Students who took their first steps into Kindergarten classrooms in 2013-14, coinciding with the launch of the City of Portland's Arts Education and Access Fund, are now thriving tenth graders. Through challenges and budget constraints, Portland taxpayer support has been an illuminating light, one that nurtures curiosity, inspires wonder, and encourages self-discovery in young artists. Eager to share their PPS artistic journeys, these students invite the City of Portland to join them.
Mark your calendars for April 16, 2024, as Portland Public Schools (PPS) and the Portland Art Museum (PAM) unite for the 2024 HeART of Portland—a celebration of a decade marked by excellence, wonder, and curiosity of student artists whose talents have been cultivated by the generous support of Portland taxpayers. The performing arts showcase kicks off a two-week visual arts exhibition full of student work from across the district. The two-week festivities conclude with the Miller Family Free Day at PAM on April 28.
This year's theme, "Lighting the Way: A Decade of Excellence, Wonder, and Curiosity," underscores the transformative power of equity in arts education—a force that lights the path for every student artist to blossom and thrive.
“For the past ten years, The Arts Education Access Fund, commonly referred to as the Arts Tax, has provided a bright light, showing the way for students in our district to grow as artists”, says PPS Director of Visual & Performing Arts Kristen Brayson. “With gratitude, we invite all Portlanders to come and enjoy student learning on display as a result of their investment in art education.”
Highlights include:
- Over 100 visual artworks showcasing the rich diversity of creativity in PPS arts classrooms. This includes the highly anticipated PPS collaborative art exhibit Artistic Alchemy: Transformative Art Making, which will be displayed for two weeks, alongside the current Portland Art Museum exhibition Throughlines: Connections in the Collection. Audiences can enjoy free admission to Throughlines as well as PAM’s new special exhibition Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks on April 16 from 5 to 7 p.m. before the opening reception.
- An evening showcase on April 16 at 6:30 pm that features captivating performances—dance, music, theater—by PPS student artists, including the district-wide PPS Elementary Honor Choir.
- The showcase also features personal stories shared by tenth graders from across the district, offering an additional glimpse of the value of a community-supported public arts education.
- The Miller Family Free Day—this final, full-day event at the Portland Art Museum on April 28 features art-making activities and student performances in the museum galleries, with free admission all day for the community to enjoy both Throughlines and Future Now.
Don’t miss the chance to celebrate student artists and the community of educators and supporters who help them grow. Free and open to every last one of us.
For more information about the HeART of Portland and how to attend, please visit ppsarts.com