Winter Term 2025 Registration Information

Registration for Multnomah Arts Center's Winter Term 2025 opens soon! Most winter term classes and activities will run the week of January 6 through the week of March 24. Our winter schedule is now available to view online here.

Registration opens at 9:30 am. Mark your calendars:

• December 12 - for classes and activities beginning January 6-February 9
• January 16 - for classes and activities beginning February 10-March 10

Registrations can be processed in a variety of ways!

• ONLINE: View MAC's winter activities online. Search for classes by age, category, or keyword and register through your Portland Parks account. We highly recommend utilizing this method due to the possibility of long wait times with phoning in or coming in person.
• PHONE: When registration opens, call any PP&R site or the PP&R Customer Service Center at (503) 823-2525 (Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-5:00 pm).
• IN PERSON: Any PP&R facility can process your registration, including the Customer Service Center located on the first floor of the Portland Building at 1120 SW 5th Ave.

It's back!! The annual MACA Winter Arts & Crafts Sale

The annual MACA Winter Arts & Crafts Sale is returning to MAC in December!

Sponsored by the Multnomah Arts Center Association, the Winter Arts & Crafts Sale showcases the talents of over 50 local artists and artisans who take classes or work at MAC. Visitors can purchase beautiful ceramics, textiles, jewelry, prints, paintings, woodworking, and more. Proceeds from sales support the artists and future programming at MAC.

Winter Arts & Crafts Sale Hours:

Thursday, December 5 - 9:00 am to 9:00 pm

Friday, December 6 - 9:00 am to 7:00 pm

Saturday, December 7 - 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Love the Arts Center? Join the MACA Board!

The Multnomah Arts Center Association (MACA) is looking for board members with skills in communications, fundraising, finance, or community engagement. We're especially excited to welcome diverse voices and nontraditional backgrounds.

If you're passionate about community arts and want to make a difference, consider joining us! Board members attend monthly meetings (in person or remotely) and contribute about five hours a month. Get more details about commitments for joining and feel free to contact Kathleen Madden, board president, with any questions.

You are invited!! MAC Performing Arts Events & Performances

The MAC Performing Arts departments have a lot of community events and performances coming up! All events are free and open to the public and take place in the MAC Auditorium. Take a look at our lineup below and come check out different classes have been working on:

Multnomah Chorus Fall Recital

Wednesday, November 20 at 7:30 pm

Led by MAC Choral Director Mark Woodward, come join our Multnomah Chorus as they present an evening of choral selections. Snacks and refreshments provided!

*NEW* Annual MAC Literary Arts Reading

Wednesday, December 4 at 7:00 pm

We are thrilled to be bringing back this annual tradition. The public is invited to come join the MAC Literary Arts department as we showcase our fall student writers and faculty. Featuring works from Christopher Luna, Sherri Levine, and Nick Herb. Snacks and refreshments will be provided!

Page to Stage Presents: The Nutcracker vs The Rat King

Tuesday, November 26 at 7:00 pm

Tuesday, December 3 at 5:00 pm

Directed by Timothy Scarrott and Dawn Panttaja, come watch our young actors perform a fully staged adaptation of this instant classic! The runtime is about 30 minutes. Performances are free and open to the public, but donations are gladly accepted.

The Nutcracker and the Rat King- NOT the ballet! There will be no pirouettes or pas de deux in this Nutcracker, but there will be sword wielding rats and dangerous dolls. Page to Stage dramatizes E.T.A Hoffman's original Nutcracker story featuring royal rats, crazy toymakers and a spoiled princess, all set in a fantasy kingdom made of candy!

Studio Theatre Presents: Dr. Who and the Curse of Highclere Castle

Friday and Saturday, December 6 and 7 at 7:00 pm

Sunday, December 8 at 2:00 pm

Directed by Timothy Scarrott and Dawn Panttaja, you are invited to come watch this fully staged production being put on by our Studio Theatre students! The runtime is about 60 minutes. Performances are free and open to the public, but donations are gladly accepted.

It's 1923 and Highclere Castle is hosting yet another of its outrageous house parties. This time it's to celebrate the discovery of a lifetime: Lord Carnarvan has uncovered the lost tomb of King Tutankhamen and is bringing his finds, as well as a curse, back to England. Flappers and jetsetters from around the world have gathered to view the treasure, only to fall under the mummy's spell. The Dowager Countess knows there's only one person who can save them now. She's hoping “The Doctor” still makes house calls.

We want your input! Fill out our PP&R Program Survey

Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) wants to better serve you and all Portlanders. Please let us know how we are doing by filling out this quick 5-minute survey. Your feedback will help us improve our programs for the diverse communities we serve. Survey responses are anonymous.

Everyone who fills out the survey will be entered into a drawing for either one free registered activity or a 20-visit pass to our community centers and pools. After completing the survey, you will see a link to enter your contact information. Winners are randomly selected every 3 months. For other

Thank you so much for your time and valuable input!

Updates from the MAC Gallery

Paula Champagne – illustrations

Betsy McCarthy – sculpture

On display October 25 – November 30, 2024

This exhibition pairs Champagne’s powerful, natured-based illustrations with McCarthy’s organic, fused-glass sculptures.

