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

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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.

Here’s how the tax credit works:

1. Total what you gave to the nonprofits on this list during 2024.
2. Give the same amount (up to $500 filing individually or $1,000 filing jointly) to the Cultural Trust online or by mail by December 31.
3. On your Oregon tax form, report your donation to the Oregon Cultural Trust. You’ll get 100% of it back!

If you itemize your deductions, you’ll benefit even more with federal and state deductions. Find out more on the Oregon Cultural Trust website.

The Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon has a long history with the Oregon Cultural Trust. In fact, our coalition was formed in 1998 by people who lobbied for legislation that created the Oregon Cultural Trust. We are the only statewide advocacy organization lobbying on behalf of arts, culture, history, heritage, and humanities.

Consider donating to one of our supporting organizations to double your impact! The following evolving list of donors is broken out into categories:

Arts, Culture, and Humanities
Arts & Business Alliance of Eugene
Beaverton Arts Foundation/Reser Center for the Arts
Black United Fund of Oregon
Josephine Community Library Foundation
Crossroads Carnegie Art Center
Cultural Advocacy Coalition Foundation
Historic Jacksonville, Inc.
John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts
Josephy Center for Arts and Culture
KLCC Public Radio Foundation
Lane Arts Council
Lincoln City Cultural Center
Literary Arts
Native Arts and Cultures Foundation
Oregon Chinese Coalition
Oregon Humanities
Oregon Public Broadcasting 
Performance Works Northwest, Inc.
Prismid Sanctuary 
Regional Arts & Culture Council
Salem Parks Foundation
Southern Oregon Historical Society
Tualatin Valley Creates
 
Comedy
Kickstand Comedy
 
Dance
Ballet Fantastique
Eugene Ballet Company
Oregon Ballet Theatre
 
Education
Caldera Arts
PHAME Academy
 
Film
Mack Theater
Outside the Frame
PAM CUT/Portland Art Museum Center for an Untold Tomorrow
 
Fine Art
Portland Art Museum 
Portland Institute for Contemporary Art
Salem Art Association
 
Music
All Ages Music PDX
Britt Music & Arts Festival
Chamber Music Northwest
Eugene Symphony
Friends of Chamber Music
Metropolitan Youth Symphony
Music Oregon
Oregon Symphony
Portland Opera
 
Museums
B-17 Alliance Foundation
Clatsop County Historical Society
Columbia County Museum Association
Columbia River Maritime Museum
Coos Art Museum
Friends of the Oregon Caves and Chateau
Gilbert House Children’s Museum
High Desert Museum
Japanese American Museum of Oregon
Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art
Maxville Heritage Interpretive Center
Mt. Hood Museum
The Museum At Warm Springs
Oregon Historical Society
Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education
Rainier Oregon Historical Museum
Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art
Shelton McMurphey Johnson House
World Forestry Center
 
Theatre
Artists Repertory Theatre
Athena’s Gem Theatre
Bag&Baggage Productions
Coho Productions
Cottage Theatre
Eastern Oregon Regional Theater
The Historic Elsinore Theatre
Imago, The Theatre Mask Ensemble
Liberty Restoration/Liberty Theatre
Oregon Shakespeare Festival
Portland Center Stage
Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble
Portland Playhouse
The Very Little Theatre
Third Rail Repertory Theatre
Whiteside Theatre

Thank you for supporting the arts in Oregon!

The post Donate to your favorite arts nonprofit and double your impact! appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

The awards include a total of $728,759 to the Cultural Trust’s five statewide partners (Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Heritage Commission, Oregon Humanities, Oregon Historical Society, and the State Historic Preservation Office) and $728,759 to 45 county and Tribal cultural coalitions that award an average of 450 additional awards annually in their communities.

