May 3, 2012

Portland may already be well-known for its parks, bicycles, soccer and donuts, but it is also gaining ground in the arts world.

Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal profiled Portland as an up-and-coming arts capital. Peter Plagens describes Portland’s art vibe: "[the] residual roughness and collective spirit is reflected in Portland's ever-growing art scene, characterized by a plethora of ‘alternative spaces’."

Portland is home to many up-and-coming creatives, whose work is featured in those "alternative spaces," in art schools like the Pacific Northwest College of Art, world class galleries, and museums. The popular First Thursday event has been encouraging visitors to enjoy our many Northwest Portland galleries for 26 years.

We hope Mr. Plagens is right when he predicts that "for the foreseeable future … artists will keep heading to Portland." They will be welcome!

Pictured: Artifacts of Memory by Crystal Schenk - www.crystalschenk.com

Our Next Art Capital: Portland?

Peter Plagens in the Wall Street Journal