Fall Arts Guide 2021: Art Is Political

Performer Link in Lost in a Place Called America, a Ten, Tiny, Talks play written by Marla Darling and directed by James Dixon. Andrew Jankowski Before you delve into what Ten, Tiny, Talks means for sociopolitical representation and visibility, founder Zeloszelos Marchandt would remind you that the new hybrid artist residency and multi-disciplinary festival—with its […]

Compelling storytellers at The Moth Mainstage will weave unscripted, first-person tales. Hot vax summer turned out to be lukewarm at best, but with artists back on tour, festivals adopting hybrid models, and venues requiring proof of vaccination, this fall stands in stark contrast to last fall when we were all hunkered down using our favorite […]

vanessa german’s THE BLUE WALK Courtesy of TBA Everyone remembers their first Time-Based Art Festival (TBA). I know I do. It has punctuated significant moments in my life over the last decade that I’ve been living in the Pacific Northwest. As the autumn equinox creeps closer on the calendar, my anticipation starts to set in. […]

COURTESY NEON The making of one of the year’s best films, Pig, is a tale of taking big risks to tell a humble story. The film stars Nicolas Cage, in a role where his character isn’t built on the foundation of a boisterous performance, but of smaller, quiet scenes that are no less impactful. The […]

Minority Retort producer and occasional co-host, Jason Lamb. ERIK BELL Since 2015, Minority Retort has been Portland’s go-to stand-up comedy show featuring comedians of color in a predominately white city that desperately needs such things. And while it’s been difficult for event producers to book and maintain shows (no thanks to the shut ‘er down/open […]

When the COVID-19 pandemic first shut down Oregon back in March of last year, Lani Jo Leigh, the longtime owner of the Clinton Street Theater in Southeast Portland, had no idea if her theater would survive. “I’m 67,” Leigh said. “We were having to throw our own retirement savings at keeping the theater alive, and […]

Before you delve into what Ten, Tiny, Talks means for sociopolitical representation and visibility, founder Zeloszelos Marchandt would remind you that the new hybrid artist residency and multi-disciplinary festival—with its roster of more than a dozen local and national Black and Indigenous artists who are transgender, nonbinary, or queer—is about honoring artists’ labors with beneficial […]

The making of one of the year’s best films, Pig, is a tale of taking big risks to tell a humble story. The film stars Nicolas Cage, in a role where his character isn’t built on the foundation of a boisterous performance, but of smaller, quiet scenes that are no less impactful. The director didn’t […]

Since 2015, Minority Retort has been Portland’s go-to stand-up comedy show featuring comedians of color in a predominately white city that desperately needs such things. And while it’s been difficult for event producers to book and maintain shows (no thanks to the shut ‘er down/open ‘er back-up nature of the COVID-19 pandemic), Minority Retort has […]

Hot vax summer turned out to be lukewarm at best, but with artists back on tour, festivals adopting hybrid models, and venues requiring proof of vaccination, this fall stands in stark contrast to last fall when we were all hunkered down using our favorite music, podcasts, and various other media to stay sane. The arts […]