Mission & Vision
Mission & Values
Dedicated to Excellence in Dance
White Bird is committed to bringing the best Portland-based, regional, national, and international dance companies to Portland, Oregon and to fostering the growth of dance in the region. Through presenting established and emerging companies and choreographers, commissioning and co-commissioning new work, as well as collaborating with other arts organizations in Portland and the region, we are able to make these dance performances possible. White Bird strongly believes in making dance exciting, educational, equitable and accessible to everyone, young and old, of all social backgrounds, and through contributed income and sponsorships, is able to facilitate outreach to schools and keep ticket prices affordable. A passionate advocate for dance, White Bird strives to broaden audiences, develop new dance venues, and support both existing and new dance programs.
White Bird is a Portland cultural treasure! I subscribed for the first time for the 2022-23 season and will enthusiastically look forward to the next season!
Our Values
Excellence in Performance
We compensate highly skilled dance artists and crew fairly for their hard work.
Accessibility and Inclusiveness
We provide thousands of low-cost and no-cost tickets annually to Portlanders in need.
Generosity of Spirit
We go above and beyond to ensure both audiences and visiting artists have the best possible experience.
Diversity in Movement
We present the dance you know and love, plus the dance you don’t know you love…yet.
Dedication to Community
We arrange local community engagement opportunities for each and every artist we bring to Portland.
Fiscal Responsibility
With good governance and your support, White Bird continues to operate sustainably.
Equity & Commitment
The core of White Bird is the conviction that dance is a universal language and possesses the power to inspire, uplift, and unify communities. White Bird's staff is attentive to the inherent discriminatory aspects of the dance industry, and we strive to expand our Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) initiatives in all aspects of our presenting and beyond. We owe it to our patrons and Community Partners to improve our support for everyone who walks through our doors.
We acknowledge that the state of Oregon has a long history of oppressive practices that have hindered the development of diversity and equality in our communities. Sadly, due in part to these entrenched norms, unconscious biases and white supremacy are still at work in our Oregon dance community. White Bird is committed to nurturing a sense of unity among individuals through a shared human experience while prioritizing the eradication of systemic racism, misogyny, ableism, and ageism within and beyond our organization.
Knowing that this is an ever-evolving process, we at White Bird pledge to:
Use our privileged position to amplify the voices, stories, and histories of marginalized communities through movement.
Harness our influence as presenters to create welcoming spaces for underrepresented artists by actively programming companies that share our IDEA values.
Change our business practices to enhance our engagement with business proprietors, staff members, and customers that are as diverse and dynamic as the many communities in Portland.
Ensure that all White Bird spaces (theaters, offices, and events) remain respectful, inclusive, and safe for all.
Foster conversations on the intersection of performing arts and social change.
Be active listeners, respect existing knowledge, and avoid assumptions via a trauma informed approach.
Approach our IDEA work from a place of humility; understanding that these efforts are non-negotiable, and that progress can only be achieved through actions, not rhetoric.
Supporting Our Native Neighbors and Relations
White Bird is located in Portland, Oregon. We respect the Indigenous people whose homelands include the place now known as Portland. Their ancestors belong to many tribes, including the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Cowlitz, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, the Clackamas, and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde.*
White Bird is in the process of moving beyond simply acknowledging this land's Native people and the mass atrocities done to them through centuries of colonization across America. We are committed to moving toward reciprocal relationships with our Native neighbors.
Our current and planned actions include:
Organizing annual visits to a local powwow, with guidance on proper etiquette and financial support for the hosting tribe(s).
Creating opportunities for our staff and board to learn about Oregon’s Native tribes, including annual virtual lessons and visits to Native cultural centers.
Supporting Native artists through membership of the Native Arts & Cultures Foundation and continued attendance at NACF events.
Presenting at least one dance company every three seasons (or 4% of our total presenting) that highlights Indigenous dances, songs, or storytelling as a primary element. This may include artists native to any region in the world, who honor global traditions in ways that are authentic, creative, and engaging.
These actions will evolve as we grow. We encourage you to provide feedback on our language and actions. All comments can be directed to Executive Director Graham Cole at graham@whitebird.org or 503-245-1600 x200.
*Our source for the traditional and ancestral homelands of these tribes is www.native-land.ca, a database of North and South American native territories, maintained by the nonprofit organization Native Land Digital.