16.May

Now Is The Time

I don’t know that we’ve ever done this before on ultra, but we’re going to talk politics because this is an emergency. You probably already know that arts groups, artists, and cultural institutions from the heavy hitters to the new galleries on the block have a strong advocate in Commissioner Sam Adams. His office has [...]

I don’t know that we’ve ever done this before on ultra, but we’re going to talk politics because this is an emergency. You probably already know that arts groups, artists, and cultural institutions from the heavy hitters to the new galleries on the block have a strong advocate in Commissioner Sam Adams. His office has done much to not only advocate for arts funding, but to convince the arts community (in the broadest sense of the word) to rally ’round the flag and learn to advocate for the importance of (and importance of funding) arts and culture. Adams has put time, energy, and staff time into the effort, but we’ve only just begun.

At the same time, Mayor Potter’s most recent budget rejected requests for city funding for the arts with a slash-and-burn strategy.

We’re about to elect a new mayor. This is simple, electing Sam Adams will ensure a strong voice for arts and culture funding as well as a continued commitment to expanding the creative capacity of our beloved Portland. The alternative is the candidate endorsed by Potter, Sho Dozono, who has no stated arts and culture policy. It’s not even mentioned on his website. Yikes.

If you haven’t cast your ballot, please do it. If you have time to help elect Adams, now is the time.

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5 Comments

  1. Andy added this comment on 17 May 2008 | Permalink

    Sho’s website has a menu item called “Art and Culture”, with plenty of information– You are quite mistaken. I can’t believe you are trying to slam a trustee of the Portland Art Museum, and a strong supporter of the Portland Jazz Festival for not being involved in the arts. Sam Adams is obviously your choice, and that is great, but don’t mislead your readers.

    Which candidate has given over the past 20 years, and which candidate has given as soon as he started running for office? Hmmm…

  2. admin added this comment on 17 May 2008 | Permalink

    Hi Andy,

    What I am trying to do is make sure we have a strong advocate for the arts in the mayor’s office and Sho is not that person. And aside: Sho is not, as I understand it, currently a trustee for the Portland Art Museum.

    And I might be crazy, but that link on the website was not there yesterday.

    When you ask who has “given” to the arts, I can tell you that Adams may not have the connections to money that Sho has, but Sam Adams shows up at art events, asks for input from artists, arts advocates and organizations and is putting time and effort where his mouth is. And this began well before he declared for mayor.

    “Let’s get political.” And you can sing that along with Olivia Newton John.

    L

  3. admin added this comment on 17 May 2008 | Permalink

    More website fun. Google’s cached page of Sho’s website had no “Arts & Culture” link as of May 14. I knew I wasn’t crazy.

  4. jmc added this comment on 17 May 2008 | Permalink

    Regarding the Portland Art Museum, the Dozono’s are Modern Art benefactors. They’ve gifted somewhere between $10-25k.

    https://web.pam.org/asp/templates/page.asp?pageID=86

    So, while Adams may be advocating for funding of the arts (how can you possibly not), Dozono actually has.

    Also, I’m not sure I understand why it’s such an issue to update a website for clarity. Adams has a blog-style website; it would be no different if Adams made a post (or whoever posts for him) on his site to clarify where he stands issues, etc.

  5. lisa added this comment on 18 May 2008 | Permalink

    JMC, It’s not “an issue to update a website for clarity.” Andy said I was “mistaken” that there was no arts position on Sho Dozono’s website. The issue is that I wasn’t mistaken. There was no arts position there…I guess until I pointed it out.

    And I think it’s great that the Dozono’s have given money to PAM.

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