Find a Cultural Nonprofit

MISSION: Renew social and economic vitality of the John Day Fossil Beds region by interpreting and promoting its world-class cultural and natural heritage. Work with nine Gateway communities of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. HISTORY 2005-16: Deliver cultural-natural programs about the John Day Basin. Attract $1.5 m. from donors, grantors, govt. Opened $500,000 regional learning center in 2009. Host programs for 3000 visitors, K-16 schools, annually. Expert speakers for schools.

Oregon Parks Forever is a statewide nonprofit organization raising funds to enhance & preserve special places and experiences in Oregon’s Parks. Our mission is to raise funds to enhance and preserve special places and experiences in Oregon’s parks, now and for generations to come, and to encourage and promote an outdoor lifestyle. Oregon Parks Forever was formed to help supplement existing funding sources, in order to preserve and protect the experience of using the parks for Oregonians and all those who visit our beautiful state.

The Oregon Potters Association serves as a professional liaison between the public, galleries, businesses, publications and arts agencies locally, nationally and globally. Our members organize cooperative purchases to obtain pottery supplies, books and materials at quantity discount prices. We help and enable members to publicize, exhibit and sell their work at the annual OPA Ceramic Showcase and in conjunction with other guilds, fairs, and craft organizations.

The Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation acts as custodian of Portland's three Steam Locomotives or mission is to share them with all.

Our mission: Enriching the community through choral music. Oregon Repertory Singers performs world-class music accessible to all since 1974. Our professional-caliber adult choir of over 125 members is lauded as “the city's finest large choir,” and was awarded the prestigious American Prize in Choral Performance, Community Choir Division (2018-2019), for their “Shadows on the Stars” album. Our music education and performance-based youth choir program is one-of-a-kind in the Portland area. We are committed to exceptional education, world-class performances, and nurturing the music lovers of this generation and the next.

Founded in 1935 and winner of two Tony Awards, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival is one of the oldest and largest theatres in the U.S. Each year, 400,000 ticketholders attend 800 performances of Shakespeare, global classics, musicals and new plays. OSF’s mission: "Inspired by Shakespeare's work and the cultural richness of the U.S., we reveal our collective humanity through illuminating interpretations of new and classic plays, deepened by the kaleidoscope of rotating repertory."

Oregon Spirit Chorus is Salem and the Mid-Valley's award winning women's a'cappella ensemble. Education and a desire for musical excellence define who we are. The bonds of friendship and the joy of creating harmony unite us in a musical family. As one member puts it, "Come for the music. Stay for the friendships." Oregon Spirit Chorus strives to create an environment where all people are welcomed, accepted, and respected as we bring our voices together in harmony. We embrace the concept of diversity and inclusivity, and encourage women from all backgrounds, races, beliefs, and ages to come and sing with our fun-loving, high-achieving chorus.

Oregon Spirit Chorus is Salem and the Mid-Valley's award winning women's a'cappella ensemble. Education and a desire for musical excellence define who we are. The bonds of friendship and the joy of creating harmony unite us in a musical family. As one member puts it, "Come for the music. Stay for the friendships." Based in Salem, OR, OSC draws members from the mid-valley and beyond. From the Oregon Coast to Bend to the Portland metro area. We range in age from 16 to 70+, and come from all walks of life. All our rehearsals are open to the public and to potential new members, so why not pay us a visit. We welcome women of all ages to audition for membership in our chorus. Here's what you will experience each week:

• Education in singing wonderful 4-part a'cappella harmony
• Exercises for building vocal and performance skills
• Singing an exciting repertoire with other women
• Meeting new friends that will last a lifetime!

The Oregon State Capitol Foundation works to create a living history, enhance the dignity and beauty of your Capitol, and foster cultural and educational opportunities. Over 200,000 people visit the Capitol each year, including up to 300 students per day. A recent 4th grade visitor said it best: “When I visited the Capitol, my head got full of Oregon!” Help us preserve the Capitol and its heritage for generations to come. Call 505-363-1859 or visit www.oregoncapitolfoundation.org.

