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A stroll through downtown Portland will take you past several vibrant murals painted on the sides of historic buildings.

Visual Arts in Portland

Galleries, public art and avant-garde institutions complete Portland's visual arts scene.

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A stroll through downtown Portland will take you past several vibrant murals painted on the sides of historic buildings.

Portland’s thriving and innovative art scene keeps in touch with international trends while remaining true to its Pacific Northwest roots. Events like First Thursday (in the Pearl District) and Last Thursday (in the Alberta Arts District in the summer) draw big crowds, but local galleries, museums and arts organizations continue to churn in the interim. Mainstays like the Portland Institute of Contemporary Art and the Portland Art Museum have full calendars of visiting artist lectures and events that supplement exhibitions around the city. Read on for our guide to the city’s thriving visual arts scene, then head to our events calendar to discover even more things to do on your next visit to Portland.

Know Before You Go

To slow the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant, effective Aug. 27, a statewide mask mandate is in place. Oregonians and visitors ages 5 and up are required to wear face coverings in all public indoor settings, as well as crowded outdoor public spaces where physical distancing is not possible, regardless of vaccination status. This rule does not apply to individuals actively eating or drinking.

Additionally, some event organizers and venues may require proof of vaccination, or a negative COVID test, for admission. Other events may be canceled, postponed or held virtually. Please check individual event websites for the most up-to-date information.

Holding sway as the premier collecting museum in Oregon, the Portland Art Museum occupies an entire city block in the South Park Blocks. Home to a dizzying array of work from all over the world, it also boasts the Clement Greenberg Collection, a personal look into the taste of one of Modernism’s most powerful critics. Alongside these 20th century masterpieces, the museum also highlights regional contemporary artists at its APEX space, possesses a fine collection of Native American art, schedules regular exhibitions of its collection of world-class prints and drawings and frequently hosts blockbuster events from major collections, both public and private.

Center for Native American Art

The Portland Art Museum's Center for Contemporary Native Art showcases the work of modern-day Native American artists. The innovative gallery hosts annual exhibitions along with a range of related talks and activities co-created by the artists.

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Outside of the museum walls, commercial and alternative galleries abound. Some venues have stood the test of time (and the reinvention of the Pearl District), while others are upstarts looking to make a splash with young artists and new media. Cornerstones like PDX Contemporary Art and Elizabeth Leach Gallery show a mixture of local and international emerging and mid-career artists. Their exhibitions run the gamut from photography to abstract painting to more conceptual considerations. Russo Lee Gallery,  Charles A. Hartman Fine Art, Augen Gallery and Froelick Gallery all continue this trend, with a mixture of original works from prominent locals and the occasional blue-chip name.

Nearby, younger spaces like Upfor focus on video, new media and installations that speak to Portland’s place in the ever-decentralizing art world. Straddling the area between traditional gallery and alternative exhibition space, PNCA’s 511 Gallery, Adams & Ollman, and Fourteen30 Contemporary stand at the edge of the avant-garde. Meanwhile, the venerable nonprofit Blue Sky Gallery has a long history of advocacy and showing first-rate photography, while Elisabeth Jones Art Center specializes in works with a focus on ecology and social justice.

Alternative Art Spaces

Beyond the more traditional models, some spaces fully embrace the moniker of “alternative space,” playing host to exhibitions, performances, publications and films. The Everett Station Lofts are a group of combined living and workspaces in Northwest Portland, focusing on small galleries and project spaces with an immersive and community-oriented approach. Other exhibition spaces like Building 5 expand on these ideas to showcase emerging artists and more experimental endeavors.

Oregon Center for Contemporary Art in the Kenton neighborhood, is less grassroots but works to further a regional understanding of the arts through professional publications, retrospectives and their Portland Biennial. If you want to buy some books, prints or various art objects, while also taking in an exhibition, head over to Ampersand Gallery or Nationale, where their galleries thrive alongside commercial spaces.

Oregon Center for Contemporary Art

In North Portland find visual art installations and performance art to collaborations with bands, chefs and mixologists, with international curators and partnerships with Oregon art makers, Oregon Contemporary is the cutting edge of visual arts.

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Exploring all of Portland’s art scene can be a daunting task. Luckily, there are multiple maps, calendars and schedules to simplify your art outing. For public art, check out Public Art PDX. Interested in attending First Thursday? Click through to the Portland Art Dealers Association for a smattering of member galleries and related institutions.

Arts, Attractions

Where to See Visual Art in Portland

Explore Portland's visual arts offerings at these local galleries and museums.

  • Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA)

    Through performances and exhibitions, lectures and workshops, and the annual Time-Based Art Festival, the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA) provides a citywide platform for the creation and discovery of contemporary art.

  • South Park Blocks

    Set aside for public use in 1852, the South Park Blocks were the city’s first parks, forming a green corridor through the heart of the city and playing home to the Portland Art Museum, the Oregon Historical Society and Portland State University.

  • PDX CONTEMPORARY ART

    PDX CONTEMPORARY ART has been one of the Pearl District’s most forward-thinking commercial galleries since 1996. They feature both local and international artists, and strive to mix conceptual work with more personal offerings.

  • Elizabeth Leach Gallery

    Launched in 1981, Elizabeth Leach Gallery presents prominent Northwest and internationally established artists working in a wide variety of contemporary media.

  • Russo Lee Gallery

    Established in 1986, the Russo Lee Gallery exhibits high-quality work by both established and emerging artists. They showcase contemporary Northwest artists working in a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, paper and print.

  • Charles A. Hartman Fine Art

    Creating a platform for both regional and international artists, this gallery presents contemporary and modern art that examines our world through subtle narratives.

  • Augen Gallery

    Founded in 1979, this Pearl District gallery showcases artwork by nationally and internationally known contemporary artists and printmakers.

  • Froelick Gallery

    Since 1995, Froelick Gallery has exhibited and represented contemporary artists with strong and independent voices. Their works comprise many media and encompass many genres, and their careers range from emerging to established.

  • Upfor Gallery

    Founded in 2013 by Theo Downes-Le Guin, Upfor presents emerging and established artists working in digital and other mediums. The 1,700-square-foot gallery offers a versatile exhibition and performance space in the Pearl District.

  • Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) + 511 Gallery

    A combination of art and design academy, traditional gallery and alternative exhibition space, the PNCA campus includes a black-box theater, state-of-the-art facilities and rotating exhibitions highlighting 21st century art and students’ work.

  • Adams & Ollman

    This art gallery specializes in work by self-taught, 20th-century American artists and contemporary artists whose practices reflect an intuitive influence.

  • Fourteen30 Contemporary Gallery

    This contemporary gallery near downtown is open Fridays, Saturdays and by appointment.

  • Blue Sky Gallery / Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts

    Founded as the Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts in 1975, Blue Sky is a venue for local photography. The organization has expanded its offerings over the last 35 years to include national and international artists.

  • Everett Station Lofts

    Sixteen storefront units are reserved for artists who agree to open their studios to the public during regular business hours and at least nine “First Thursday” evenings each year.

  • Elisabeth Jones Art Center

    Art gallery specializing in works with a focus on ecology and social justice, with a portion of proceeds benefiting organizations or individuals working to protect the environment, assist a marginalized community or support a human rights issue.

Upcoming Visual Arts Events

Check out our editor's top picks for visual arts exhibitions in Portland.

Visit Oregon Arts Watch
Editor's Pick
Portland Winter Light Festival
Feb. 4–12, 2022

Portland Winter Light Festival

Various Locations Free

Brighten your February with glowing sculptures and thousands of twinkling lights at the annual Winter Lights Festival.

Editor's Pick
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Festivals
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