The Oregon Arts Commission is committed to developing and delivering a strong arts education for every Oregon student.
Qualities such as teamwork, imagination, and adaptability are intrinsic to participation in the arts. In addition, the arts heighten quality of life in schools by producing more motivated students, higher student engagement, and greater community involvement. Ultimately, students who experience the arts have a greater capacity for expressing their ideas and listening to the ideas of others.
The Arts Commission strategically invests in Oregon’s arts education by providing Arts Learning grants. Grantees are part of a vibrant learning community that includes many regional and national organizations. We provide a dedicated and professional staff to council organizations in the structuring of programs and evaluation of initiatives. Dedicated to arts education research and information exchanges, the Arts Commission provides multifaceted support to educators and students of all levels.
Access to Arts Education in Oregon Schools
Access to Arts Education in Oregon Schools is a statewide searchable database meant to reveal the range and availability of arts classes offered in Oregon schools.
Poetry Out Loud
POETRY OUT LOUD is a contest open to all Oregon high school students sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation in partnership with the Oregon Arts Commission and other state arts agencies.
Poetry Out Loud is a national poetry recitation competition for high school students. Participating students develop public speaking skills. They build self-confidence and learn to connect with literature in new ways, often discovering a new outlet for creative expression.
Poetry Out Loud is supported by The National Endowment for the Arts and The Poetry Foundation. The Oregon Arts Commission coordinates and manages the program in Oregon State.