Explore the history of mental illness and its treatments through the collections of Oregon’s historic State Hospital (Oregon Insane Asylum). The 130-year-old hospital was once used to film the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. In the exhibit space in the original Asylum facility, you will discover artifacts, photographs and recordings that share the stories of those who lived and worked at the Hospital. e the stories of the people who lived and worked at the Hospital.

The Oregon Suzuki Institute is a week-long program held every summer at George Fox University. The institute provides an opportunity for Suzuki students to receive lessons, perform, and take classes in order to reinforce their normal studies at home.

Now in its 120th season, the Oregon Symphony performs nearly 80 concerts annually at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland. Led by Music Director Carlos Kalmar, and with 76 musicians on contract, it is managed by a full-time staff of 37, and governed by a volunteer board of directors. With an operating budget of $16.2 million in FY ’15, the Oregon Symphony’s programs serve more than 225,000 people each year. It is the oldest orchestra west of the Mississippi.

The Oregon Symphony Association in Salem is an independent non-profit organization established in 1955 for the purpose of presenting the Oregon Symphony in Salem for a series of concerts and education programs. OSAS presents the world class Oregon Symphony for an annual season of concerts in Willamette University's Smith Auditorium. The Symphony, a premier arts organization, gives select performances in other parts of the state, but Salem is the only community to have an annual concert series.

The mission of the Trust is the promotion of the Bureau of Land Management's Oregon Trail Interpretive Center at Flagstaff hill and other historic and cultural aspects of Baker County, OR.

The Oregon Zoo provides comprehensive care for its animals. The Oregon Zoo Foundation elevates that care through the collaboration of countless individuals and organizations. Together with veterinarians, keepers, wildlife experts, and zoo management, we team up to ensure that resources are allocated where they’re needed most. We collaborate with the zoo to support our animals’ well-being. We work closely with experts on our global wildlife impact. We are dedicated to animal welfare at the zoo and around the world. Our work is ongoing, and we do it for the animals. We don’t take giving for granted, but gifts, grants and sponsorships don’t just feed the animals. They are more than a dollar amount. They raise the volume for the animals’ voices. They represent global impact and animal welfare. And they are a connection to you. We are the Oregon Zoo Foundation.

Orgelkids, an educational pipe organ program developed in the Netherlands, is a traveling, reusable kit that empowers young children to assemble a working 2-rank, 2-octave pipe organ. Our objective is to grow Orgelkids into a nationwide network of independent kits, bringing the King of Instruments to children, making the pipe organ, its heritage, culture and music, accessible. We will also develop curriculum around the science, engineering and math inherent in constructing instruments and music

OPSFest performs using the same techniques as they did in Shakespeare's own time: no full rehearsal, an onstage prompter, fast-paced, energetic acting and lots of audience interaction. The First Folio includes all of the cues and clues needed to perform without rehearsal, just as Elizabethan actors did. OPSFest's approach brings out true reaction to the story as it progresses, creating a more immediate, organic and improvisational production for FREE!

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Southern Oregon University (OLLI at SOU) is the Rogue Valley’s premier choice for staying intellectually stimulated and socially connected. This 1,700-member organization, geared to those aged 50+, offers noncredit classes in two locations—Ashland and Medford—as well as online.

OLLI-UO is an intellectual and social community of engaged adult learners. It connects members to the brightest minds and ideas, including emeritus and current faculty from UO and other universities as well as professionals from the community. Learners from all backgrounds and levels of education are welcome to join. Previous affiliation with the University of Oregon is not required for membership. Curriculum is member-driven and diverse; members shape programming to expand their views of the world and enrich their lives and communities. Lectures, courses, and study and discussion groups cover topics from the humanities, the social and physical sciences, and the arts, in addition to issues of local, state, national and international interest.

