Washington, DC—Jane Chu, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), will travel to Portland, Oregon from January 18, 2016 through January 21, 2016. During her visit, Chu will visit various art organizations contributing to Portland’s diverse arts culture and join Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) to tour two nationally recognized schools incorporating Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) in their curriculums; Highland Park Middle School and Quatama Elementary. Chairman Chu and Congresswoman Bonamici will also participate in a grants workshop with members of the local arts community.

On Tuesday, January 19^th, Chairman Chu begins her visit to Portland with a tour of the Portland Art Museum. Following that tour, she will visit the Miracle Theatre Group, Milagro, where she will learn about the Miracle Theatre Group’s unique cultural platform. Next, Chairman Chu will visit Wisdom of the Elders, an organization dedicated to recording and preserving the traditional cultural values of indigenous elders for future generations.

On Wednesday, January 20^th, Chairman Chu and Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) will tour Highland Park Middle School and Quatama Elementary. Last November, both schools received an “innOVATION STEAM Grant Award,” from the Ovation Foundation, the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH), and Americans for the Arts (AFTA).

Next, Chairman Chu and Congresswoman Bonamici will tour the Bag and Baggage Theater Company where they will gain a broader understanding about the significant impact the Bag and Baggage Theater Company has in Portland. Following that tour, they both will participate in a grants workshop at the Oregon College of Art and Craft. The workshop is designed to give art leaders, organizations, and art community stakeholders the tools they need to understand the NEA grant application process.

As part of the National Endowment for the Arts’ 50^th anniversary, the NEA is creating a story bank of multimedia content that showcases the impact of the arts. To date, hundreds of people from across the country, including Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, have submitted stories about how the arts and the National Endowment for the Arts have impacted their lives. Visit the NEA’s website to learn more about these stories.

The following events are closed to the public, except where noted, but open to media. Media should contact Judith Kargbo at kargboj@arts.gov or 202-682-5528 if they would like to attend any of the site visits or request an interview with Chairman Chu.

---

Tuesday, January 19^th

10:00AM            Portland Arts Museum

Location:           1219 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR 97205

Participants:     Jane Chu, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts

                           Brian Ferriso, Executive Director, Portland Arts Museum

                           J.S. May, Chief Advancement Officer, Portland Arts Museum

                           Candace Kita, Advancement Assistant, Portland Arts Museum

                           Bill Foster, Director of Northwest Film Center

                           Emerging Leaders of Color Program-Alumna, Western States Arts Federation

                           Brian Rogers, Executive Director of the Oregon Arts Commission

---

11:15AM             Miracle Theatre/Milagro

Location:             525 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97214

Participants:       Jane Chu, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts

                             Brian Rogers, Executive Director of the Oregon Arts Commission

                             Jose Gonzalez, Executive Director, Milagro

                             John Rodarte, Milagro Board President

                             David Larsen, Milagro Board member

---

12:15PM -12:30PM

Media Availability - For interview requests please contact Judith Kargbo at(o)202-682-5528 or kargboj@arts.gov.

Location:           Miracle Theatre/Milagro, 525 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97214

---

1:30PM                Wisdom of the Elders

Location:             3203 SE 109th Ave, Portland, OR 97266

Participants:        Jane Chu, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts                     

                               Rose High Bear, Exec. Director/Exec. Producer,
                               Wisdom of the Elders, Inc. (Deg Hit’an Dine or Alaskan Athabascan)

                                Ciarra Greene, Wisdom Workforce Curriculum Writer/Educator,
                                Wisdom of the Elders (Nez Perce)

                                Daniel Dixon, Multimedia Production Coordinator,
                                Wisdom of the Elders, Inc. (Menominee, Mohegan)

                          
                                                  

---

3:00PM- 3:15PM

Media Availability - For interview requests please contact Judith Kargbo at (o) 202-682-5528 or kargboj@arts.gov.

