The Pearl is Back!
A look back at an amazing summer!
Fall is officially here! It's hard to believe that summer has come and gone already. What a dynamic time in the Pearl District! From the First Thursday Street Gallery to Art in the Pearl, the community came together to celebrate art and creativity.
We are truly “Portland's Original Creative District!”
First Thursday Street Gallery
September's First Thursday Street Gallery was a blast!
The final First Thursday Street Gallery of 2023 is October 5th! It’ll be hard to top the last one, but let’s make the final Street Gallery of the year the best one yet!
The Urban Art Network (UAN) runs the First Thursday Street Gallery in Portland's Pearl District on the first Thursday of each month from April to October.
“UAN is a registered 501-C3 non-profit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for self-representing local artists. They work to create inspiring venues for artistic expression and to promote the development of an artist network. UAN supports direct exchange between artists, patrons, and the community.” - UAN website
The Street Gallery is for all ages and free to the public. If you’d like more information, read up on the First Thursday Street Gallery on the Pearl District Portfolio blog or their network at https://urbanartnetwork.org.
Photos: UAN and the PDNA
Biomass
We were thrilled to host Biomass, the extraordinary exhibition of multiple artists curated by Jeff Jahn!
Biomass was an exploration of themes of feral empathy, cultural animals, and facets of fauna and was a significant milestone for the art scene as the first major warehouse show since the pandemic. We were lucky enough to be able to host Biomass in the historic Maddox Building!
The artists include: Julia Oldham, buq Corvidae-Schulte, Corey Arnold, V. Maldonado, Jeffry Mitchell, Ralph Pugay, Brian Borrello, Susan Seubert, Epiphany Couch, Malia Jensen, Justin L'Amie, Jeremy Le Grand, Renee Zangara, Sean Healy, Wendy Given, Kate Simmons, Erik Geschke, Eva Lake, Tia Factor, Gabriel Liston, Wynde Dyer, Michael Reinsch, Josh Pavlacky, Sandy Roumagoux, Morgan Buck, Matthew Dennison, Mariana Tres, Kendra Larson, Laura Fritz, Crystal Schenk and Shelby Davis, and Bruce Conkle.
Read more about Biomass on our blog!
J Pepin Gallery’s 10-Year Anniversary
We are excited to announce that our wonderful tenant, the J Pepin Gallery, celebrated a decade of operation this September.
“J Pepin Art Gallery is a contemporary art gallery reframing the perception of mental illness as one of mental health. Along with their work, the artists share their own journeys with mental health, creating a much-needed dialog. We all have mental health, just as we do physical health, and we shouldn't be ashamed to talk about it.” - J Pepin Gallery.
Learn more about this amazing gallery and the powerful story behind its existence on the Pearl Portfolio blog.
http://www.jpepinartgallery.com
Visit the J Peppin Gallery, located in the Maytag Building in the heart of the Pearl District.
HOURS: Wednesday - Saturday: 12 - 5 p.m., and Sunday: 12 p.m.
The gallery will reopen from 6–8 p.m. on the First Thursday of every month (April - November). Please email to schedule an appointment outside of regular business hours.
Photos: J Pepin Gallery
The Pearl District Association’s Pearl Party
What a night! The PDNA’s party of the year was so much fun!
The Pearl District Community’s largest annual fundraiser, the Pearl Party, features live music from local musicians Ben Jones and No Alibi, and food and drink from local eateries, and it’s a great way to support your community while living it up on a Friday night.
Thanks to all of the Pearl Party sponsors, volunteers, and you, the Pearl District community, for making the Pearl Party a success! A special shout out to organizers Sara Hoeber and Colleen Berretta for making it all happen! Catch a glimpse of the event through the fabulous photos on the Pearl Business Support blog: www.pearldistrict.org/news/2023-pearl-party-celebrating-the-pearl-district-community.
Photos: Volunteer photographer Bridget Bimrose and Olivia Daisy
Art in the Pearl
It’s always a pleasure to attend Art in the Pearl!
Art In the Pearl®, Portland, Oregon’s annual Fine Arts & Crafts Festival, occurs every year on Labor Day weekend. Artists and craftspeople from all over the region come to the North Park Blocks for the weekend. It’s a hub of local art, food, and music.
Congratulations to the Best in Show Winners: Cindy Olmes, Darryl Cox, and Gerald Arrington for getting Best in Show. Thank you to local businesses like the Pearl District Portfolio’s partner, Downtown Self Storage, and so many others, including but not limited to OPB, Watermark in the Pearl, NW Community Conservancy (NWCC), All Classical, Portland Monthly, the Oregonian, and so many others, for making the event possible with their sponsorship! More about the sponsors on the Art in the Pearl website here.
Next year, the 28th annual festival will occur Labor Day Weekend, 2024, in the Pearl District’s North Park Blocks on August 31, September 1, and September 2, 2024.
Photos: Art in the Pearl
Pearl District Beer and Arts Festival
Backwoods Brewing Company and Deschutes Brewery joined forces to throw a special Pearl District Brewfest!
The one-day festival included 20 breweries and cideries! Plus, local artists, vendors, and bands rounded out the amazing event! The “Pearlfest” was held near the traditional brewery blocks where craft brewing began in the Pacific Northwest. Best of all, this festival of local beers and breweries raised money for Caldera Arts, an arts and environmental immersion program in the mountains.
Details: www.eventcreate.com/e/pearlbrewed
Photos: Olivia Daisy, SCVO Strategies
Community Events
As a community, the Pearl District is a hands-on neighborhood!
There are so many opportunities to get involved with the Pearl District Neighborhood Association and all the committees—Clean Team, Foot Patrol, Parks, and Business Support, plus so many more. This Portland community takes action into its own hands!
The NW Community Conservancy (NWCC)
The NWCC is made up of Pearl District neighbors and business owners, which started a community initiative aimed at improving the lives of all who live, work, learn, and play in the Pearl District through increased public-private partnerships. It’s made quite an impact on the cleanliness and safety of the Pearl. The membership-driven organization is a beta test for Portland as a community model, combating the challenges we face as a city.
Get involved by visiting the NWCC website here.
Terrex Walking Tours
The Adidas TERREX walking tours in the Pearl District have certainly been a hit with residents and visitors!
Adidas TERREX partnered with the Pearl District Neighborhood Association (PDNA) for two amazing walking tours. The latest walk hosted by Bruce Johnson, author of "The Pearl District," focused on the history of the Pearl District and all about the neighborhood's development between 1980 and 2000!
Want to join us a walk? Follow us on social media and our blogs, and check the Pearl Business Support, PDNA, and the Terrex website for the next date.
Photos: Olivia Daisy, Terrex
“Portland is What You Make It”
International creative agency Wieden+Kennedy recently announced the “Make Portland” campaign.
Headquartered in the Pearl District, on historic NW 13th Avenue, Wieden + Kennedy’s “Make Portland” is "not an advertising campaign; it’s a call to action, a grassroots effort. And we need more people who love this city to be part of it."
Follow @makeportland on Instagram, tag them in your Make Portland Post using the hashtag #PortlandIsWhatWeMakeIt. They'll share the post, and we will, too!
Read more here: https://www.make-portland.com
The Pearl District Portfolio takes Pride in our Tenants and Community!
Our tenants are amazing! Office and retail space are available in The Pearl District Portfolio. Modern spaces with vintage architecture in the heart of Portland’s original creative district. Visit pearldistrictportfolio.com for leasing information.
