Download this poster by Ian Lynham
Sunday, June 28, 12-5 PM
Meeting location: TBA
RSVP to: yes@dillpickleclub.com
During the height of the Great Depression, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) provided economic relief to millions of idle workers by employing them in the creation of public works projects and arts education programs. Although highly controversial in its time for its leftist political leanings, the WPA is cited as a major factor for the re-stabilization of the American economy leading up to WWII. Join the Dill Pickle Society for our grand opening event, Art for the Millions: The Enduring Legacy of the WPA, as we take a leisurely bicycle field trip/ tour of WPA-sponsored projects in Portland and hear from leading authorities on the subject.
What is the WPA’s relevance to contemporary society, especially to a city known for its young professionals and “creative class”? What would Portland look like if it spent its public funding on employing idle creatives for public works projects, over other budgetary expenditures such as Major League Soccer? How can we learn from the past in creating a more cooperative and less individualistic arts community?
Above (left to right):
Adrian Voisin’s bronze sculpture commemorating Lewis & Clark (Jefferson High), abandoned WPA restroom in Forest Park, Joseph Stella’s Factories at Night (Portland Art Museum).
Visit and learn about WPA public works such as the Paul Grellert’s mural at the Morrison Street post office, works at the Portland Art Museum and a spooky abandoned shack in Forest Park. Along the way the ride will stop at for lunch at Westmoreland Park (itself a WPA project), where attendees will participate in a discussion on the feasibility of implementing a federally-funded WPA arts program today. Other stops include Skidmore Fountain (where David Milholland will talk about C.E.S. Wood and the history of public art in Portland), Abernathy School (where Friends of Arts in the Schools will show us their WPA conservation efforts) and Woody Guthrie Circle.
Space is limited to the first 40 attendees. A $10 donation gets you lunch, a “merit badge” and accompanying materials. Discussion and findings will be documented and published in a print publication and online.
RSVP to: yes@dillpickleclub.com.