It is a new year and that means new artist opportunities... besides with Portland's current 13.5 inches of snow you gotta be getting a bit fidgity in the cabin. Start your planning, here are some good opportunities.

The annual Hallie Ford Foundation Artist Fellowships are here. They wont be taking applications till next week beginning January 19th, 2017 but you should prepare. Over the years I've criticized the 25k fellowships for their somewhat fusty adherence to genres that give artists who make things that are traditional sculpture or wall based work an edge (in general overtly handmade + wall and plinth based work). New media like video and installation art (two of the scene's strongest areas have been neglected). True some recipients do these things but its generally not their primary focus... and rarely if ever site specific work (a few like Bruce Conkle have). Instead, like most Oregon art awards they go to people who are very community active and or teach rather than those who do video and installation work nationally and internationally. Rarely are the selected artists considered to be doing their best work either (ties to schools or other institutions rather than ambition and execution get you awards here). That's why this partially underlined blurb got my attention this year in the press release, "Each year, The Ford Family Foundation reconstitutes the selection panel with both in-state and out-of-state arts professionals. Therefore, the types of artists or disciplines selected as finalists may well differ from year to year. Please encourage members of your community who are practicing artists who may have applied in earlier years, but have not been selected, to reapply." What does that mean? Maybe they stopped selecting conservative panelists that have sat on every other award panel around here? Perhaps application #'s are dropping because they feel that their work an installation artist, video or photographer is just a wasted effort? Also, will they start awarding more of the crucial Gen X artists who lead and recently rebuilt the scene giving it international relevance? ...perhaps by adding installation and video and other new genre work to the mix? Gen X really blazed the tail here for new media. Applications open January 19th, 2017, Deadline: March 1, 2017

As a newish breath of fresh air, the Houseguest residencies at Pioneer Square are very liberal in their acceptance of different media and disciplines for their 20k residencies. Deadline: February 1, 2017

The very new and now Precipice Fund-ed Una Gallery is taking submissions for their upcoming Art As Resistance show for the Trump inauguration. It was wonderful to sit on the panel that gave them the award because in this environment their specific mission will draw the attention of Trump bullies. Stand strong! Una Gallery Deadline: January 15, 2017