MAC's Summer 2021 Programming |
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Thanks in large part to resources from the Parks Local Option Levy (Parks Levy) passed by Portland voters in November 2020, MAC is planning to offer a wide variety of high-quality arts programming to the Portland community in summer 2021. With Levy resources, Portland Parks & Recreation will transition from a model that depended heavily on charging fees to a service-driven model that focuses on racial equity and eliminates cost as a barrier for Portlanders who need programming the most.
We wanted to give the MAC community a preview of what arts programming staff are currently planning on providing for the upcoming summer season:
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MAC students from past Summer Arts Camp programs. |
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Summer Arts Camps at MAC
It's time to get kids back outside this summer to play and create together in a safe and nurturing environment. MAC will be programming full-day outdoor Summer Arts Camps for grades 1-5. Your child's imagination will be stimulated through structured processes, independent work, and collaborative activities. As students create art, they build confidence. A variety of opportunities in both the visual and performing arts will be offered, and programs are being thoughtfully designed to be COVID responsive and to meet public health guidance.
Summer camps are scheduled to begin June 21, 2021. Summer registration will open May 24. We will let the MAC community know about our arts camp offerings through our next monthly newsletter - please stay tuned!
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Art Pods Bring Activities to Free Lunch + Play
We are excited to announce that MAC, in collaboration with Community Music Center (CMC) and Free Lunch + Play, is piloting a community engagement program called Art Pods this summer at multiple parks in east Portland. Four Art Pods will be deployed to over a dozen Free Lunch + Play sites this July and August. Art Pods will focus on delivering enriching community arts and music experiences for free to younger children and their families. These self-contained mobile art studios will be led by MAC staff, professional arts instructors, and playground counselors. With equity in mind, the MAC team is currently developing inclusive, accessible, and culturally responsive arts content for all to participate in.
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PP&R staff supporting Summer Free for All's Free Lunch + Play program last summer season. |
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Virginia McKinney welcoming her students to her spring term virtual ceramics course. |
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MAC Virtual Programming
Can't go out this summer, but want to create with others? No problem! We will continue to offer a range of affordable, live virtual classes to keep your artistic creativity flowing. We are still finalizing the details, but we will have a nice variety of virtual arts classes to choose from. MAC staff have enjoyed connecting with students over virtual programming this past year and are excited to continue providing high-quality courses in both the visual and performing arts. Stay tuned for more information on our summer offerings and how to register.
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MAC is Hiring for Summer 2021 Arts Programming |
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MAC staff coordinating various arts programming in past summers. To learn more about applying to help support our Summer 2021 camps and outreach projects, click here.
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Multnomah Arts Center is looking for enthusiastic, creative, and caring folks to work outdoors and in-person this summer to support our arts programs! If you are passionate about arts education and would enjoy working at MAC's Summer Arts Camps or all around the city as part of our Art Pods team, please read on. And if you know of anyone who might be interested in summer employment with MAC and PP&R, feel free to share the link with them!
The link below brings you to PP&R's Recreation Summer Employment hiring page. As there are many positions available, be sure to mention your interest in working with MAC in your application.
For MAC Arts Camps, we'll be hiring:
- Camp Counselor I (must be 15 years old by June 14, 2021)
- Camp Counselor II (must be 18 years old by June 14, 2021)
For MAC Art Pods, we'll be hiring:
- Summer Playgrounds Counselor I (must be 17 years old by June 14, 2021)
- Summer Playgrounds Counselor II (must be 19 years old by June 14, 2021)
Full-time and part-time opportunities exist. Starting pay ranges in these positions from $15.00-$17.50/hour.
To find out more on how to apply, please review the job posting link below. If you have any questions about summer employment with MAC or how to apply, please feel welcome to connect with us by replying directly to this email.
