Downtown Bend Blog

More Grants to Help Oregon Small Businesses are on the Way

11/19/2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 18, 2020

More Grants to Help Oregon Small Businesses are on the Way
Salem, OR — As the economic impacts of the pandemic continue, the Oregon legislature and Governor Kate Brown have allocated millions more in grant funding for Business Oregon to deliver into the hands of small businesses across Oregon. On Monday, November 9th, the Emergency Board of the Oregon Legislature approved $20 million more to Business Oregon’s Emergency Business Assistance Grant Fund. This funding and program are separate from the $55 million in funds the Governor also announced this week.

This grant fund has already put approximately $25 million out into the community through four rounds of funding. The first four rounds were allocated from Business Oregon to intermediary lenders such as cities, counties, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), and Economic Development Districts (EDDs), who in turn granted the money to individual businesses. With this new round, Business Oregon is able to fund businesses directly. The grants are available to small businesses that have seen lost revenue due to the pandemic, and that meet a minimal set of requirements.

“This funding is timely, as we face the sharp increase in COVID-19 under this new wave of the pandemic,” said Business Oregon Director Chris Cummings. “These grants can help our small business owners today, but to get back to business in the long haul we’ve got to do what it takes now to stop the spread of this virus.”
This round makes some changes to previous rounds of grant funding under the program, so that more businesses can access the funds. Businesses with up to 100 employees can apply, whereas previous funding was limited to those with up to 25 employees, to ensure smaller businesses could access the funds first.

Most previous rounds also targeted businesses that did not already receive assistance through the CARES Act (such as PPP, EIDL, City of Portland Small Relief Program, the Oregon Cares Fund for Black Relief + Resiliency and other programs funded with CARES Act funds). This round will now consider applications from businesses with 1 to 25 employees that have already received anywhere from $100,000 to $1 million in funding from these federal resources. Businesses with 26 to 100 employees are eligible regardless of the amount of federal resources they received (up to $1,000,000), if they meet other program requirements.

Businesses are eligible to receive up to $200,000 in grant funding as detailed in the grant application. To be eligible, a business must show it was prohibited from operations by the Governor’s Executive Order 20-12, or demonstrate a 25% reduction in sales over a 30-day period in 2020 compared to a comparable period in 2019.
Tomorrow, Thursday November 19, the application form and additional details will be found on Business Oregon’s website. If the application is not yet posted in the morning, a time estimate will be provided on the web page. Grants will be reviewed on a first-come first-served basis, and will be allocated so that there is an equitable geographic distribution of funds as dictated by the Oregon Legislature.

The application portal will close once applications totaling $25 million in requested grants are received. Business Oregon will reopen the portal if any funds remain after reviewing those initial applications for eligibility.
Additional resources and information on COVID-19 response can be found on the department’s website, and the Governor's COVID-19 web page has the latest guidance.

Business Oregon, the state's economic development agency, invests in Oregon businesses, communities, and people to promote a globally competitive, diverse, and inclusive economy. The agency's services span rural community development and infrastructure financing; business retention, expansion and recruitment; export promotion and international trade; investments in industry research and development and entrepreneurship; small business assistance; and support for arts and cultural organizations. Learn more at www.oregon4biz.com.

Media Contact: Nathan Buehler 503-689-3559

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Business Oregon, the state's economic development agency, invests in Oregon businesses, communities, and people to promote a globally competitive, diverse, and inclusive economy. The agency's services span rural community development and infrastructure financing; business retention, expansion and recruitment; export promotion and international trade; investments in industry research and development and entrepreneurship; small business assistance; and support for arts and cultural organizations. Learn more at www.oregon4biz.com

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DBBA appoints Social Diversity Coordinator

8/24/2020

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For Immediate Release, Aug 24th, 2020

Bend, Or - The Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA), a small nonprofit dedicated to increasing the vitality of Downtown Bend, announced today that it has created a Cultural Awareness and Social Diversity Coordinator position to serve as an ex-officio on their Board of Directors. This role will coordinate and guide efforts to define, assess, foster and cultivate diversity and inclusion in Downtown Bend.

Ricardo Waites, COBLA Founder

To drive this effort, the DBBA has named Riccardo Waites as the organization’s first Cultural Awareness and Social Diversity Coordinator.

Waites is a naval submarine veteran, single father, small business owner, and Founder of Central Oregon Black Leaders Assembly (COBLA).

Back in 2019, Bend City Councilors unanimously approved goals for the 2019 – 2021 biennium that included, for the first time, actions focused on “embedding a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the City of Bend.” At the time when this goal was established, the DBBA was in full support of these efforts and they also began working with city staff in their efforts to make Bend a Welcoming City.

