C.O. Mastersingers, Tananawit in Warm Springs among 135 Oregon arts organizations receiving small operating grants
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) – Small grants that make a big difference for ensuring access to arts programming, especially in rural areas, have been awarded to 135 arts organizations by the Oregon Arts Commission. Each organization will receive $2,355 for the 2025 fiscal year.
Small Operating Grants support arts organizations throughout the state with annual budgets of less than $150,000. Eligibility is limited to organizations that provide ongoing, sustained artistic and outreach programming and have current IRS 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt status.
“Although the Drexel H. Foundation and our community is rural and small compared to other parts of Oregon, our impact is huge,” said Sandijean Fuson, president of the Drexel H. Foundation in Vale. “This grant helps us keep an unbroken existence of programs that we’ve had for over 25 years, reminding our community they are important.”
“The Small Operating Grant has always been instrumental to the Astoria Arts and Movement Center's ability to provide programming and serve our community,” said Jessamyn Grace West, executive director of the Astoria Arts and Movement Center. “Oregon Arts Commission consistently manages to reach the far corners of the state and support organizations that have limited operating budgets, volunteer staff and minimal access to funding. I feel the work that small organizations do in their communities is just as vital, especially in rural areas, which is why we are so grateful for this ongoing support.”
“This grant program was developed to increase the Arts Commission’s support of Oregon’s small but mighty arts providers,” said Arts Commission Chair Subashini Ganesan-Forbes. “These organizations frequently represent the only arts presenter for remote and under-resourced regions of the state.”
For more information about the Small Operating Grant Program, contact Tiffany Harker at 971-719-6169 or tiffany.harker@biz.oregon.gov.
FY2025 Small Operating Grants by region:
Central
Central Oregon Mastersingers Inc., Bend
Greater Eastern – North
College Community Theater, Pendleton
Inland Northwest Musicians Inc, Hermiston
Greater Eastern – South
Drexel H. Foundation, Vale
Portland Metro
21Ten Theatre, Portland
Airlie Press, Portland
Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, Portland
Art In The Pearl, Portland
ArtMax Academy, Portland
Aurora Chorus, Portland
Bach Cantata Choir, Portland
Beaverton Symphony Orchestra, Beaverton
Bells of the Cascades, Tualatin
Bridging Voices, Portland
Casa Della Zisa Collegium Musica, West Linn
Cathedral Park Performing Arts Collective, Portland
Choro in Schola, Portland
Classical Close Up, Tigard
Community Jams, Oregon City
Conchords Chorale, Tualatin
Dance Wire PDX, Portland
enTaiko, Portland
Experience Theatre Project, Beaverton
Friends of IFCC, Portland
Future Prairie, Portland
Greater Portland Flute Society, Portland
Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre Northwest, Portland
Hillsboro Symphony Orchestra, Hillsboro
Immigrant Story, Hillsboro
ISing Community Choir, Beaverton
Light Opera of Portland, Hillsboro
LineStorm Playwrights, Portland
Many Hats Collaboration, Portland
Media-Rites, Portland
Musica Maestrale, Portland
Northwest Senior Theatre, Beaverton
Northwest Theatre Workshop, Portland
Open Hearts Open Minds, Portland
Oregon Bluegrass Association, Portland
Oregon Chorale Inc., Hillsboro
Oregon Symphonic Band, Beaverton
PDX Pop Now!, Portland
Performance Works NorthWest, Portland
Piano Santa Foundation, Portland
Portland Area Theatre Alliance, Portland
Portland Chamber Music, Portland
Portland Chamber Orchestra, Portland
Portland Child Art Studio, Portland
Portland in Color, Portland
Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble, Portland
Portland Lesbian Choir, Portland
Portland Symphonic Choir, Portland
Portland Taiko, Portland
Portland Wind Symphony, Portland
Print Arts Northwest, Portland
PUSH FOLD, Portland
Rasika Society for Arts of India, Hillsboro
Renegade Opera, Portland
Risk-Reward, Portland
Shady Pines Radio, Portland
Soulflags, Oregon City
STAGES Performing Arts Youth Academy, Hillsboro
Steps for Youth, Portland