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Multnomah Arts Center Association Update |
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MACA has been hard at work preparing to support outdoor Summer Arts Camps, Art Pods, and MAC's eventual reopening to the public for in-person programming. |
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By Gordon Campbell, MACA Chair
"Arts for all" is our guiding vision. We believe that community arts education is essential for healthy neighborhoods and cities. Even during pandemic times, the MACA Board is working with Multnomah Arts Center staff to bring creative visual and performing arts experiences to Portland youth and our community. What we're doing now:
- Providing financial support to purchase art supplies and equipment for high-quality outdoor arts experiences for kids all summer long at MAC and throughout the city. At MAC, outdoor summer camps will be made more fun and affordable with this support. At Free Lunch + Play locations, mobile Art Pods will deliver art experiences to over a dozen critical food distribution sites, bringing thousands of kids some "food for the soul."
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Funding a community mural being designed with input from youth and other community members, led by artists from the Morpheus Youth Project to be displayed at the new Nick Fish building next to Gateway Discovery Park.
- Preparing to make MAC a more welcoming place for all upon reopening. We are working on refurnishing our hallways, adding art displays to showcase MAC artists, replacing hand-me-down and aging furniture - all to serve our community well for years to come.
- Finalizing plans to install new interior and exterior wayfinding signage to make our campus easier to navigate for all, hopefully before we reopen to the public.
This work would not be possible without the steadfast support of our loyal donors. Thank you. We look forward to seeing you soon.
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Instructor Spotlight: Virginia McKinney, Visual Arts |
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Visual Arts Lead Virginia McKinney has been instrumental this year to MAC's virtual programming, offering a variety of visual arts experiences to students online. |
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Virginia has been the Visual Arts Lead and an instructor in the youth and adult programs at MAC for four years. She brings a wealth of information in arts education after working at the Arrowmont School and the Penland School - both nationally recognized arts and fine craft organizations. She has loved working with MAC's ceramics and sculpture students: "They're just the best and we all learn from one another."
Since MAC's closure, she has turned her teaching to the virtual space, offering courses in knitting, stitching, basketry, and various ceramics classes. Not normally a big fan of technology, Virginia has been pleasantly surprised with teaching for MAC on Zoom, enjoying the opportunity to reach a wider audience and share a creative experience in the students' own homes. She has particularly enjoyed engaging with the community's younger artists by creating several Stay and Play videos and online classes (check out her latest recordings below).
Virginia loves to share the gift of creativity, encouraging people to explore different materials and discover new skills and talents. In addition to teaching art in public schools and later as a college professor, she has also maintained her own studio practice, creating work for galleries and fine craft shows. Two years ago, she opened her new studio, Folded Crow Studio in Oregon City, where she sculpts, welds, solders, and hammers - all while listening to great music!
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Virginia's "Let's make Dip and Dye Flowers" Stay and Play |
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Virginia's "Let's make Playdough" Stay and Play |
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RACC's MAKE | LEARN | BUILD Grants |
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Deadline for MAKE | LEARN | BUILD grants is May 19 at 5:00pm. Learn more here.
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Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) is accepting applications for round two of their Make | Learn | Build grants. These grants offer funding for artists and arts-based businesses/organizations in three categories:
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MAKE: the creation of work in any artistic discipline
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LEARN: artistic or administrative learning, skill building, or professional development that improve your art practice or business
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BUILD: a transition or pivot for an arts business or operations, including purchase of equipment or staffing costs
Applicants must live or have a business in Multnomah, Washington, or Clackamas counties. Only one application can be submitted at a time. Choose your category at either the $1,500 or $3,000 funding level.
Round two applications close May 19 at 5:00pm. Awards announced by June 30.
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The Multnomah Arts Center (MAC), a program of Portland Parks & Recreation, provides excellent arts education in the visual and performing arts at an affordable cost to students of all ages. We offer programs in music, movement, dance, theatre, woodshop, literary arts, conditioning, metal arts, mixed media, printmaking, drawing, painting, photography, ceramics, sculpture, textiles, and more. Programs run year-round, and scholarships are available. Visit MultnomahArtsCenter.org to learn more about our programs.
The Multnomah Arts Center Association (MACA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which supports the vibrancy and health of the Multnomah Arts Center. Its mission is to advocate for equity and access to arts education.
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