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.