The Portland Art Museum is hosting the "HeART of Portland" exhibition, featuring over 100 artworks created by students from all 81 Portland Public Schools. The showcase includes a diverse range of media, from ceramics and rug tufting to screen-printed apparel and zines, and for the first time, the student work is being displayed in a professional gallery space within the museum's main building. The exhibition, which opened on Tax Day, serves as a tangible demonstration of the results of the city's unique arts tax.
This event marks a significant milestone for Portland's arts education, as the high school class of 2026 represents the first cohort to have received continuous arts funding throughout their entire K-12 education. By elevating student work to the same professional standards as the museum's permanent collections—including professional installation and labeling—the initiative validates the importance of arts in the public curriculum. It also highlights the impact of the $146 million raised by the Portland Arts Tax since 2013 in securing arts educators for every elementary school in the district.