PSAA introduces our newest Community Art project at the old Salvation Army site at 139 SE MLK Blvd in the Central Eastside Mural District. We worked with over 55 local and regional artists at this site, adding approximately 22,680 sq. ft. of new public art to Portland.
This building was originally erected in 1893 as a hay-and-feed storage space. In 1913, it was acquired by the Salvation Army as an “industrial home” or tabernacle, sheltering and serving food to homeless unemployed men. It’s history of supporting the community now continues with this new chapter as an open air free art gallery featuring the work of graffiti crews, alongside veteran and emerging street artists.
This site is part of PSAA’s Community Art Program, a unique place-based donation program that facilitates community artwork on buildings. These spaces provide abundant opportunities to local and visiting artists, a safe and accessible place for diverse artists to practice and display their work. For the larger community, this program offers the public with free art galleries, providing fresh and exciting new public art experiences in our cities. Community art projects are made possible with donation support from property owners and business sponsor partners.
For better or worse, cities constantly change, and Portland is growing rapidly. With growth comes growing pains and unease. The Central Eastside in particular is developing rapidly with high rises replacing old warehouses because of new height allowances and zoning in effect. PSAA has made a commitment to preserve and maintain spaces for graffiti style art productions, giving opportunities and stipends to artists to paint and do their own thing.