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

Tananawit, Warm Springs

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.