PORTLAND, OR — Portland Queer Arts Foundation has been awarded a $12,000 Cultural Development Program grant from the Oregon Cultural Trust in support of the 2027 Portland Queer Arts Spectacular, the organization’s flagship multidisciplinary stage production.
This marks PQA’s first Cultural Development Program award. The grant will help fund artist stipends, production staffing, and accessible ticketing for an estimated 580 to 620 audience members across the two performances.
“This grant is an investment in Portland’s Queer artists and in the audiences who show up for them,” said John Perry (he/him), Founder and President of Portland Queer Arts Foundation. “It helps us pay artists fairly, staff the production professionally, and keep tickets within reach for the whole community.”
The award is part of a record $4.5 million the Oregon Cultural Trust is distributing this fiscal year to more than 450 arts, culture, heritage, and humanities organizations across the state, including $2,250,846 in Cultural Development Program grants to 104 cultural nonprofits. Awards were reviewed by peer panels and approved by the Cultural Trust Board of Directors in July.
The Oregon Cultural Trust is funded through the Cultural Tax Credit, which allows Oregonians who donate to a qualifying cultural nonprofit — including Portland Queer Arts Foundation — to claim a 100 percent matching state tax credit by giving an equal amount to the Cultural Trust.
For more information on the Spectacular visit our website at portlandqueerarts.foundation/spectacular.
About the Portland Queer Arts Spectacular
The Portland Queer Arts Spectacular is Portland Queer Arts Foundation’s flagship annual event — a multidisciplinary live stage production. Each year, the Spectacular centers a unifying theme and curated artistic vision, bringing together Portland’s most exciting queer talent for an unforgettable evening of storytelling and celebration.
About Portland Queer Arts Foundation
Portland Queer Arts Foundation uplifts and celebrates Portland’s queer artists, advocates, and allies by creating inclusive, joyful, and interdisciplinary arts experiences. From live performances and artist grants to community events, the organization cultivates space for bold expression, collaborative storytelling, and lasting cultural impact. Portland Queer Arts Foundation is based in Portland, Oregon, and committed to amplifying underrepresented voices across Portland and the surrounding metropolitan area.
PORTLAND, OR — Following the success of its recently launched Community Needs Assessment, the Portland Queer Arts Foundation (PQA) is introducing a series of Community Listening Sessions — in-person conversations designed to amplify the voices and experiences of LGBTQ+ artists in Portland.
The one-hour sessions, taking place throughout the fall, will bring together small groups of artists, performers, and creatives from across disciplines to share insights about their work, challenges, and hopes for the future of queer art in the region. All participants will receive compensation for their time and contributions.
“Listening is one of the most powerful acts of community-building,” said John T. Perry (he/him), Co-Founder and President of Portland Queer Arts Foundation. “These sessions give artists the space to speak honestly about what they need, and give us the responsibility to listen with care and intention.”
The Community Listening Sessions are part of PQA’s broader Community Needs Assessment initiative, which launched earlier this year with a citywide survey for LGBTQ+ artists. Together, these efforts will help guide how the Foundation structures future programs, funding opportunities, and creative collaborations.
“Queer artists, we’re often asked to perform or produce — but rarely to simply speak,” added Perry. “These sessions are about creating the same kind of brave, affirming space offstage that we strive to create onstage with shows like our annual Queer Arts Spectacular.”
The Listening Sessions are open to both emerging and established queer artists working in any medium, including music, dance, spoken word, drag, theater, visual, and material arts. Each conversation will be guided by PQA’s facilitation team, focusing on visibility, access, and creative sustainability.
Sessions will take place at accessible venues across Portland, with dates and registration available at portlandqueerarts.foundation/listening.
About Portland Queer Arts Foundation
Portland Queer Arts Foundation uplifts and celebrates Portland’s queer artists, advocates, and allies by creating inclusive, joyful, and interdisciplinary arts experiences. From live performances and artist grants to community events, the organization cultivates space for bold expression, collaborative storytelling, and lasting cultural impact. Portland Queer Arts Foundation is based in Portland, Oregon, and committed to amplifying underrepresented voices across Portland and the surrounding metropolitan area.
PORTLAND, OR — Portland Queer Arts Foundation (PQA) has launched its first-ever Community Needs Assessment to better understand how to support and uplift LGBTQ+ artists in Portland. The initiative begins with a 10-minute anonymous survey, now live at portlandqueerarts.foundation/survey.
The survey invites queer artists of all disciplines—including musicians, dancers, drag performers, poets, visual artists, and more—to share their experiences, challenges, and needs. Feedback gathered will directly inform PQA’s future programs, grantmaking, partnerships, and performance opportunities.
“This is about listening,” said John T. Perry (he/him), Founder and President of Portland Queer Arts Foundation. “Our mission is to create inclusive, joyful, and interdisciplinary spaces for queer creativity—but to do that well, we need to hear directly from the artists we serve.”
Who Should Participate:
The survey is open to individuals who:
- Identify as LGBTQ+
- Are 18 years or older
- Live and/or create art in Portland or surrounding areas
- Are currently pursuing, or want to pursue, art as a form of income
PQA is encouraging Portland’s queer community to not only participate but also share the survey with their networks. “Every perspective strengthens this work,” added Perry. “By amplifying a diversity of voices, we can help shape a stronger, more visible future for queer art in Portland.”
In addition to the survey, Portland Queer Arts Foundation will be hosting a series of focus groups this fall to create more space for dialogue and collective visioning. These sessions will bring together LGBTQ+ artists across disciplines to share stories, identify needs, and generate ideas for how PQA can serve the community more effectively. Details on dates, times, and how to sign up will be announced soon. Sign up for our mailing list to be notified about future opportunities to share your voice.
Take the survey here: portlandqueerarts.foundation/survey
About Portland Queer Arts Foundation
Portland Queer Arts Foundation uplifts and celebrates Portland’s queer artists, advocates, and allies by creating inclusive, joyful, and interdisciplinary arts experiences. From live performances and artist grants to community events, the organization cultivates space for bold expression, collaborative storytelling, and lasting cultural impact. Portland Queer Arts Foundation is based in Portland, Oregon, and committed to amplifying underrepresented voices across Portland and the surrounding metropolitan area.
Portland Queer Arts is excited to announce a new fiscal sponsorship agreement with the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus.
Fiscal sponsorship refers to the practice of one non-profit organization offering their legal and tax-exempt status to another organization or project that shares in a complementary mission. Through this agreement, donations made to PGMC on behalf of Portland Queer Arts will go directly to support our programs and initiatives.
“With PGMC’s support, we will be able to achieve our shared goal of lifting up the voices of queer artists in our community and help give queer Portlanders the freedom to express honestly our unique, American experience.” — John Perry, Portland Queer Arts President and Co-Founder.
Portland Queer Arts is proud to have the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus serve as our fiscal sponsor as we await our official recognition as a non-profit charitable organization under IRS 501(c)(3) rules.
Those interest in helping to support the missing of Portland Queer Arts can learn more on our website at https://portlandqueerarts.foundation/donate.
About Portland Queer Arts
Portland Queer Arts was created to foster representation, visibility, and equity for queer artists and queer art organizations in Portland and the greater Pacific Northwest. By funding artists directly through fundraisers, grants, and scholarship programs for young queer artists, as well as providing a creative container for artists to showcase their work, we hope to create a platform through which queer artists of all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds can achieve their creative vision unconstrained. It is our belief that honest and thoughtful stories told by queer people, for queer people can become a catalyst for deep and meaningful change.