How to get involved
Passionate about the performing arts and the role of arts and culture in revitalizing downtown Portland? Join the Performing Arts Venues Workgroup!
The City of Portland and Metro are seeking representatives from the regional arts and culture community—including users, visitors of City-owned arts facilities, and labor partners—to serve on a five-month Performing Arts Venues Workgroup that will examine challenges and opportunities for the management of the City of Portland-owned Portland’5 Centers for the Arts. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, December 23, 2024.
The workgroup will hold its first meeting on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, and members will meet bi-weekly for five months. The group's recommendations will be submitted to the Deputy City Administrator of Vibrant Communities and Metro General Manager of Visitor Venues in early June 2025.
Background information
On October 31, 2024, Portland City Council unanimously adopted Resolution #37684 to establish a Performing Arts Venues Workgroup to evaluate management of P’5 arts facilities. On the same day, Oregon Metro adopted a complementary resolution.
The Performing Arts Venues Workgroup is tasked with evaluating the operations, maintenance, and long-term planning of City-owned Portland’5 Center for the Arts venues: Antoinette Hatfield Hall (housing the Brunish, Newmark, and Winningstad Theatres), Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, and Keller Auditorium. The Workgroup will examine operational challenges and opportunities, with a focus on aligning management and operations with regional economic and cultural goals. Contracted subject matter experts will conduct a business model and governance analysis to explore alternative operating models and recommend the optimal short-term solution.
Informed by the Workgroup’s findings, the Deputy City Administrator for Vibrant Communities and Metro General Manager for Visitor Venues will present recommendations on short-term challenges and opportunities as well as significant conditions that require potential renegotiations of the IGAs to the City Administrator by June 30, 2025.
The role of the Performing Arts Venues Workgroup
An ad hoc workgroup of 15-20 people, the Performing Arts Venues Workgroup members will be selected by the DCA of Vibrant Communities, Sonia Schmanski, and Metro General Manager of Visitor Venues, Craig Stroud. The Workgroup will examine challenges and opportunities with the current operating model for the City-owned Portland’5 Centers for the Arts venues and will explore alternative operating models. The Workgroup will make recommendations to the Deputy City Administrator of Vibrant Communities and Metro General Manager of Visitor Venues for consideration.
Performing Arts Venues Workgroup members
The Workgroup members will consist of City and Metro staff, representatives from the regional arts and culture community, users and visitors of City-owned arts facilities, and labor partners. Successful Workgroup members will be truth-tellers, action and solution-focused, future-thinkers, and/or rebuilders and revitalizers. All Workgroup members are expected to have a commitment to collaboration, transparency, the arts community, and the process:
- Open to working collaboratively and transparently with other members, as well as the general public.
- Can consider what will best serve arts and culture for all Portlanders.
- Can commit to the process by attending and participating actively in meetings every other week from mid-January 2025 – mid-May 2025 (2 hours each, 8-10 meetings, 16-20 hours total).
Specifically, we are seeking members who can bring the following experiences and attributes to the table:
Experience and knowledge of the arts sector
- Experience with arts administration, cultural event production, performing arts centers, or venue management.
Diverse representation
- A mix of participants from different arts disciplines (e.g., theater, music, dance, etc.) and different size organizations to ensure that the voices of all performing arts sectors are represented.
- Representation from marginalized communities, including Black people, Indigenous people, other communities of color, individuals with disabilities, organizations serving youth, and economically underserved populations.
Experience in governance, policy, or business administration
- Individuals with a background in governance, planning, policy development, business administration, contract management, or finance.
Workgroup application and meeting timeline
The Workgroup will meet 8-10 times between January 2025 and May 2025. Meetings may be held in-person or online via Zoom (TBD). Workgroup members may need to spend a few hours outside of meetings to review materials. The expected schedule is:
- Early January 2025: Workgroup selection announcement
- January 22, 2025: First meeting of the Performing Arts Venues Workgroup
- February to May 2025: Bi-weekly workgroup meetings
- June 2025: Present recommendations to Deputy City Administrator of Vibrant Communities and Metro General Manager of Visitor Venues
- June 30, 2025: Deputy City Administrator of Vibrant Communities and Metro General Manager of Visitor Venues present final recommendations to City Manager
Apply to become a member of the Performing Venues Workgroup
If you're interested in becoming a member of the City of Portland's Performing Venues Workgroup, applications are now open. Please apply by 11:59 p.m. on Monday, December 23, 2024.
**Applications are now closed. Members of the workgroup will be announced in January 2025.**
For questions or assistance, please contact Soo Pak at 971-280-2214 or soo.pak@portlandoregon.gov.