An Astrological Guide to Portlandâs Film Festival Scene
Let the stars in the sky be your guide to the screen.
Get Thee to a Gallery
Our picks for Converge 45 and other Portland gallery shows you must not miss this fall.
Making Matta Moves
Chef Richard VÄn Lê closed his cart, and moved into restaurant collective Lil’ Dame.
Portlandâs Coolest New Record Shop Is Also a Cultural Hub
Beacon Sound, Musique Plastique, Super Electric, Lost Avenue, et al—the signage is going to be intense.
What Does Basketball Fashion Have to Do With Basketball?
Not a lot, but in Mitchell S. Jackson’s new book, Fly, it sure is fun to look at.
Birth of a Comedy Corridor
After a blowout summer of Comedy in the Park, Kickstand hopes audiences will join them indoors.
Artists Repertory Theatre Will Keep Building
Four years into its two-year tour, the company faces another setback.
EverOut's Guide to Fall 2023 Arts Events in Portland
Concerts, Exhibits, Performances, and More Events to Put on Your Calendar
Eight Fascinating Things We Learned in Poison Watersâ Drag History Class
Looking back on Portland's history, fabulously.
Appreciating the Musical Genius of John Williams
We asked associate conductor Deanna Tham to unpack the Oregon Symphony’s take on the greatest modern film composer.
PICAâs New Arts Festival Takes Its Time
Stepping in for the Time-Based Art festival, Time-Released promises chaotic good performance art in bursts.
There Will Be Black Art
Intisar Abioto brings first-of-Its kind exhibit Black Artists of Oregon to the Portland Art Museum.
Works in Progress
Checking in with two of Portland’s most important art projects: the Doug Fir and Tomorrow Theater.
Why Were So Many Libraries Closed This Summer?
Seven of 19 Multnomah County libraries are currently closed for renovation—here’s why.
The Mercuryâs Fall Arts & Culture Preview doesnât need a theme, but this yearâs was obvious: Portland is building. Portland is rebuilding. Its arts and culture worlds have rolled up their sleeves and are breaking ground.
Here are some great examples: If you loved this summerâs immensely popular Comedy in the Park series, youâll want to read about the nonprofit behind it, Kickstand, and their brick and mortar clubhouse thatâs on track to open when the rains start. Portland Institute of Contemporary Art (PICA) hasnât replaced the 10 chaotic nights and days of its Time-Based Art festival, but itâs holding a slower version this season, dubbed Time-Released, which promises to unfold its chaos in thoughtful bursts.Â
We also have updates on two of the most exciting arts and culture world construction projects: Portland Art Museumâs renovation of an old sex club into Tomorrow Theater is on track. By the end of September, beloved music venue Doug Fir Lounge will close its East Burnside doors and move.
Plus⊠you arenât imagining it: There are a ton of libraries closed right now. The Multnomah County Library system has spent 2023 in deep renovation mode. We looked into whatâs happening, and why itâs all happening at once. Artists Repertory Theatre (ART) hit a devastating snag when it was forced to suspend its 2023/24 season. We looked at why its two-year tour became four, and how ART is still building.Â
There were some inspired developments during the pandemic and one was Portland Community Collegeâs wise idea of asking Darcelleâs Showplace host Poison Waters to teach a class on the Histories of Drag Performance in Portland. And while we fully expect Hans Zimmer stans to come out swinging, we asked associate conductor Deanna Tham to unpack the Oregon Symphonyâs take on the greatest modern film composer, John Williams.
Iconic food cart Matta planned a business pivot and landed at Lilâ Dame, where the restaurant collectiveâs supportive model has given Chef Richard VÄn LĂȘ freedom to lean even harder into Vietnamese flavors. Portlandâs new favorite record store is actually three record stores, a bookstore, a radio station, and a music labelâBeacon Sound, Musique Plastique, Super Electric, Lost Avenue, et al. havenât figured out what the sign on their door should sayâbut have figured out the collaborative shop counter.
Multi-disciplinary artist Intisar Abioto curated a massive exhibit at the Portland Art Museum this fall. How is it possible that, here in 2023, itâs the first to consider the work of Black artists collectively in Oregon?
Fly, a new book by Portland-born author Mitchell S. Jackson examines the profession of basketball and its intersection with fashion. And it has some of the coolest photos weâve ever seen.
It started as a joke and then became intensely seriousâwe have paired Portlandâs film festivals with signs from the zodiac. Then we picked fall gallery shows to go with signs from the zodiac as well (kidding, but we found some good ones). And as usual, we also have some expert recommendations from Everout for events that must make it onto your fall calendar.Â
So welcome to the Portland Mercuryâs second print guide since the pandemic. Weâre rebuilding too, alongside you.
Suzette Smith
Mercury Arts and Culture Editor