Be the Light: Illuminate Blue Sky!

Dear friends of Blue Sky,

As we approach the end of the year, we invite you to join us in celebrating the rich history and vibrant future of the Blue Sky, Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts. For five decades, we have been a beacon to the photographic community - shining a spotlight on the incredible work of both emerging and established artists from all over the world and fostering a deep appreciation for the art of photography. 

Lately, we’ve been more vocal about the concern over our loss of resources and rising costs. The reduction of funds from government grants, slow to rebound visitorship to downtown Portland, and inflation of goods and services has made it challenging to sustain our current operations. Cutting back or doing less just isn’t in Blue Sky’s DNA. (In fact, ambitious plans are afoot for Blue Sky’s 50th Birthday next year!) It’s clear that we can no longer rely on just our usual systems of support. 

Blue Sky was built on the grass roots support of faithful supporters like you that believe in our mission and value the power of the arts to bring much needed empathy and wonder to our world. Your contributions are essential in supporting artists by providing them with a platform to share their work and ensuring that diverse perspectives are seen and heard. It is our hope that we can count on your support once again to help us meet our fundraising goal of $50,000 and ensure that Blue Sky remains a vibrant hub for photography for generations to come. No gift is too small to make a big impact. 

There are many ways to give, including one-time gifts, recurring donations, memberships, and tax-free charitable contributions from an IRA. You can even make a significant impact by donating appreciated stock, which can provide tax benefits while supporting our mission. Please consider making a gift today and help us keep the spirit of photography alive and thriving.

What does your gift allow us to do? Here are some examples:

  • $50 supports our community outreach efforts

  • $100 helps us build and maintain our past exhibition archive project 

  • $500 sponsors an artist talk or workshop

  • $1,000 helps an artist cover shipping costs 

  • $5,000 supports an exhibition in one of our main galleries

  • $10,000 sponsors a whole month of programming at Blue Sky

Thank you for your unwavering support and commitment to the photographic community we cherish.

With gratitude,

Kristin Solomon (she/her)

Executive Director

Blue Sky, Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts2025 Pacific Northwest Drawers