For over 25 years, Oya No Kai has been impacting the education of students in the Japanese Dual Language Program of Portland Public Schools (also known as the Japanese Immersion Program). It is our mission to enhance the level of cultural education in the Japanese Immersion Program. We support student success by providing full-time intern teachers from Japan to our classrooms, by creating opportunities for students to experience Japanese culture directly through cultural exchanges, and more.

p:ear builds positive relationships with homeless and transitional youth through education, art and recreation to affirm personal worth and create more meaningful and healthier lives. Each year our programs serve almost 900 homeless and transitional young people ages 15 to 24.

To protect, defend and promote the traditional cultural and economic values of the dory fleet, and specifically

• To protect the usual and customary access to, and use of, the public beach at Cape Kiwanda for all the traditional activities associated with dory vessels, and
• To maintain and improve all traditional vehicle and pedestrian access and vehicle parking on public lands at Cape Kiwanda, and
• To support safety regulations consistent with traditional dory vessel practices, and
• To actively seek laws and regulations that provide the maximum recreational and commercial fishing opportunities consistent with realistic conservation of the resources, and
• To establish and support projects and events that promote the traditional, cultural, historic and educational values of the dory fleet.

As Oregon’s flagship college of art and design since 1909, Pacific Northwest College of Art has helped shape Oregon’s visual arts landscape for more than a century. We know that creative lives are lived both in and out of the studio and our futures-oriented BFA, MFA, and MA programs prepare students to engage the world and its cultures with understanding, enthusiasm, and integrity. Each year, PNCA offers 150+ free public lectures and exhibitions with leading artists, curators, and scholars.

The mission of the Pacific Northwest Rainbowbility Chorus (PNWRC) is to create an inclusive and empowering community through music, by providing a safe and welcoming space for people of all abilities, races, socio-economic backgrounds, with any level of musical experience to express themselves and share their talents. We utilize an understanding of our intersectionality to break down barriers and promote diversity, equity, and accessibility in music, and to inspire joy, connection, and social change through our performances and outreach programs.

Founded in 2001 by 8 Portland area sculptors Pacific NW Sculptors serves as peer group for its members as well as a way to share techniques and knowledge. It serves the public by mounting educational events and displays of sculpture.

Restore, maintain and operate the City of Portland owned 1938 SP&S 700 steam locomotive at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center.

Pacific Ringers is a Portland-based adult handbell choir founded in 2009 and dedicated to providing the opportunity for ringers to excel through practice, education and performance. Starting with five ringers, today the ensemble consists of 13 musicians, including Artistic Director, Ellie Hodder. Pacific Ringers strives to foster an excitement for handbells in the ensemble and in the community, and to create a supportive environment where learning and tackling musical challenges is fun.

Founded in 2003 by Artistic Director, Mia Hall Miller Pacific Youth Choir has in it’s short history established a reputation for quality that has led to continuing collaborations with Oregon’s top musical organizations, including the OSO, OBT, Pink Martini, PYP, Eugene Symphony, Whitebird Dance, PCO, and Trinity Choir. The choir is made up of 300 singers in 10 different choirs serving singers ages 5-19 from all over the Portland Metro area. More information online pacificyouthchoir.org.

Partners for the PAC is a coalition of local organizations that maintains the Performing Arts Center (PAC) for affordable public arts and educational events.  The building, now named the Charlene Larsen Center for the Performing Arts, remains a gem in the community. It is an indispensable performance and rehearsal resource for local and visiting performing arts groups. With an audience capacity of 240, the PAC fills a distinct niche within the cultural community of Clatsop county and makes access to a wide range of experiences available and affordable to all who live and work here.

The mission of PassinArt: A Theatre Company is to entertain, educate, and celebrate our culture while highlighting issues that impact our community. Our goal is to increase the visibility and viability of emerging and experienced African American/Multicultural artists, directors, and playwrights to share their work and talents.

Our mission is to promote the art of pastel and give our members the opportunity to learn new skills, participate in events throughout Oregon, and exhibit their fine work.