The grants include 86 cultural development program awards. Congratulations to supporters of the Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon that received grants:

• Cultural Advocacy Coalition Foundation: $12,422
• APANO Communities United Fund, Portland: $20,144
• Artists Repertory Theatre, Portland: $32,584
• Bag & Baggage Productions, Hillsboro: $7,18
• Caldera Arts, Central Oregon and Portland: $12,384
• Oregon Ballet Theatre, Portland: $30,09
• Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, Portland: $12,400
• PHAME Academy, Portland: $21,781
• Portland Art Museum, Portland: $22,11
• Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble, Portland: $30,76
• Portland Opera Association, Portland: $31,669
• Portland Playhouse, Portland: $26,274
• Third Rail Repertory Theatre, Portland: $13,927
• Chehalem Center Association, Newberg: $35,171
• Lane Arts Council, Eugene: $27,085
• Lincoln City Cultural Center, Lincoln City: $19,849
• Oregon Coast Council for the Arts, Newport: $8,480
• Friends of the Oregon Caves and Chateau, Grants Pass: $21,403

The post Oregon Cultural Trust awards nearly $3M to cultural organizations appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

The 2023 legislature is drawing to a close and as it does, we are left scratching our heads at the outcomes for arts and culture.

We proposed an ambitious agenda based on the needs of our members who are still trying to recover from the impacts of the pandemic. We know economic losses from declining audiences are very real. We have been grateful for past support from policy makers who have directed federal COVID-recovery dollars to arts and culture twice in the past three years.

Unfortunately, while some state dollars were directed to our sector this session, they are not nearly enough to meet the needs of our fragile ecosystem. We know that lack of state funding will result in organizational deficits, staff layoffs, and decreased access to arts and culture.

We will not give up.  We will be using all the tools available to us to continue to put this sector’s needs in front of policymakers.  We have attached our statement on this session.

With our thanks,

The CACO Board

The results of the Oregon 2023 legislative session follow:

The post Deep disappointment with the 2023 Oregon legislature session appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

On August 18 the Oregon Cultural Trust is cohosting an event at the Newport Performing Arts Center to celebrate the new look for the Oregon Coast Art Bus. The Art Bus, a program of the Oregon Coast Council for the Arts, is now sporting a full wrap of the Celebrate Oregon! artwork.

The artwork created by Liza Mana Burns of Eugene has been transformed into vibrant murals installed in the Eugene, Medford, Portland, and Redmond airports, sponsored by GreenCars.com. In addition, a 38-foot outdoor banner was installed at the Northwest Film Center at the Portland Art Museum.

The Oregon Cultural Trust receives a significant percentage of the plate sales. Funds are used to assist with marketing the work of the trust and the Oregon Cultural Tax Credit, which funds arts & culture programs in Oregon.

Do you have your license plate yet?

If not, learn how to purchase one here!

Thank you for supporting Oregon’s culture, arts, and humanities!

The post License plate sales funnel $748,054 into Oregon arts & culture appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

• We had the best legislative session ever in terms of recovery dollars for the arts & culture sectors. During this long-running pandemic, organizations of every size need assistance.
• Our 11 capital construction projects represent the largest investment ever, at $9.5 million.
• The new license plate has generated a significant increase in revenue for the Oregon Cultural Trust. During the first month it was available, the trust sold roughly five times more license plates than the previous month. Sales of the new license plate remain strong.
• We have active and engaged members who care about the future of Oregon’s arts, culture, history, heritage, and humanities.

Don’t forget to take advantage of your Oregon Cultural Tax Credit to funnel more money to Oregon’s arts and culture.

Total the amount you have donated to 1,400 arts & culture nonprofits by December 31. Give a matching donation to the Oregon Cultural Trust, and report that on your state tax form. You will receive 100% of that gift back in the form of a tax credit.

Last year, Oregonians donated $5.2 million to the Oregon Cultural Trust. During summer 2021, the trust distributed a record-setting $3.2 million to our state’s nonprofit community (the remainder was added to the Cultural Trust’s permanent fund).

We wish you a creative, joyful holiday season, celebrating your own family traditions and reveling in the wonders of Oregon.

The Cultural Advocacy Coalition Board of Directors

The post Thank you, members and supporters! appeared first on Cultural Advocacy Coalition of Oregon.

The Oregon Cultural Trust receives a significant percentage of the plate sales. Funds will be used to assist with marketing and fund arts, culture, heritage, and humanities nonprofits.

The Celebrate Oregon! plate costs $50, in addition to $34.50 for a plate manufacturing fee and replacement sticker.

