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CLACKAMAS COUNTY IN 2008
Clackamas County encompasses a diverse scenic landscape from the dense forests of magnificent Mt. Hood to the lush farmlands of the Willamette Valley. Geography separates us, but it is the very thing that creates a rich landscape of ideas and imagination. How we integrate our cultural riches and how we see and hear each other are continuing challenges. As population increases, the impact on the landscape, public infrastructure and cultural life will become key issues.
STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES
Cultural Involvement
Strengths
- Most communities have cultural centers
- The county is home to one of the largest populations of artists in the state
- Many people participate in culture through direct creation, audience involvement, volunteering and donating funds
Challenges
- Increased leadership across each of arts, heritage and humanities is needed to sustain and expand local culture
- Arts, heritage and humanities programming within the K-12 school system is mostly unmet in many county schools, and K-12 education is key to valuing local culture, increasing cultural participation and building leadership
- Continued financial support is an ongoing necessity
Demographics and Diversity
Strengths
- County population has increased by 10% since 2004 in both urbanized and rural areas
- New city charters include Happy Valley and Damascus
- County demographics report increased numbers of people who speak a language other than English in their homes, especially Russian and Spanish, bringing new cultural richness to the area
Challenges
- Increased population impacts cities and the land. The ongoing need for protection of rural and wild lands, intrinsic to the county’s cultural life, is vital
- The health of local culture and of cultural institutions with increased demand for arts, heritage and humanities programs is directly linked to the strength of public infrastructure, including schools, libraries, parks, roads and public transportation (i.e. when infrastructure is challenged, such as by the loss of federal timber dollars, local culture is also threatened)
- Inclusion of non-English speaking people in community cultural life and sharing their cultural heritage is essential to the health and diversity of communities
Clackamas County Governance
Strengths
- The county has made a strong commitment to sustainability with three interlocking elements: economic, social/cultural and environmental
- The county government has begun to recognize the value of culture to building healthy, sustainable communities and joint management of arts, heritage and tourism through its commissioners and Clackamas County Tourism and Cultural Affairs Department is increasingly promising
- Effective 2009, the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners will increase from three to five members which will impact county cultural support and decision-making
Challenges
- Cultural representatives should continue to participate in county planning processes and work closely with commissioners
- Parallel local networks and partnerships are needed for coordinating and sharing resources, and sustaining and increasing local culture
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