Location:          Wisdom of the Elders,3203 SE 109th Ave, Portland, OR 97266

---

Wednesday, January 20^th

9:00AM             Highland Park Middle School Visit

Location:           7000 Southwest Wilson Avenue, Beaverton, OR 97008

Participants:     Chairman Jane Chu

                            Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici

                            David Nieslanik, Principal, Highland Park Middle School

                            Thao Do-Gwilliam, Assistant Principal, Highland Park Middle School

                             Jeff Rose, Beaverton School District Superintendent

                             David Williams, Beaverton School District Director of Government Relations

                             Michael Gould, Highland Park STEAM TOSA (Teacher on Special Assignment)

                             Laura de la Torre, NEA

                             Brian Rogers, Executive Director of the Oregon Arts Commission (OAC)

                             Deb Vaughn, Arts Learning Coordinator OAC

     

---

9:30AM – 9:45AM

Media Availability – For interview requests please contact:

Judith Kargbo (NEA), kargboj@arts.gov, 202-682-5528

Maggie Rousseau (Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici’s Office), Maggie.Rousseau@mail.house.gov, 202-754-1649

Location:             Highland Park Middle School, 7000 Southwest Wilson Avenue, Beaverton, OR 97008

---

10:15AM            Quatama Elementary School Visit 

Location:            6905 Northeast Campus Way, Hillsboro, OR 97124

Participants:       NEA Chairman Jane Chu

                             Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici

                             Christy Walters, Principal, Quatama Elementary School

                             Marna Stalcup, Regional Arts and Culture Council Director of Arts Education

                             Grant Corliss, Hillsboro School District Executive Director of Elementary Schools

                             Travis Reiman, Hillsboro School District Assistant Superintendent

---

11:05AM- 11:15AM

Media Availability – For interview requests please contact:

Judith Kargbo (NEA), kargboj@arts.gov, 202-682-5528

Maggie Rousseau (Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici’s Office), Maggie.Rousseau@mail.house.gov, 202-754-1649

Location:            Quatama Elementary School, 6905 Northeast Campus Way, Hillsboro, OR 97124

---

11:30AM              Bag and Baggage Theater Tour Visit 

Location:              350 E. Main St., Hillsboro, OR 97124 

Participants:         NEA Chairman Jane Chu

                               Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici

                               Scott Palmer, Artistic Director, Bag and Baggage Theater

                               Beth Lewis, Managing Director,Bag and Baggage Theater        

                               Cassie Greer, Capital Campaign Manager and Resident Director,
                               Bag and Baggage Theater

                               Arianne Jacques, Patron Services Manager,Bag and Baggage Theater

                               Laura de la Torre, NEA

---

---

11:50AM- 12:00PM         

Media Availability – For interview requests please contact:

Judith Kargbo (NEA), kargboj@arts.gov, 202-682-5528

Maggie Rousseau (Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici’s Office), Maggie.Rousseau@mail.house.gov,202-754-1649

Location:            Bag and Baggage Theater, 350 E. Main St., Hillsboro, OR 97124 

---

3:45PM               Grants Workshop              

Location:            Oregon College of Art and Craft, 8245 SW Barnes Rd, Portland, OR 97225

Participants:       NEA Chairman Jane Chu

                             Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici

                             Denise Mullen, President, Oregon College of Art and Craft

---

4:00PM-4:15PM               

Media Availability – For interview requests please contact:

Judith Kargbo (NEA), kargboj@arts.gov, 202-682-5528

Maggie Rousseau (Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici’s Office), Maggie.Rousseau@mail.house.gov, 202-754-1649

Location:             Oregon College of Art and Craft, 8245 SW Barnes Rd, Portland, OR 97225

---

About the National Endowment for the Arts

Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. This year marks the 50^th anniversary of the National Endowment for the Arts and the agency is celebrating this milestone with events and activities through September 2016. Go to the 50^th section at arts.gov to enjoy art stories from around the nation, peruse the Facts & Figures section, and check out the anniversary timeline.

# # #