Newsletter

Sign up to subscribe

Sign up to receive the PHG newsletter in your inbox, every month.

After clicking the button be sure to go to your email and look for the message to confirm your request. Don’t see the confirmation email? Check your junk folder!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Our latest newsletter

  • URGENT!! Tell Portland City Council to Keep MAC Open!

    Portland City Councilor Steve Novick has introduced an amendment to the Portland city budget calling for the city to close the Multnomah Arts Center as well as the Community Music Center. If passed the city could close MAC as of September 1. This is one of several amendments proposed to address budget problems in the city.

    Below is the content from a message sent by Kathleen Madden, President of the Multnomah Arts Center Association, with the background and what you can do to help. You can see the full message here: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Important-City-Budget-Update.html?soid=1135276884438&aid=ZRegWXW4crE

    If you’re a Portland resident please consider contacting your councilor ASAP to let them know what MAC means to you and to the Portland Handweavers Guild. The links below will take to you forms where you can register your support for MAC.

    Thanks for your support, and we look forward to seeing you next month at the annual strawberry social.

    We need your help right away!

    On Thursday, Councilor Steve Novick submitted amendment #45 to the City’s budget, to PERMANENTLY close the Multnomah Arts Center as of September 1, 2025.

    We need to tell the Council to VOTE NO on Amendment #45 by tomorrow, May 21 –
    DON’T CLOSE MAC!

    Please let our councilors know by:

    1. To submit written testimony, click here (easy, less effective)
    2. To contact your City Councilor, click here (easy, more effective) 
    3. Sign up to testify virtually or in person by clicking here (best). It’s agenda item #16, time: 11:45 A.M.

    Please be sure to include:
    • Your district
    • Importance of MAC to you
    • Don’t close MAC!

    Link: City council districts and their elected representatives

    In addition to classes, the Multnomah Arts Center:

    • Has fifteen partners throughout Portland, serving Parks’ targeted communities at their sites including The Rosewood Initiative, Home Forward, and Y.O.U.th.
    • Houses several nonprofits including: Columbia Basin Basketry Guild, Neighborhood House, Oregon Children’s Theatre, Print Arts Northwest, Community Policing, and Northwest Woodturners.
    • Provides discounted space rentals to nonprofits.
    • Makes arts education programming accessible by eliminating financial barriers to access, through the Parks Levy and MACA scholarships.
    • Received roughly $1,000,000 in seismic and ADA facility upgrades from Parks in the past two years, surely not an indication of imminent building closure.
    • During summer months, MAC runs the Arts in the Parks program, providing free drop-in arts activities at parks (primarily in areas serving our targeted communities). Last year over 4,000 youth were provided activities through this program.
    • Produces Free First Friday Arts for All at MAC, which provides drop-in arts education experiences along with free food for the Portland community.
    • Staff works with Parks management and our partners to address long term facility needs.

    If I can answer any questions, please let me know. We count on your support.


    If I can answer any questions, please let me know. We count on your support. 
    With regards,
    Kathleen Madden, MACA President

Past Newsletters

For older newsletters see our Newsletter Archive

Scroll to Top