state’s arts, culture, and humanities sectors for years to come.

Thank you to Claire Blaylock and welcome to Tristan Perrotti! Claire did an outstanding job launching The Big Re/Think, and now she’s moved onto a full-time job. She handed the reins to Tristan Perrotti, who’s a visual artist, political organizer, and adjunct professor at Southwestern Oregon Community College. He can be reached at Tristan@oregonculture.org.

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Oregon is home to more than 2,400 arts and culture nonprofits that generate over $829 million in economic activity and support 13,000 jobs. Similar to national trends, our smaller organizations are especially feeling the squeeze as funding shortfalls strain their ability to meet rising community demand. Yet Oregonians continue to value cultural offerings highly, positioning the sector as both an economic driver and a vital community resource.

Sobering statistics, indeed, yet we have an opportunity for you to be part of possible solutions.

We’re excited to remind you about the upcoming Big Re/Think convenings taking place across Oregon this fall. These gatherings are a chance for arts, culture, and heritage leaders to come together, share perspectives, and help shape a thriving future for arts and culture in our state.

Upcoming dates and locations:

• Baker City: Monday, October 6, 1-4 pm, Baker Heritage Museum
• Bend: Wednesday, October 8, 1-4 pm, High Desert Museum
• Newport: Tuesday, October 21, 1-4 pm, Newport Performing Arts Center

Your voice is an important part of this process. The insights shared at these convenings will directly inform our statewide strategy and the future of arts and culture investment in Oregon.

 Please RSVP today to ensure we can plan for your participation:

RSVP Baker City
RSVP Bend
RSVP Newport

If you’ve already registered, thank you—we look forward to seeing you! Feel free to share this invitation with colleagues and community members who should be part of the conversation.

Thank you for helping us rethink and reimagine Oregon’s cultural future together.

Questions? Reach out to Claire Blaylock, The Big Re/Think statewide engagement manager. 

Thanks to our sponsors: Oregon Community Foundation, The Miller Foundation, Ronald W. Naito Foundation, and Roundhouse Foundation

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The Big Re/Think builds on a 2014 gathering led by arts and culture leaders, which led to initiatives like the statewide arts and culture caucus. This event aims to coordinate advocacy, foster partnerships, and highlight the importance of arts and culture for Oregon’s future.

Why should you participate?

The Cultural Advocacy Coalition Foundation envisions a thriving, interconnected regional arts network grounded in collaboration, strategy, and sustainable leadership. The Big Re/Think is an important step toward achieving this vision. You can participate at any level you choose!

Through public meetings, individual interviews, and statewide surveys, The Big Re/Think will formalize partnerships, amplify advocacy, and energize the arts and culture sector across the region.

By joining The Big Re/Think, you’ll become an integral voice in shaping Oregon’s cultural future. Are you a practicing artist, educator, organization leader, supporter, or community member? Your perspective will help spotlight the unique challenges and aspirations facing our creative communities.

Every story, insight, and recommendation collected throughout this journey will inform actionable strategies and collaborative solutions, fostering an environment where the arts can truly flourish.

Meetings:

September:

Eugene

Ashland/Medford

October:

Bend

Baker City

Portland

Check back soon for more details!

Questions? Reach out to Claire Blaylock, The Big Re/Think statewide engagement manager. 

Thanks to our sponsors: Oregon Community Foundation, The Miller Foundation, Ronald W. Naito Foundation, and Roundhouse Foundation

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