Arts and Entertainment in Portland

Portland is a city built around the arts. From street art to fine art, and from small venues to multi-day festivals, there is something for everyone in Portland. There is no shortage of options to experience visual art, performance art, music, dance and crafts.

You can walk the streets of inner NE/SE Portland and view countless colorful murals, view a world-class collection at the Portland Art Museum, or check out your local neighborhood’s art walks and street fairs.

Music

Portland was home to several jazz and blues clubs from the 1940’s-50’s and grew a reputation for producing indie talent like Elliot Smith, The Shins, The Decemberists, and Portugal the Man from the 1990’s to present. There are tons of small venues located throughout the city and several larger venues like the Roseland, The Wonder Ballroom, Edgefield, and Revolution Hall. There are also several amazing outdoor festivals like the Waterfront Blues Festival, Pickathon, Project Pabst, and Cathedral Park Jazz Festival.

Visual Art

Portland is brimming with options to see and make art. With cheap living and studio space in the 1980’s and 1990’s, artists made Portland into a creative hub. That laid the foundation for the art scene that we experience today. Grab some wine and enjoy Last Thursday in the Alberta Arts District or First Thursday in the Pearl. The Portland Art Museum boasts an impressive collection of contemporary, European, Asian, and Native American art. You can also visit exhibitions or take classes at the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, or experience more immersive environments like Oregon Contemporary, the Winter Lights Festival, and Hopscotch.

Performance Art

Several theater companies including Portland Center Stage, the Artists Repertory Theatre, and the Third Rail Repertory Theater call Portland home. Larger performance spaces like the Antoinette Hatfield Hall, Keller Auditorium, and the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall host major productions throughout the year, but Portland is also a great place to catch small independent productions and improv. Portland is also a great place to introduce young people to performance art with productions from the Oregon Children’s Theater and the Northwest Children’s Theater.

If you just want to have a laugh, you can see top comedians at venues like Helium, or you can cheer on up-and-coming talent at comedy nights around town. If you prefer on-screen acting, you can catch classic flicks and new releases at landmarks like the Hollywood Theater that serve real food and adult beverages.

Experience Art in Portland