Arts and Culture

"Keep Portland Weird" should be an invitation to creativity

When a city thrives, it’s not just because of clean streets and booming business; it’s because the city has cultivated an atmosphere of creative freedom, inevitably creating a je ne sais quoi naturally revealed through artistic expression uniquely that city’s own. Creativity is hard-wired in Portland’s DNA, and in our famously informal way we have pushed boundaries since the city’s founding. Cultivation is key however, and just like clean streets and booming business, if not properly maintained it is possible to lose what makes this place so special.

Art, artists and creatives are being overlooked

The artistic and creative communities in Portland that define our culture are often overlooked in times of competing needs, and as Portland suffers from its bout of ideological comeuppance we cannot lose sight of, or stop supporting, the cultural bedrock upon which our fair city has been built.

The impact of the arts on the health of a city cannot be overstated

Budgets are tight across the board, and 2024 may well become known as a year of austerity measures as bureaus and agencies face historical shortfalls. Even in such an environment to cut funding for cultural and artistic ventures is a mistake, as the revitalization of Portland cannot occur without continuing support for our rich and unique cultural milieu.

What's John going to do about it?

Fight to restore the Rose Garden Loop of the Washington Park & Zoo Railway

A once gorgeously iconic 20-minute loop through the winding woods of Washington Park, from the zoo to the Rose Test Gardens, the Rose Garden loop was reduced to a 6-minute destination-less jaunt in 2014 at the behest of Metro. A 2023 study on the railway showed that the infrastructure is still in great repair, and with a few minor upgrades could be put back online for the enjoyment of generations to come.

Engage with local artists to provide installations and events that enhance our cultural appeal

New art brings fresh perspectives, and engaging with local talent to provide the community with ongoing events and installations will help engage the city in the way that only art can. Things to do and things to see will instill vigor in downtown spaces and engage Portlander’s in a shared sense of ownership.

Embrace art as a necessity in the construction and development of Portland

When public funds are spent on capital projects, it is a wise use of funds to make those projects shine with creative input. Art can turn a bland building project into a cultural centerpiece, and support for projects like sanctioned graffiti walls and development of the Steele Bridge Skatepark can provide potentially dangerous and disruptive activities the proper productive creative outlets.