James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation

Applications are open! The application is open for $25,000 Spark Awards for 20 Oregon Visual Artists in 2026! Share this with midcareer visual artists in Oregon and if you have questions, visit millerfound.org/spark. At that link, you will find the application, details about the Spark Award, and how we provide support in preparing your application. Eligible visual arts categories: Individual artists and Culture Bearers creating original works of visual art in the following categories, and presenting in an exhibition/installation context: Book arts, Collage, Ceramics, Drawing, Ecological Art, Fiber, Glass, Installation, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, Social Practice, Sound Art, Video/Digital Art, and interdisciplinary practices where visual arts is an ongoing primary form of expression.

Update: the application deadline has passed (5pm PT on April 30, 2026). We are not currently accepting applications for this role. The Miller Foundation is hiring an Executive Assistant! Read the job details and application instructions at https://lnkd.in/eQXRc2mv

Guidelines are available for the Spark Award for Oregon Artists in 2026, for visual artists! Applications open on April 15, and are due at 5pm PDT on June 3. The guidelines explain who is eligible to apply, the application process, and available resources we offer for support in submitting your application. All details can be found at https://lnkd.in/drp3GVRZ. Have questions? Email us at artists@millerfound.org. The Spark Award is a three-year pilot program that provides direct support to mid-career artists. Through this program, the Miller Foundation is awarding grants of $25,000 each to 60 individual artists in total (20 grants per year) across artistic disciplines. In 2024, the program supported 20 artists in the performing arts. In 2025, the program supported 20 more artists in the literary and media arts, and this year it will support 20 visual artists. We see the Spark Award as an investment in both artists and the organizations and communities statewide that are enriched by artists’ work. We are proud that this funding aims to support artists’ overall creative development instead of a specific project. This approach takes into consideration the entirety of an artist’s needs, from personal expenses to research to material support.

This job listing closes on Wednesday 2/11. Don't miss your chance to apply!

Looking for a workplace that values inclusion and invests in your professional growth? Partners in Diversity connects you with employers committed to building diverse teams and creating opportunities for underrepresented professionals. This week's job board features leadership and specialized roles across economic development, education, public health, engineering, and nonprofit finance. Whether you're shaping commercial real estate policy, advancing educational missions, preventing disease transmission, innovating in water infrastructure, or stewarding philanthropic resources—explore opportunities where your expertise drives meaningful change. Featured Opportunities: Director, Commercial Real Estate and Development Policy | Portland Metro Chamber | Portland, OR | $95,000 annually | https://lnkd.in/g-Uc78j8 Director of Development | Northwest Academy | Portland, OR | $85,000-$150,000 annually | https://lnkd.in/gGWrZ836 Prevention Specialist | HIV Alliance | Grants Pass, OR | $21.50 hourly | https://lnkd.in/gzNihrHN Field Engineer - Automation and Controls | Clean Water Services | Hillsboro, OR | $47.50 hourly | https://lnkd.in/gPMgahFh Finance Manager | James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation Foundation | Portland, OR | $72,000-1480,000 annually | https://lnkd.in/gHfEVVgQ 🌟 Explore all opportunities on our job board 📢 Tag someone ready for their next career move 🤝 Employers: Partner with us to connect with diverse, qualified talent

UPDATE: The deadline has passed; we are no longer taking applications. Miller Foundation is hiring! Read the details and application instructions for our open Finance Manager role at https://lnkd.in/ginD4_yC

Applications for the 2026 Hallie Ford Fellowships in the Visual Arts are now open through Monday, January 26, 2026. This program annually awards up to three unrestricted $35,000 fellowships to Oregon visual artists who have demonstrated excellence and potential for significant future accomplishment. Meet previous #HallieFordFellows and apply at https://lnkd.in/gum4MPVJ Image, Sara Siestreem, 2025 Hallie Ford Fellow. Photo: Sam Gehrke

We're looking for a new colleague to serve in the role of Program Officer for Children, Youth & Families (CYF). This person will bring K-12 experience and knowledge of statewide policies and systems to support both the CYF Department and a cross-departmental team focused on pathways from K-12 into postsecondary education and career opportunities. Learn more about the position at tfff.org/careers. Deadline to apply is January 8th, 2026 at 5pm PST. #NowHiring

The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation is thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2025 Spark Award for Oregon Artists. In the second year of this three-year pilot program, the Foundation welcomed applicants from the literary and media arts and received 293 applications. The Foundation will award $25,000 to each of the twenty mid-career artists receiving the Spark Award this year, providing flexible funding for their overall creative development. In 2026, the Foundation will award grants to twenty artists in the visual arts, and in 2024, the Foundation awarded twenty grants to performing artists. The 2025 Spark Award recipients are: ✨ Stephanie Adams-Santos, Interdisciplinary - Literary/Media ✨ Robert Arellano, Interdisciplinary - Literary/Media ✨ Erica Berry, Media ✨ Jesse Blanchard, Media ✨ Devon Fredericksen, Literary ✨ Masami Kawai, Media ✨ Lydia Kiesling, Literary ✨ Karina Lomelin Ripper, Media ✨ Jacy Mairs, Media ✨ Javier Ernesto Martínez, Media ✨ Shay Mirk, Literary ✨ Daniela Naomi Molnar, Interdisciplinary - Literary/Media ✨ Susan Leslie Moore, Literary ✨ Michelle Ruiz Keil, Literary ✨ Sophia Shalmiyev, Literary ✨ Dao Strom, Interdisciplinary - Literary/Media ✨ Kevin Truong, Media ✨ Gabriel Urza, Literary ✨ David F. Walker, Literary ✨ Claire Willett, Literary Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gQ_uiNeP Photo credits: Stephanie Adams-Santos (by Stephanie Adams-Santos), Robert Arellano (by Ezra Marcos), Erica Berry (by K.B. Dixon), Jesse Blanchard (by Taylor Stump), Devon Fredericksen (by June Lion Photography), Masami Kawai (by Brandy Even Allen), Lydia Kiesling (by Erica J. Mitchell), Karina Lomelin Ripper (by Samantha Ortega), Jacy Mairs (by Sophia Phoenix), Ernesto Javier Martínez (by Ernesto Javier Martínez), Shay Mirk (by Jamie Thrower), Daniela Naomi Molnar (by Michael Johnson), Susan Leslie Moore (by Susan Leslie Moore), Michelle Ruiz Keil (by Michelle Ruiz Keil), Sophia Shalmiyev (by K.B. Dixon), Dao Strom (by Sam Rivas), Kevin Truong (by Kevin Truong), Gabriel Urza (by David Hanson), David F. Walker (by David F. Walker), Claire Willett (by Alice Smith).

As always, a thoughtful take from our board member John Tapogna, this time on contemporary Oregon and looking to our state's future. Check it out: