The JOY Project: Re-Envisioning Portland With Love
In early 2023, Gather:Make:Shelter launched The Joy Project, featuring ceramic house sculptures donated by artist Thomas Orr, he created these houses as a calm landing space to deal his PTSD through life. Thomas donated these houses to our 100 participants experiencing homelessness to paint their own experiences of what home means to them. Participants have been paid for their work at citywide workshops and they are donating the finished houses for an exhibition and festival on September 9th at Pioneer Courthouse Square.
Expressing their vision for the city they call home, project participants are activating the plaza with a 600-square-foot installation in collaboration with architect Miles Woofter from Woofter Bolch Architecture.
The Joy Project brings together a network of sister nonprofit organizations and houseless artists who are working together to amplify their impact and create meaningful change. Proceeds from the auction of the 100 ceramic house sculptures will be shared among partner organizations, nurturing a culture of mutual support.
GMS and sister organizations will have information tables where houseless and housed neighbors can learn about resources and opportunities for creative solutions and collaboration. The powerful symbolism of the house sculptures speaks to the creative empowerment, community, and stability at the core of GMS programming.
This project will present an aspirational city, and reflect the process of homeless artists coming together to craft it. GMS envisioned a network of sister non-profit organizations united by a common purpose, working together to amplify their impact and create meaningful change.
At its core, mutual aid embodies the principles of reciprocity, trust, and collaboration. It recognizes that every non-profit organization possesses unique strengths, expertise, and resources. By harnessing the power of these collective assets, organizations can leverage their individual capacities to tackle complex societal challenges like houselessness, more effectively and efficiently by listening to the people experiencing these social justice challenges.
Imagine a network of non-profit organizations coming together, forming deep connections and nurturing a culture of mutual support, this is The Joy Project.
Our many collaborative partners have made this project possible. We especially thank ceramic artist Thomas Orr for donating the unpainted sculptures and for sharing his inspiring story and expertise; Miles Woofter of Woofter Bolch Architecture for his help on the installation; and organizations who hosted workshops: Rose Haven, Street Roots, Maybelle Center, p:ear, BIPOC Village, Queer Affinity Village, Hazelnut Grove, VillageCultivate Initiatives’ Menlo Park Village, WeShine’s Parkrose Community Village and Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon HIV Day Center.
This free event will feature:
Art Auction
Mutual Aid Fair
GMS Artists’ Mercantile
Food & Drink
Poetry Reading
Live Music and more!
Performances by Portland’s own Pink Martini’s guest vocalist Edna Vázquez & Di set by beloved cultural influencer DJ Anjali!
Save the date!
September 9th
Pioneer Courthouse Square. 11am-4 pm
Free Event!