Paula Champagne is a visual storyteller specializing in film, documentary photography, illustration, and graphic design. Inspired by her own experiences, her current body of work seeks to “explore and honor the healing intersection of Blackness, nature and rest.” Champagne began her career on the East Coast over a decade ago, and currently resides in Portland, OR. The beauty of the Pacific Northwest is both an inspiration for and grounding force in the work she will be exhibiting. Through it, she shares “honest moments” of stories that need to be told.

Betsy McCarthy has been working as a sculptor for over fifteen years and is a longtime resident of Portland. Her creative process begins with a nature-inspired design. She then begins to create the work out of welded steel, found objects and fused glass. She describes working with the glass as “magic.” In this stage of her creative process, the play of light and color become the focus. The result are structures that dance with their environment and create an immersive experience for the viewers. 

2025 Exhibition Calendar

MAC had a record-breaking response to our Call for Art this year. Our selection committee had the pleasure of reviewing 230 applications, which is double that of previous years. This year the committee was comprised of Kanani Miyamoto, Pablo V. Cazares and MAC’s gallerist, Megan Hatch.

Based on the success of the exhibitions we’ve installed in the lobby over the past year, MAC has decided to formalize the use of that space by giving it a name and including it in our annual exhibition scheduling process. As of 2025, MAC will be home to both the Front and Center Galleries. The Front Gallery is in our lobby, and the Center Gallery is the 700 square foot space down the hall. We’re thrilled with this expansion of our exhibition program and look forward to the shows that have been scheduled there.

January 10 - February 15, 2025

Front Gallery: Menka Desai, mixed media

Center Gallery: “Biophilia,” a group exhibition by members of the Oregon chapter of the Studio Art Quilt Association (SAQA)

Menka Desai creates nature-based imagery from embroidery, alcohol inks, and gouache on handmade papers. She also blends the compositional skills she’s acquired as an architect with techniques she was taught growing up in an Indian household. “One of the many goals of my practice is to combine parts of abstraction and realistic illustration together to create a sense of balance in a beautiful composition that catches the eye.”

The SAQA Oregon chapter has over 200 active members. Their group exhibitions are designed to bring together artists throughout the state and focus their creative energy on a particular theme. “Biophilia: Threads of Natural Wonder” is a juried group exhibition of art quilts. The participating artists were asked to reflect on the changing course of life in our world.

There will be a joint reception for these shows on January 18^th from 1:00-3:00 pm.

We’re still putting the finishing touches on the calendar for next year, but here’s a sneak peek at some of the upcoming shows:

February 21 – March 29, 2025

Front & Center Galleries: A two-person exhibition of photography by Katsuyuki Shabata and sculpture by Julie Johnson.

April 4 – May 10, 2025

Front & Center Galleries: A group exhibition exploring queer joy, featuring the work of Areem Rose, Robert Sumner, Zephyr Kim, Tommy Bruce and Ami Patel. Curated by Pablo V. Cazares and Megan Hatch.

May 16 – June 21, 2025

Center Gallery: Heidi Keith, ink paintings.

Front Gallery: Jennifer Rabin, sculpture.

June 27 – August 2, 2025

Center Gallery: A group show by Speck, a cartoonist collective.

August 8 – September 13, 2025

Center Gallery: Avery Nielsen Webb, photography.

September 5 – October 25, 2025

Front Gallery: A group exhibition by the Portland Zine Symposium.

September 19 – October 18, 2025

Front & Center Galleries: The biannual MAC Instructors’ Exhibition.

October 24 – November 29, 2025

Center Gallery: Jere Grimm, 2D & 3D works.

MAC Staff Spotlight: Nicole Rawlins, Visual Arts Coordinator

Nicole Rawlins has dedicated her energy and career to arts education and programming at Multnomah Arts Center for over 27 years. Beginning work at the front desk in 1997 under the supervision of the inspiring Will Hathaway, MAC’s founding director, Nicole became more and more involved, moving later to become MAC’s Youth Art Coordinator in 1999. Upon the following director Leo Franz’ retirement in 2008, Nicole’s portfolio shifted to coordinating adult visual arts classes. And this last Spring, portfolios changed again, and Nicole is now the coordinator for all visual arts programming on campus.

Nicole has had the pleasure of seeing many projects and dreams come to fruition over the years at MAC through collaboration with talented instructors, staff, and volunteers. A few examples are:

• Creating MAC’s printmaking program in Trayle Studio - from humble beginnings in MAC’s backstage basement, to Cottage 6 (which she also taught in for 22 years.)
• Working with instructor extraordinaire, Kristin Shiga, and our other fantastic instructors and arts leads in developing MAC’s Metals program.
• Building up MAC’s Gallery Program, that has grown to celebrate and include a more diverse array of artists in our community – and now with newest gallerist Megan Hatch, who is further transforming this exemplary program, making connections that further our mission to highlight excellent artists from all communities.
• Creating MAC’s Woodshop & Sculpture program with woodworkers Jerry Harris and Russ Coker – with the program now returning this Winter term with three new fantastic instructors!

With now an average of over 160 classes per term for all ages, and 10 specialized studios in drawing, painting, mixed media, printmaking, photography, metal arts, ceramics, woodworking and textiles, there is MUCH to celebrate in MAC’s Visual Arts Program. Nicole finds it a real privilege to work with so many dedicated and talented instructors and is grateful for her fellow colleagues (such as Arts Lead Jennifer Rabin and others) who help make the magic happen. It has been a particular joy for her to help create accessible spaces where students can come to play, to develop new skills, and to find a community where they belong.