Our History

Group of children and a woman standing on a stage in front of red curtains during a school performance.

Vibe of Portland was an idea in 2006 that transformed in to an organization with the mission to provide high-quality art and music education to all students in the Portland Metro area, regardless of their socio-economic background. Vibe was created in response to the devastating cuts in public school arts programing stemming from the passage of Oregon Measures 5 and 50 in the late 1990’s.

Colorful child's drawing of smiling stick figures with pink hair, surrounded by orange, green, and yellow shapes on a blue background.

2006

Idea for Vibe gets hatched, research and planning gets started.

People standing outside a room, engaged in conversation during a social gathering.

2007

Vibe gets our State and Federal nonprofit status. Vibe’s official IRS birthday is September 18, 2007.

A girl with wavy brown hair creating a black and white art piece with a torch on a small canvas, sitting at a table covered with newspapers.

2008

Vibe @ School Programming starts with one middle school music class and one middle school art class at Harrison Park K-8

Two young men, one with light hair and one with dark hair, are sitting on the ground on an outdoor basketball court. The dark-haired young man is playing an acoustic guitar, while the light-haired young man is teaching or helping him, pointing at the guitar's neck. An open guitar case with sheet music inside is on the ground beside them.

2009 - 2011

Vibe @ School Programming grows at HP and other schools added to our rosters.

A classroom or art room with several round wooden tables and chairs, a sink and cabinets, colorful art supplies and artwork, and a tiled floor.

2011

March 2011 - Vibe opens our first public art studio at TaborSpace in SE Portland

A young girl with surprised expression, holding a colorful craft made of fabric and felt, standing against a bright yellow wall.

2012 - 2017

Vibe @ School programming grows to a dozen schools. Vibe Studio continues to increase offerings, adds summer camps and art exhibits.

A group of children playing saxophones during a band practice, seated in a row with music stands and sheet music in front of them.

2015

Vibe takes over management of East Winds Band Camp in East County - the only day camp for middle and high school students in Portland.

An outdoor scene with a wooden gate, colorful bunting flags, a painted building with a mural, green trees, and a clear blue sky.

2017

Vibe Studio outgrows TaborSpace location and moves to SE Divison near Atkinson Elementary and Franklin high school - triples studio programming offerings.

Two young children and an adult woman creating clay sculptures at a table in an indoor classroom.

2019

Opens a 2nd Vibe Studio location in the St. Johns North Portland neighborhood. Vibe @ School programming serves 4 school districts .

Colorful painting of a stylized landscape with a green bridge, green trees with reddish-brown trunks, and rolling green hills in the background.

2020

COVID pandemic shuts down in person programming.

Close both studio locations.

Move all programming online.

A young girl wearing a purple face mask peeking from behind a sock puppet with yarn glasses and a pink heart necklace, with a blurred classroom background.

2021

One of the first orgs to run summer camps again, Vibe partners with the Moose Lodge #291 in SE, Green Tulip Nature Preschool, Portland Child Art Studio in NW, and Paisley Studios in NE to provide 10 art focused camps in summer of 2021.