We believe in the inherent magnificence of the arts and their extraordinary impact on everyday life. The mission of Patricia Reser Center for the Arts is to foster joy, imagination, connection, and understanding in our diverse community by presenting artistic, cultural, educational, and entertainment opportunities for all.

PDX Pop Now! Mission Statement PDX Pop Now! is dedicated to stimulating and expanding participation in the music of Portland, Oregon. As an all-volunteer organization committed to being accessible, current, and local, we provide and support live performances and recorded materials. We aspire to advance a sustainable community that values inclusivity and a high caliber of artistry to enable a creative dialogue between artist and audience.

We are a non-profit theatre company creating shows for and with young people of ALL ages in our theater in downtown Springfield. Focusing on the individual artist inside each person. Creating new works, while celebrating the classics of musical theater, our motto is "Empathy, excellence, and a little insanity".

The mission of Pelican Bay Arts Association is to promote, through education, the appreciation, distribution and enjoyment of fine arts and crafts.

The Pendleton Cultural Foundation exists to promote cultural exchanges between the residents of Pendleton, OR and Pendleton's sister Cities, particularly of high school students.

Founded in 2000 Pendulum Aerial Arts operates under the mission to develop character and community through transformative aerial performance and training.We fulfill that mission through full length public performances and year round training that offers youth a creative and physically challenging extra curricular activity that can eat to professional careers in the arts.Our vision is to embody the highest standards artistically and technically in the United States.

Pentacle Theatre is Salem’s premier community theater, celebrating 62 years of professional-quality productions staged in an intimate setting. Pentacle Theatre encourages actors of all abilities and ethnic backgrounds to participate in its productions. The theater's ticket office is located downtown. The theater itself is located at 324 52nd Ave NW in Salem.

Performance Works NW was founded in 1999 by choreographer Linda Austin and lighting designer Jeff Forbes, and is based in an intimate studio/theater in Portland's Foster/Powell neighborhood. PWNW advances the performing arts in the Pacific Northwest, engaging artists and audiences fully in the process of experimentation, creation and dialog around the presentation of contemporary performance. Programs: Linda Austin Dance, Artist Residencies/Co-Productions, and a subsidized Space Rental Program.

The founders of the Performing Arts Initiative have a vision to expand the culture and attractiveness of the Columbia River Gorge beyond its core of outdoor tourism, active sports, hi-tech industry and agriculture. We want to create a foundation for developing and presenting larger scale, high-end artistic performances that are on par with other, culturally vibrant communities.

PHAME inspires individuals with developmental disabilities to lead full, creative lives through arts education and performance. Founded in 1984, PHAME provides lifelong learning arts classes, performance opportunities, and community building activities for young and older adults with I/DD, and envisions a community that champions opportunities and possibilities for all artists.

The Philomath Public Art Council facilitates the creation, placement, and funding of public art projects that inspire and delight the visitors and community members of Philomath, Oregon.

Pioneer Courthouse Square, located in the heart of Downtown Portland, is an urban park affectionately known as the City’s “living room.” Prior to its grand opening in 1984, a private 501(c)(3) non-profit organization was created to manage programming and daily operations. The non-profit advocacy groups’ ongoing mission is to activate and enrich the environment of the City of Portland’s premiere public Park and gathering space for the benefit of Portland’s community members and visitors.

Built in 1914, Pittock Mansion tells the story of Portland’s transformation from pioneer town to modern, industrialized city through the history and legacy of one its most influential families, the Pittocks. Pittock Mansion Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The mission of the Pittock Mansion Society is to inspire understanding and stewardship of Portland history through Pittock Mansion, its collections, and programs.

PLAYA supports innovative thinking through work in the arts, literature, natural sciences and other fields of creative inquiry and encourages dialogue between disciplines to bring positive change for the environment and the world. On the edge of the Great Basin, Playa offers creative individuals the space, the solitude and the community to reflect and to engage their work through its residency program.

Poetry Northwest publishes an internationally recognized literary magazine exhibiting new work from major and emerging poets and writers along with original artwork, promoting the values of thoughtful reflection in the arts and in civic life.

