Leave a Legacy: Let's Build the Next 50 Years Together

Dear friends of Blue Sky,

This year Blue Sky Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts turned 50! For five decades, we’ve been a home for artists, a gathering place for ideas, and a platform for powerful photographic storytelling. What began as a grassroots effort in 1975 has grown into an internationally recognized center for contemporary photography all because of the generosity of people like you.

As we celebrate this milestone, we’re not just looking back. We’re looking forward. Blue Sky’s future depends on ensuring the next 50 years are just as bold, ambitious, and artist-centered as the last. But to do that,  we need your support now more than ever to sustain our programming for the next generation. 

Like many arts organizations, we’re still feeling the strain of rising costs, decreased public funding, and slower recovery in downtown Portland. We’re proud to say that scaling back isn’t part of our story – our vision has always been bigger than our budget. This anniversary year, we are dreaming even bigger.

We’ve set an ambitious goal to raise $50,000 by the end of the year – symbolic of the 50 years we’re celebrating and the 50 more we’re working toward. Will you be part of the legacy that takes us there?

No gift is too small to make a lasting difference. Whether it’s $50 or $5,000, your support fuels everything we do.

Make a Contribution Today

What your contribution makes possible:

  • $50 - Supports community outreach programs

  • $100 - Helps preserve and digitize our exhibition archives

  • $500 - Sponsors an artist talk or hands-on workshop

  • $1,000 - Assists with an artist’s shipping and travel costs 

  • $5,000 - Underwrites a full exhibition

  • $10,000 - Sustains a month of Blue Sky programming

There are many ways to give: one-time gifts, recurring donations, membership renewals, gifts from IRAs, or appreciated stock. However you choose to contribute, you are helping keep the spirit of photography alive and thriving. Let’s build the next 50 years together!

With gratitude,

Kristin Solomon (she/her)

Executive Director

Blue Sky Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts2025 EOYG