Portland Art Scene? (Eugene: chapel, schools, university)

[student1986]

I'm from Alabama and I'm looking at moving away for grad school. I'm looking for a school that has a really strong art program and a good progressive art scene? If there's anyone who knows anything about the schools there, which ones are better than others? I've looked at the Pacific Northwest College of Art, PSU, and even the University of Oregon in Eugene?

I want to live somewhere progressive, with lots of culture that isn't huge and extremely expensive like La, NYC, or San Francisco.

I'm also considering Chapel Hill, NC, Tampa, Fl, and Atlanta, GA. If anyone has an opinion on these cities. Even in comparison with Portland?

I've never been to Portland before, but I've been doing a lot of research. I like that is seems LGBT friendly, its environmentally-friendly, and has a good public transportation system.

[mystifire]

Ive lived in jacksonville florida and can tell you, from many many visits to Tampa (not just for busch gardens mind you), that it really does not have an art scene. I dont think any city in florida is artist friendly or even artistic with PERHAPS the exception of Sarasota (a good 30-45 mins from tampa) and maybe tallahassee.

If public transportation and environmentally friendly are already two factors that are really important to you then i think you could already knock off Atlanta (been there) and Tampa from that list. Both are huge and dont have good transportation at all.
Tampa is not LGBT friendly either (firsthand experience).

I think Portland's art scene is definetly existant and strong. It really is not as comparable to places like SF, Boston, NYC and the like because they are on a bigger scale, but it is very strong for a city of Portland's size. We have many hippie and granola people here and their social attitudes (liberalism) are quite refreshing for someone who lived in bible belt florida for many years (probably not much different from alabama).

Im not sure about PSU being a good arts school though only because Ive never heard of it as a strong point of the university. I think its college of urban planning (i think its called) is always ranked as its strongest and most recognizable program. This is only from what I have heard though.

[student1986]

I think that I'm really leaning towards Portland, but I'm really hoping to find a good art program somewhere. Has anyone heard anything good or bad about the Pacific Northwest College of Art?

Also, would anyone say whether they think Portland or Atlanta has a better art scene?

[tiffela74]

Im clueless on the art scene, but have you contacted the schools and asked them to send you brocures and/or other pamplets regarding their school and how the area around supports?
just a thought.
best of luck to you
Tiffany

[oldtintype]

Considering the size of Portland, the art scene here is great! It's more up and coming artists, but there are opportunities to live cheaply here still as opposed to places like SF so that enables there to be more creativity happening on a non gallery/underground level if that makes any sense? I don't know about PNCA specifically but it's a popular school here. I think that it would be a much more valid option for art than PSU, unless you're going for cost alone.

[PDXmom]

I went to school at UofO and lived in Portland for 18 years. Now I'm in NC very near Chapel Hill. So I'll comment on Eugene, Chapel Hill, & Portland.

Portland has an AMAZING art scene for a city of it's size. It's very 'creative friendly'. So you will be able to find a good niche and community for yourself. Even if you don't do your MFA there, it would be a GREAT community to move to once you are done.

Eugene also has a good art scene for it's size. Eugene (100K maybe) is much smaller than Portland so the whole art community is probably smaller. I have a friend in Portland who teaches art as an adjunct at PSU. This friend claims the PSU art department is not that great. My friend feels that the art students at PSU are not that serious. However, my friend did a MFA at Yale... so take that for what it's worth. This friend has spoken well of the UofO art department. I have another friend whose mom is a retired UofO art Prof and both friend and Mom spoke highly of MFA at UofO.

Chapel Hill art scene. While I haven't been here long, I haven't really seen a tremendous art scene in Chapel Hill. It's still a college preppy type town... even though it's liberal. It's weird that way. Keep in mind Chapel Hill is only 50K people so it's much smaller. And it's VERY traditionally academic. It feels a bit stodgy to me. However, Carrborro (right next to Chapel Hill) has a bit more art flare. But Carrborro is tiny. If I were going to be an art student at UNC-Ch I would check out Pittsboro (20 mins south of CH). It's a funky LITTLE art community. Lots of clay and metal artists. But a bit of everything. Pittsboro is suppose to be very LGBT friendly for a small town.

While Eugene, Portland, & Chapel Hill are all progressive and all liberal. I think Eugene still has that earthy hippy edge to it. Portland is more urban progressive. And Chapel Hill is more academic liberal. Does that make sense? They are 3 very different towns. But all three are LGBT friendly and all progressive in there own ways. Oh, they all 3 have good public transportation. Portland being the only one w/ world class public transportation. And you won't find pubic transportation in Pittsborro... but you can get bio-diesel in Pittsboro.

One other option in NC might be Asheville. Asheville and surrounding areas like Black Mt have a growing progressive art community. I'm not sure what the options are for a MFA in that area. They have public transportation but I don't know how good.

BTW, all the cost of living calculators that I checked said Chapel Hill is as expensive as Portland. while I think Portland is worth every dime, there just isn't enough to Chapel Hill to justify the cost IMHO. Others have vehemently disagreed with me on this one.

Good luck and have fun choosing your path!!