Since this time, our world has shifted and changed in more ways than one and we are seeing now more than ever the need to bring experts on this diversity and inclusion into every level of leadership. In establishing this new position, the DBBA wants to communicate that Downtown Bend is for everyone, that Black Lives Matter, and that we welcome and honor people of all races, ethnicity, culture, country of origin, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender, language, socioeconomic status, emotional, developmental and physical ability.

M. Aisling, DBBA Executive Director

In April, the DBBA partnered with OUT Central Oregon to encourage local businesses to display a "You are Welcome Here" sticker on their windows. Next month, you’ll see “Downtown is for Everyone” in white, yellow, brown, black and rainbow letters on Downtown Bend Directory Maps.

“It is important to our organization that people who live in our community, and those who visit us, know that it doesn’t matter what the color of their skin is, or who they love, Downtown is a place for everyone.” says Aisling, Executive Director of the DBBA.

Waites hopes to bring a sense of inclusion, safety, and more businesses of color to Downtown.

Downtown Bend was established in 1903, and for over a 100 years has served as the heart of the Bend community. Downtown serves as Bend’s living room, the entrepreneurial hub of the city, the City’s largest collective employer, and the #1 tourist destination in Central Oregon. Downtown offers unique boutiques, award-winning restaurants, state-of-the-art beauty and spa services, and high-quality entertainment venues.

Downtown welcomes everyone to enjoy all that their district has to offer.

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Friday 4/17/20 - Update from the DBBA

4/17/2020

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I hope that you are all hanging in there.

In case you missed it, here is information on the most current news from Kate Brown on the plan to reopen Oregon, and here an update on the SBA small business loans.

We also have a plethora of websites aimed at helping local businesses get much-needed customers, SOS Bend just launched this week, Visit Bend created this page, KTVZ created this page, there is a new charity-based website for Bend businesses here, and our own downtownbend.org is almost completely updated with the new “Downtown Online” pages.

For staying connected, I recommend tuning into Bend Chamber’s weekly webinar (click here to view last week's), Matt Hand’s Show up Central Oregon is also tackling a lot of great issues, Let's Keep Connected has some valuable content, and you can view updates from Governer Brown here, and sign up for updates from Jeff Merkely and Representative Helt.

In addition, check out:
Good News from Downtown Bend
Our Favorite Product ThisWeek
& our We’re Open in Downtown YouTube video

Last week our Board of Directors voted to defer EID payments for 90 days. So the City will send out the annual EID bill, as usual, in May - but building owners will be able to delay their payment without a penalty. The Board also voted to extend all Downtown directory kiosk ads for an additional 6 months at no extra charge and to suspend billing until September.

Right now, we have cut all non-essential staff and programs (to save money for whatever the future may hold), and with the remaining 1.5 FTE we've adjusted our focus to concentrate on marketing, and helping the public know what businesses are still open & how they can shop and dine with them. We are also working with businesses one-on-one to help them adjust their business models to offer online services, and in some cases, we're helping them get their stores online. Let us know if you need individual assistance. Additionally, of course, we still have Ryan on the street every morning cleaning and checking for safety issues (Thank you, Ryan!). As soon as this has passed, we'll be ready to bring all staff back to full-time and hit the ground running to make sure that Downtown Bend is as unique and vibrant as it was before this crisis hit.

Finally, we are accepting applications for new board members. You can find all the information and the application by clicking here.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if I can be of any assistance.

Stay well & stay hopeful,
Mindy Aisling
Executive Director
Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA)

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Bend Electric Bikes is movin’ on up to Downtown!

2/3/2020

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Bend Electric Bikes (BEB) will move to a new location in Downtown Bend. The new shop,located at 869 NW Wall Street, suite 104, will help more people in Central Oregon enjoy the many benefits of biking, now in a more visible and central location. The new location was recently occupied by Crow’s Feet, which moved to Northwest Crossing after being Downtown for several years. Bend Electric Bikes will continue to serve the area as a neighborhood bike shop and introduce electric and cargo bikes for use in work and family life. There are already several Downtown business owners leading the revolution by using electric cargo bikes for business transport, eliminating the large footprint that cargo vans or other automobiles make in the area.

The owners and staff of BEB are excited to be part of the Brooks Alley neighborhood and the Downtown Bend business community. The staff will bring their friendly, welcoming culture and diverse community of riders to the new location. The shop offers high quality electric urban mobility for everyone and will make a, now bigger, positive impact on the area.

