The Regional Arts & Culture Council has decided where to put its grant money. In 2016, $665,595 will be going toward 54 grants for nonprofit organizations and 77 for individual arts in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties.
We received a record number of applications, 359 total, and although we couldnt invest in all of them, I am truly excited about the 131 projects that we were able to fund, says Eloise Damrosch, RACC executive director.
All the projects can be viewed at www.racc.org/2016projectgrants.
Book of Mormon
Undoubtedly, therell be a lottery for tickets to the upcoming Book of Mormon, Jan. 12 through 24 at Keller Auditorium, as was the case in 2013 and 2014. Well pass along information when we hear about it.
A New York Times reviewer called it the best musical of this century. The parody of the Mormon religion will stage at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays, and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays. You can inquire about tickets at www.BroadwayInPortland.com, 503-241-1802 or 1-866-739-6737, or TicketsWest locations. You might want to do it today, if its not too late.
Extended, again
For the second time, Artists Repertory Theatres The Miracle Worker, the story of deaf and blind Helen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan, has been extended. There are now 10 extended performance dates from Jan. 7 through 17.
For info: www.artistsrep.org.
Another extension
Imago Theatre will retire its ZooZoo show after its Portland run and a national tour, but it has been extended locally. The final shows will be at 2 and 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 3. For info: www.imagotheatre.com.
New digs
Much has been made about Northwest Dance Project finding its new home, Oregon Ballet Theatre moving to South Waterfront in early January, and Polaris Dance Theatre also shopping and finding new space.
Conduit Dance, displaced from its space last March, has been operating classes and such around the city Conduit Mobile it has called itself. In June, the company relocated its offices to The Ford Building, 2505 S.E. 11th Ave., No. 120, in Southeast Portland, and agreed on a lease of the space and moved into the studio in October.
Like many others, Conduit took some financial hits. The company will hold an open house at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 16. For more: www.conduit-pdx.org.
Citys honor
Chris Rizik, the publisher of SoulTracks, a soul music website (soultracks.com), writes to us to say that, in a unique honor, the city of Portland has been named its Artist of the Year. Rizik says that the citys burgeoning soul music scene led to the honor.
Portland came out of nowhere with several great projects that captured our attention, Rizik writes in an email.
The story can be read at www.soultracks.com.
Aquariums plans
The Portland Aquarium has been in the news for good (its been popular) and bad (the owners legal issues) during its existence at 16323 S.E. McLoughlin Blvd. in Milwaukie. But its going to close on Feb. 15. The building will be demolished and property sold in 2016, but its owners want to find a new location. Apparently theyre interested in opening a location at a mall. All animals will be relocated to other aquariums across the country, a news release says, meaning youll only have until February to visit the sharks, stingrays, lorikeets, macaws, iguanas, chameleons, snakes, forest dragons and more.
We knew we would eventually outgrow this facility, says Vince Covino, referring to the building that once housed the Black Angus restaurant. Our next Portland location will be at least twice this size and in a more fitting destination.
Swim away
Portland Parks & Recreations 15th annual Water Warrior Club starts Jan. 2. Its six indoor pools will host the Wheres Wader the Gator fitness challenge in January for lap swim and water exercise participants.
Swimmers who complete at least 16 workouts in January receive a Water Warrior T-shirt and the benefit of better health. The pools: Buckman, Columbia, East Portland, Matt Dishman, Mt. Scott and Southwest. For info, call: 503-823-5130.
