One of the Cultural Trust’s most unique components is its network of county and Tribal cultural coalitions, which receive annual Trust grants to support ongoing planning and local grantmaking in their communities. The coalitions are important local stewards of Trust funding and Oregon culture.

“The cultural coalitions offer the most funding to supportthe arts, heritage and humanities in rural Oregon communities – ever. With the advent of the Cultural Trust in 2002, and the forming of thecoalitions in 2003,  rural counties have not only teams of volunteers whodeveloped cultural plans, but regular annual funding to support local culturalpriorities,” said Trust Executive Director Chris D’Arcy.

Many coalition members have served in this capacity for over a decade, designing and updating county and Tribal cultural plans, granting Trust money to local programs, or investing Trust dollars in important community projects (in-school arts instruction, museum upgrades, public art commissions) and events (Native heritage classes and workshops, professional development opportunities).

The Trust is grateful to these volunteers for their commitment and passion. We extend a warm thank you to these coalition members, some of whom are stepping down after 10 or more years of service.

Tina Rinaldi, Managing Director of the Arts and Administration Program, School of Architecture and Allied Arts, University of Oregon, began serving on the Lane County Cultural Coalition eight years ago. Her colleague, Meg Trendler, Tourism Sales Manager at the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Lane County, helped write the original Lane County Cultural Plan and served 11 years on the coalition. Both women stepped down last month.

“There is value in some members of an organization having historical memory,” said Rinaldi. At the same time, she said, “Meg and I had served longer than our own plan suggested we should serve,” said Rinaldi. “It was time to cycle off.”

Now, Lane County’s coalition has recruited four new members to replace the four members stepping down.“Each of the positions had multiple applicants,” said Rinaldi. Lane County is fortunate to be populous, she admits. “In large counties, especially large rural counties,” said Rinaldi, “if your plan is to have representation from each district, some of those districts don’t have that many people.”

However, she does have engagement strategies to share with coalitions who may be struggling with their succession plans. “The representative for each district does outreach in that district,” said Rinaldi. Current members are asked to recruit future members and grant applicants. They talk to Kiwanis clubs and other civic groups, and employ excellent relationships with local media outlets. “We want representation from all areas (arts, heritage, humanities) and we want people who support our mission – awareness, education, access,” Rinaldi emphasized. “We’re not just recruiting our buddies.”

Trust Manager Kimberly Howard took a moment to reflect on the importance of the cultural coalitions. “The cultural coalition part of the Oregon Cultural Trust is truly exceptional in that it gives communities an opportunity to develop cultural leadership, support local programs and projects and, most importantly, to increase cultural participation, which was the original goal when creating the coalitions.” Howard said.

The Oregon Cultural Trust would like to give a special thanks to coalition members who have served their cultural coalition for 10 or more years:

Karin Barntish, Claudia Callan, Dan Cannon, Mike Carroll, Sirpa Duoos, Lorene Forman, Charlotte Fugate, Frank Geltner, Boyd Harris, Ruth Harris, Susan Hess, Robin Jackson, Blythe Jorgensen, Todd Kepple, Christine Lewallen, Ken Myers*, Claudia Naibert, Kitty Paino, Keith Seaber, Kristi Steber, Lee Stromquist, Bill Sturman, Terry Thompson, Meg Trendler*

Thank you also to coalition members who have served for 5 or more years:

Jane Stella Ahern, Linda Allen, Rosemary Baker-Monaghan, Rich Bergstrom, Jude Berray, Betty Bly, Meryl Boice, Sue Borden, Eva Calcagno, Ernie Carman, Pam Chaney, Barbara Coddington, Larry Cole, Rex Crabbe, Ann Craig, Joanne Cunningham, Cindy DeRosier, Alice Doyle*, Tim DuRoche, Joe Durr, County Commissioner Andy Duyck, Jodi Eagan, Tobie Finzel, Billie Frost, Betsy Rock Fudge, Connie George, Kuri Gill, Joan Graham, Eddie Helms, Dawn Holt*, Sally Houck, Tom Hurst, Carla Ingrando*, Cynthia Kirk, Lori Leyba Kramer*, Lois Leonard*, Shelley Toon Lindberg (Hight), Barbara Lund Jones, Barbara Mason*, Perri McDaniel, Tom Miller, Jan Mitchell, Jim Montalbano, Billie Moser*, Pat Phillips, Tina Rinaldi*, Catherine Rickbone, Carol Sawyer, Maura Schwartz, Mary Beth Self*, Cory Smith, Nancylee Stewart, Susan Sweatt, Ellen Thomas, Mary Carla Ueki, Christina van der Kamp, Gayle Weatherson, Chuck Weller, Darrrell Whipple, Jon Zagel

*coalition members who served 5 or more years, and have recently stepped down or termed off.