In August, Performance Works Northwest marked its 25th anniversary with 25 hours of programming, a fitting tribute to the interdisciplinary spirit that defines the Foster-Powell arts space. The marathon weekend bounced from a dance aerobics workshop to a poets’ cabaret and a late-night karaoke party, underscoring Performance Works’ blend of artistic rigor and play.
Back in 2000, dance artist Linda Austin and lighting director Jeff Forbes transformed a former church on a residential street into an experimentation hub. A little east of Portland’s contemporary art orbit, it looks unassuming from the sidewalk. Inside, Performance Works incubates some of the city’s gutsiest art.
When we met in the venue’s back yard, Austin noted a new ADA bathroom underway as her cats sprawled in a sunlit catio nearby. The scene felt emblematic of her whole approach: grounded, warm, and community-minded.
