November 4, 2015 

As Arts Commissioner, Nick was proud to present a proclamation this morning, recognizing November as Public Art Month in Portland.

2015 has been a big year for public art in Portland! It’s the 35^th anniversary of the Percent for Art Program, the 30^th birthday of our beloved Portlandia, the 20^th anniversary of the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC), and the 10^th anniversary of the Public Murals Program.

KATU News let us share some great archival footage of Portlandia’s arrival in 1985, with Mayor Bud Clark, sculptor Raymond Kaskey, and Portland Building Architect Michael Graves.

RACC manages our abundant public art collection, which includes over 1,400 public artworks – and about 1,000 are outdoor pieces. The art enriches our community by highlighting Portland’s diversity of cultures, artistic disciplines, and points of view in public spaces throughout the city.

To celebrate Public Art Month, RACC is presenting Celebrate Public Art, an exhibition in City Hall. All four floors will be decked with colorful banners showcasing the City’s public art collection from November 12 through December 4. Join us for a free reception with entertainment by local musicians on Thursday, November 19, starting at 5pm.

Interested in exploring Portland’s public art first hand? RACC partnered up with Travel Portland to update the free publication, A Guide Portland Public Art. For the tech-savvy, there’s a free smart phone app, Public Art PDX.

Check out RACC’s website for more information about the Public Art Program and the Celebrate Public Art exhibition.  

Celebrate Public Art

Portland City Hall

1221 SW 4^th Ave., on the first floor

Reception: Thursday, November 19, 5 pm – 7 pm

Regular hours: Monday – Friday, 8 am – 5 pm

Public Art Month

Proclamation

KATU News’ historic coverage of Portlandia’s arrival in 1985