On Wednesday, October 8, 2008 the Oregon Cultural Trust invites Oregon citizens to Participate! in, Celebrate! and Donate! to Oregon culture. The Oregon Cultural Trust supports 1,200 arts, heritage and humanities nonprofits; the possibilities of cultural experience and expression on October 8 are nearly endless. The Cultural Trust’s suggestions begin with:
- visit a museum
- hike a heritage trail
- attend a performance
- check out a library book
- say yes! to a pledge drive
In addition to daily cultural programming and activities available in nearly every community across the state, the Cultural Trust has planned several special events, with performances, mayoral proclamations, speakers, cultural fairs, and light refreshments in:
- Noon - 2 PM:
- 5 – 7 PM:
- Bend
- Gresham
- Hood River
- Lincoln City
- Pendleton
All of these events are free and open to the public. Performers include: Eugene Ballet (Eugene), Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Oregon Poet Laureate Lawson Fusao Inada (Medford), LiveWire! (Portland), writer Ellie Waterston (Bend), Jefferson Dancers (Gresham), 9-year-old bluegrass fiddler Matthew Cravey (Hood River), recorder duo Lost in Time (Lincoln City) and roots musicians Mulligan Stew (Pendleton). A detailed list of events is attached.
Oregon’s Day of Culture falls during October’s National Arts and Humanities Month and October 8 marks the sixth anniversary of the passage of Oregon’s unique -- and powerful --cultural tax credit. Oregon’s Day of Culture will become an annual event. Information: www.culturaltrust.org or 503-986-0088.
The Oregon Cultural Trust is an innovative, statewide private-public program that raises money to support and protect Oregon’s arts, humanities and heritage. In addition to creating a long-term, protected endowment, the Trust distributes grants that benefit every Oregon county. Donors to the Trust are eligible for a 100-percent Oregon income tax credit for contributions of up to $500 for individuals, $1,000 for couples filing jointly and $2,500 for corporations. To motivate Oregonians to increase direct giving to cultural groups, Trust donors must also make matching gifts to one or more of 1,200 cultural nonprofits in order to claim the tax credit. Thirteen thousand five hundred (13,500) donors have contributed over $14 million to the Cultural Trust since December 2002.