Sunset Apollo Marching Band and Auxiliary, Portland
Takohachi Inc, Portland
The Geezer Gallery, Portland
Tilikum Chamber Orchestra, Portland
Tualatin Valley Community Band, Tigard
Tualatin Valley Symphony, Tigard
Westside Orchestra Association, Hillsboro
Willamette Falls Symphony, Oregon City
Women in Film-Portland, Portland
Zephyr Clarinet Choir, Tigard
Mid-Valley
Brush Creek Players, Silverton
Festival Chorale Oregon, Salem
Huitzilopochtli, Woodburn
Keizer Creative Art Association, Salem
Keizer Heritage Foundation, Keizer
Keizer Homegrown Theatre, Keizer
McMinnville Film Festival Foundation, McMinnville
Oregon Artists Series Foundation, Salem
Oregon Spirit Chorus, Salem
Rural Craft Education Association, Saint Paul
Salem Orchestra, Salem
Salem Philharmonia Orchestra, Salem
Salem Pops Orchestra, Salem
Salem Youth Symphony, Salem
Willamette University, Salem
North Central
Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association, Hood River
North Coast
Arts Council of Clatsop County, Astoria
Astoria Arts and Movement Center, Astoria
Astoria Visual Arts, Astoria
C. C. Stern Type Foundry, Clatskanie
Cascadia Concert Opera, Astoria
Columbia Chorale of Oregon, Saint Helens
North Coast Chorale, Astoria
Partners for the PAC, Astoria
Ten Fifteen Productions, Astoria
Northeast
Grande Ronde Symphony Association, La Grande
South Coast
Bay Area Community Concert Band, North Bend
Dolphin Players Inc., Coos Bay
Oregon Coast School of Art, Gardiner
Pelican Bay Arts Association, Brookings
South Valley/Mid Coast
Applegate Regional Theatre, Inc, Veneta
Arts and Business Alliance of Eugene, Eugene
Central Coast Chorale, Waldport
Corvallis Guitar Society, Corvallis
DisOrient Asian American Film Festival of Oregon, Eugene
Eugene Difficult Music Ensemble, Eugene
Eugene Gay Men’s Chorus, Eugene
Eugene Symphonic Band, Springfield
Gallery Calapooia, Albany
Instaballet, Eugene
Integrated Arts (DBA Harmonic Laboratory), Eugene
Mid-Valley Productions, Albany
New Zone Gallery, Eugene
Oregon Brass Society, Eugene
Oregon Coast Youth Symphony Festival Association, Newport
Orgelkids USA, Corvallis
Santiam Hearts to Arts, Mill City
Soromundi Lesbian Chorus of Eugene, Eugene
Willamette Valley Symphony, Albany
Southern
Art Presence, Inc, Jacksonville
Ashland Children’s Theatre, Ashland
Ashland Flute Circle, Medford
Ashland New Plays Festival, Ashland
Barnstormers Theatre, Grants Pass
Fusion Performing Arts Alliance, Grants Pass
Guitar Society of Southern Oregon, Ashland
Oregon Art on a Mission, Talent
Rogue Valley Symphonic Band, Ashland
Siskiyou Singers Inc, Ashland
Siskiyou Violins, Medford
Southern Oregon Guild, Cave Junction
Region and counties key:
Central (Jefferson, Deschutes and Crook Counties)
Greater Eastern North (Gilliam, Morrow, Umatilla and Wheeler Counties)
Greater Eastern South (Grant, Harney and Malheur)
Portland Metro (Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas Counties)
Mid-Valley (Yamhill, Polk and Marion Counties)
North Central (Hood River, Wasco and Sherman Counties)
North Coast (Clatsop, Columbia and Tillamook Counties)
Northeast (Wallowa, Union and Baker Counties)
South Coast (Douglas, Coos and Curry Counties)
South Valley/Mid-Coast (Lincoln, Benton, Linn and Lane Counties)
Southern (Josephine and Jackson Counties)
The Oregon Arts Commission provides leadership, funding and arts programs through its grants, special initiatives and services. Nine commissioners, appointed by the Governor, determine arts needs and establish policies for public support of the arts. The Arts Commission became part of Business Oregon (formerly Oregon Economic and Community Development Department) in 1993, in recognition of the expanding role the arts play in the broader social, economic and educational arenas of Oregon communities. In 2003, the Oregon legislature moved the operations of the Oregon Cultural Trust to the Arts Commission, streamlining operations and making use of the Commission’s expertise in grantmaking, arts and cultural information and community cultural development.
The Arts Commission is supported with general funds appropriated by the Oregon Legislature and with federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts as well as funds from the Oregon Cultural Trust. More information about the Oregon Arts Commission is available online at artscommission.oregon.gov.
