Darrell Grant Is Restoring Portland’s Soul With Albina Pop-up Studio

PORTLAND, OR — After a summer of bringing artistic collaborations to the city’s North Park blocks and Tilikum Plaza, Darrell Grant continues The Soul Restoration Project with a popup residency at the former Albina Women’s League building at 14 N Killingsworth St., Oct.13–Nov. 15. In The Soul Restoration Project Albina Arts Salon, Grant reimagines this historically black space as a studio/performance gallery/gathering place for Portland’s Black community that honors the site’s history, and continues the legacy of community engagement through art, learning, and shared stories.

Centered on the power of art to activate and renew public spaces, Grant is working in partnership with a cadre of notable Black artistic co-curators including Layna Lewis and Viva La Free, Bobby Fouther, Elijah Hasan, Intisar Abioto and Mic Crenshaw, to bring connection via dance, music, film and movement in the space. Visual Artist/Musician Daren Todd, curator of the Downstairs Gallery, is assisting Grant in featuring the work of local Black visual artists. 

Upcoming events include multi-disciplinary performances, a gallery opening, a film night, and conversations with community elders. Grant’s plans for the space to also include working with students at local K-12 schools, poetry open mics, oral histories and recording performances to be streamed online on dates yet to be determined.

Tiffany Austin, Darian Anthony Patrick, Marcus Shelby

Calendar of Events

Musical residency Friday, Oct.13–Sunday, Oct.17 featuring Marcus Shelby, Tiffany Austin, Darian Anthony Patrick, Layna Lewis with Viva La Free dancers, Mic Crenshaw, Machado Mijiga and community elders. 

Gallery Opening Nov. 4, curated by Darren Todd. Artists to be announced at a later date.

Film Night Nov. 11, curated by Elijah Hassan. Films will be announced later. 

About the Soul Restoration Project

The Soul Restoration Project is a series of residencies curated by jazz pianist/composer and PSU Professor Darrell Grant, that serve as a laboratory to explore how art can activate and renew our civic space. The project invites artists to come together to weave their practices of music, movement, visual art, and spoken word into rituals of collective intention. The Soul Restoration Project has been made possible in part with support by City of Portland Community Healing Arts Initiative Grant, City of Portland Events Action Table Grant, Chamber Music America, Classic Pianos, and the Regional Arts and Culture Council, and is operated in partnership with the Vanport Mosaic with support from the Oregon Community Foundation and Jeanna Wooley 

SRP is supported by The Regional Arts & Cultural Council, Portland City Arts Program, Portland Events Action Table, Chamber Music America. Vanport Mosaic,, Piano, Push, Play and AWL Inc.