Press Release: Open Signal Receives Light a Fire award from Portland Monthly Magazine

Open Signal receives Light a Fire award from Portland Monthly magazine

PORTLAND, ORE. – November 6, 2018 –  Open Signal: Portland Community Media Center is among 12 winners in Portland Monthly’s 14th annual Light a Fire awards, honoring local nonprofits, organizers and volunteers who have impacted Portland through community service.

The media arts organization was awarded the "Inspiring Creativity" award, presented by the Oregon Cultural Trust during a ceremony held at the Portland Art Museum on November 2.

“We are very honored to receive this award,” says Open Signal board president Lisa Faust. “It stands as a testament to the hard work that this organization’s staff and volunteers have kept up for more than three decades, as well as recognition for the important work that local nonprofits do for this city.”

Among the organizations also acknowledged for their efforts is Open Signal’s nonprofit partner Outside the Frame — which teaches media skills to homeless youth — who won "Best New Nonprofit". Other winners this year include North Portland’s Q Center and the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO).

Since January 2016, new leadership and a dedicated team of more than 20 staff members have greatly expanded Open Signal's media arts programming, tripled the number of community members served, radically diversified funding and grown its equity work. Learn more about our recent successes in our 2017-2018 annual report.

Open Signal’s recent success builds upon the organization’s 35-year legacy as a national leader in community media. First established in 1982 as Portland Cable Access and later as Portland Community Media, it was created by dedicated activists as a venue for free speech and access by the community to broadcast their opinions and stories over the cable airwaves.

The organization transformed into Open Signal, a full-scale media arts center, in January 2017. Since its inception, the nonprofit has succeeded with the support of the Mt. Hood Cable Regulatory Commission and the City of Portland, as well as hundreds of community producers.

“We’re absolutely thrilled that Open Signal is being recognized for the incredibly impactful work that it does,” says Aili Schreiner, Manager of the Oregon Cultural Trust — presenter of the "Inspiring Creativity" award and a leading funder of Open Signal. “The Cultural Trust could not be more proud to be a supporter of Open Signal.”

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Contact

Yousef Hatlani, Marketing Manager
yousef [at] opensignalpdx.org
(503) 536-7622