Here’s how to order your new plate:

• Go to DMV2U Service Center
• Click “Replace My Plate or Get a New One”
• Enter your personal DVM information
• To the far right of your vehicle information, click “Replace your license plate”
• Have your vehicle identification number handy, title number, current plate number, and credit card number handy
• Click “next” on the Plate Replacement page
• Click “I’d like a different plate” on the Plate Options page
• Click “yes” or “no” for personalization
• Click “Cultural Trust” and “Next”
• Proceed to the Fees page
• Proceed to the Plate Replacement and payment pages

Thank you for supporting Oregon’s culture, arts, and humanities!

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Media Release (DOWNLOAD PDF) 

621 organizations awarded $25.7 million in Coronavirus Relief Fund Cultural Support grant awards
Salem, Ore. – Coronavirus Relief Fund Cultural Support (CRFCS) grant awards totaling
$25.7 million will be distributed to 621 cultural organizations across Oregon through a partnership between the Oregon Cultural Trust and its County and Tribal Cultural Coalitions. The funds, allocated to the Cultural Trust for Oregon cultural organizations facing losses due to the COVID-19 health crisis, were made available through a $50 million relief package for Oregon culture approved by the Emergency Board of the Oregon Legislature in July.
“Many cultural organizations and institutions have closed their doors to help keep us all safe during this pandemic. These grants will mean that more than 600 Oregon arts and culture organizations across our state’s counties and Tribes will be able to keep up their vital creative work,” said Governor Kate Brown. “Everything from museums to fairgrounds to the summer events we all know and love can continue to enrich our lives—connecting us to one another and giving us the hope and inspiration we need.”
“These funds are life blood to Oregon’s cultural community,” added Chuck Sams, chair of the Cultural Trust Board of Directors. “While they won’t replace all the losses suffered during the pandemic, they will ensure Oregon culture survives this crisis. We are deeply grateful to the Oregon Legislature for making this possible.”
The largest award is $1.4 million to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry; the average grant award is $41,458. Just under $90 million in requests were received from 751 organizations; 130 organizations were ineligible for awards based on program guidelines.
“Due to the incredible need, we were able to fund a percentage of organizations’ eligible expenses,” said Brian Rogers, Cultural Trust executive director. “Smaller organizations received a higher percentage of their eligible expenses. The final awards represent a statewide, equitable distribution plan that was approved by our Board of Directors, the Governor’s Office, Business Oregon and our legislative sponsors.”
The organizations to receive funding include cultural institutions, county fairgrounds, cultural entities within federally recognized Indian Tribes based in Oregon, festivals and community event organizations, in addition to some for-profit organizations that have significant cultural impact in their communities. Awards will be issued directly to the organizations by their local County or Tribal Coalition.
Funding was determined based on eligible request amounts, an award allocation formula that established a base amount of funds per county or Tribe and the organization’s fiscal size. COVID-19 expenses previously reimbursed by other federal CARES Act programs were not eligible.
The intended use of the CRF Cultural Support funds is to provide financial assistance to cultural nonprofit organizations and community venues that have canceled or postponed public programming because of public health executive orders associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Guidelines for the funding are in accordance with the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
The legislation allows Coalitions to be reimbursed for up to 5 percent of their total grant awards for documented administrative expenses. Requests from Coalitions for administrative expenses totaled $209,515.
Below is a list of funds awarded per county; the full list of grant awards (listed alphabetically by county) is posted on the Cultural Trust website.
NOTE: No applications were submitted from Gilliam County and the Tribes chose not to apply due to previously received CARES Act funding. Washington County, which serves as the fiscal agent for the Cultural Coalition of Washington County, chose not to participate in the CRFCS program; the Cultural Trust is currently working to identify potential solutions.

About the Oregon Cultural Trust
Created in 2001 by the Oregon Legislature, the Oregon Cultural Trust is a testament to how much Oregonians value culture. No other state provides a 100 percent tax credit to inspire cultural giving. As uniquely Oregonian as public beaches and the bottle bill, the Oregon Cultural Trust was designed as an ongoing funding engine for arts and culture across the state.
Oregonians fund the Cultural Trust. We, in turn, fund the artists, potters, poets, acrobats and dreamers who define our famous quality of life.
In 2019 Oregonians gave $4.5 million to the Cultural Trust. Sixty percent of that went straight back to the field. The remaining 40 percent helped grow our permanent fund. Our three grant programs fund our five Statewide Partners, 45 County and Tribal Coalitions and 1,450+ qualified cultural nonprofits through competitive Cultural Development Grants.
More information at culturaltrust.org.

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