Dreaming of a building to call home, the Museum Association became temporary tenants in the Carnegie Library Building in Dallas. The first Polk County Museum was open for business. A new, larger facility was realized when Polk County government provided a 99-year lease on the southwest corner of the Polk County Fairgrounds. In the fall of 1999, the current museum opened its doors to the public. In 1974, PCHS also acquired the Harrison Brunk pioneer farm site.

The Port Orford Library Foundation was created in 1995 to establish an endowment fund and spearhead the effort to raise money to support the Port Orford Public Library. Our partnership with OCF allows our donors a variety of ways to help support the future of the Library.

Porthole Players is a non-profit community theater group, established in Newport, Oregon in 1972. We are committed to increasing the social capital of our community through our love of theater: developing the skills, spirit, and artistic sensibilities of all those who participate, on stage, behind it, or in the audience. (Oh, and we also put on great shows, too - musicals, dramas, comedies, and more!). We are sponsored in part by the Oregon Coast Council for the Arts, many wonderful volunteers and members.

The mission of Portland Actors' Conservatory is to provide comprehensive and rigorous actor training by engaging the mind, heart and spirit of the artist while cultivating a culture to inspire our students and global audience to make a lifelong commitment to and investment in the living arts. The heart of our mission is our accredited two-year actor training program. We also offer a full season of professional productions for the general public as well as classes for both adults and youth.

Portland’s Original Shakespeare-in-the-Parks, since 1970 The mission of PAE’s not-for-profit productions has remained virtually unchanged since 1970: “To bring financially accessible (free) classical theater to Portland communities in a non-traditional environment”. We have stood by this mission for over 46 years, and will continue to do so. Our Shakespeare-in-the-Parks program touches thousands of people each summer, many (often young families) attending their first/only theatrical experience

We are the Portland Area Theatre Alliance, an alliance of individual theatre practitioners, producing companies, associated businesses and audience members. We provide networking, resources and advocacy for our members and the theatre community at large. Our goal is to increase the quality, quantity and professionalism of theatre produced in Portland and the surrounding areas.

The Portland Art Museum believes that the experience of original works of art enriches and changes people’s lives. Art inspires new ways of understanding the present and our place in the world. By providing a welcoming environment for the public to look, talk, and reflect on works of visual and media art, the Museum deepens our collective understanding of humanity, builds community, and contributes to a thriving civic life.

Emerging in the early 1980s as a grassroots cooperative of musicians, Portland Baroque Orchestra (PBO) is considered one of the best period-instrument orchestras in North America and Europe. PBO's mission is to produce intimate and historically-informed interpretations of music composed before 1840 for a wide audience, and to provide broad access and educate the community about the composers and historic context of this music through world-class professional performances, outreach and dialogue.

Established in 1988, Portland Center Stage (PCS) is Portland, Oregon’s largest professional theater, serving 160,000 people annually from its home in the historic Gerding Theater at the Armory. PCS embraces a mission “to inspire our community by bringing stories to life in unexpected ways” and produces an annual season of plays that present diverse voices and cultural perspectives, ranging from enduring classics to world premieres.

Portland Chamber Music works to make music accessible to all people through performance and instruction. PCM believes all people deserve access to quality musical experiences regardless of their ability to attend cultural events due to cost, awareness and/or transportation issues. We devote 100% of our time to community outreach, bringing free classical music performances to underserved communities in Portland.

Founded in 1946, Portland Children’s Museum consists of three interrelated entities: the Museum, comprised of indoor/outdoor exhibits and on-site/off-site programs; Opal School, a fee-based preschool and public K-5 charter school; and the Museum Center for Learning, which researches and disseminates innovative practices in education. Museum exhibits are interactive, hands-on, and provide opportunities to learn through play—the essential work of the child.

The mission of the Portland Chinatown History Foundation is to honor, preserve, and interpret the history and rich cultural heritage of Portland’s historic Chinatowns.