Day 6 - Lisa Lipton
@lisaclarinet
Clarinetist, radio host, and arts instigator, Lisa Lipton leads
@45thparallelpdx and
@operatheateroregon , and co-runs Mendelssohn’s, a classical music bar with a rebellious streak. A multi-genre collaborator, advocate and champion of community-driven art, she connects stages, scenes, and people through sound, storytelling, and shared creative risk.
1. What/Who do you consider as your community?
My community is a living room: musicians, dancers, writers, administrators, appreciators, spectators, audiences, risk-takers, and curious newcomers. It spans orchestras, dive bars, festivals, art openings, radio waves, and beyond. It’s anyone invested in showing up, listening deeply, and building something together—especially across genres, disciplines, and comfort zones.
2. What kind of world are you building?
A world where classical music shakes hands with everything else—where collaboration replaces silos, and access replaces gatekeeping. I’m building ecosystems, not institutions: spaces where artists are supported, audiences feel ownership, and creativity thrives because relationships—not hierarchy—are centered.
3. What does "prosperity" and/or "growth" mean to you?
Prosperity is shared momentum: artists paid to make art, communities feeling seen, ideas circulating freely. Growth isn’t just scale—it’s depth, trust, and sustainability. It’s expanding who gets to participate, while strengthening the roots that keep creative ecosystems resilient, joyful, and interconnected.
April 26th denotes the first day of 250 days left in 2026. The "Portland 250 Artist Project" highlights one artist from our Portland region, everyday through the end of 2026. This project makes visible the artists, creatives, and culture bearers who are the lifeblood of community joy, vibrance, safety and resilience!
Artists are critical stakeholders in our region's civic health. Join this journey with me and 250 community artists who create thought provoking work that fuel our culture and enliven our collective well-being.
#pdx250artistproject, #portlandartsandculture, #artsaveslives, #valueartists, #community