Reasonably priced electric bike rentals will be offered to folks visiting Bend in order to provide a realistic alternative to traveling around our congested roads - a welcomed relief, as expressed by past and frequent visitors. Bend Electric Bikes will continue doing business at the existing location at 223 NW Hill Street in the Old Bend neighborhood until February 3. Opening day Downtown will be February 6. The community is invited to the baby GRAND OPENING and first First Friday Art Walk on February 7 5-9pm. Everyone is welcomed to meet the new neighbors, celebrate and join the BEB community. We shall party!

Courtney Van Fossan, cultural agent of change, a former customer turned employee of BEB says, quote, “Several years ago, I was a customer who needed a supportive community and expert service on my electric cargo bike that carried me and my young children everywhere around town. We relied on our electric cargo bike and our bike shop to keep us moving. Having reliable, low cost, active transportation has made way for my family to enjoy some of our sweetest memories, moving about freely, getting to know our Bend community, up close. Electric, cargo and family biking was a quiet subculture and now, it’s mainstream, full of people we all know and growing quickly. Bend Electric Bikes is the bike shop I need and want in my community and we have a whole bunch of friends who feel the same way. I’m excited for the McCords to see their ‘little bike stand’ evolve into such an active and loved community kind of place.”

About Bend Electric Bikes:
Bend Electric Bikes, now in its 12th year of business, offers sales, service and rental of quality
electric bikes, cargo bikes and and other electric urban mobility modes of transport in Central
Oregon. Owners, Sterling and Kathy McCord, long time Bend residents, have a mission of
getting more people on bikes and to share the many benefits of biking in our daily lives. BEB is
a community hub for those seeking reliable electric bikes to use in everyday life and offers
information, support and community activities to encourage ridership. The staff has long term
personal experience and expertise in all aspects of biking, including many years of the most
extensive professional technical knowledge and service of electric bikes Most importantly, the
shop provides a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere for all people, especially those who are newly
bike curious. Everyone benefits from riding bikes and BEB is committed to helping folks enjoy
them in their everyday lives.

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Downtown Bend Parking Update | Dec 2019

12/18/2019

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Parking in Downtown Bend is an important discussion in our community. In 2017, the City of Bend invested in a Downtown Strategic Parking Management Plan (to view the full plan, click here). In 2018, the Downtown Bend Parking Advisory Committee (DPAC), and the DPAC Work Committee was formed. This committee achieved several successes:

Partnered with Deschutes County to provide access to county lots for weekends and special events in downtown. This essentially provided the community with the equivalent capacity of an additional parking garage at zero cost to tax payers during our busiest days of the year for parking demand.
Developed a relationship between the COB Streets & Operations Department and the Downtown Bend Business Association
Increased communication with Downtown Bend business owners & employees
Held public meetings/events to talk about parking in Downtown Bend

In 2019, in response from citizen concerns and feedback from the Neighborhood Leadership Alliance (NLA), the City of Bend expanded the scope of the City's Parking Manager position, and moved it from the City's Economic Development department into the City's Streets and Operations Department. These changes allowed for a more robust, effective management of parking not only in Downtown, but also extending to other parts of the city. The City then hired Tobias Marx as the new Parking Manager, the DPAC Work Committee began meeting again, and a work plan was created to enact the steps outlined in the Downtown Bend Strategic Parking Management Plan.

The steps in this plan are designed to:

Improve the customer parking experience
Optimize utilization of available parking in Downtown Bend.
Establish funding for parking improvements and increasing future parking capacity.

Some of the project identified for 2020 are:

Re-stripe the North Mirror Pond lot
Re-stripe the selected streets in the Downtown Bend Economic Improvement District (EID)
Center entrances to Troy lot, re-stripe & install more bike parking
Replace split elevator systems in the Centennial Garage
Repair cracked concrete in the Centennial Garage
Design and install new signage on all levels of the Centennial Garage
Investigate feasibility to change traffic flow to one-way in the Centennial Garage
Create a mural art program in the Centennial Garage

"We are really excited about the parking changes being developed for Downtown Bend," says Mindy Aisling, Executive Director of the DBBA, "and we are excited to work closely with the new parking manager and the City of Bend to assure that the needs our our businesses and customers are met throughout this process."

The full list of strategies from the Downtown Strategic Parking Management Plan are as follows:

1. Formalize the Guiding Principles as policies in appropriate City documents.
2. Adopt the 85% Rule as the standard for measuring the performance of the parking supply and triggering specific management strategies, rates, permit prices and efforts by discrete zone.
3. Centralize the management and administration of parking in a Parking Services Division, integrated with the broader program of transportation services management.
4. Create the position of Parking Demand Manager for the City of Bend. Develop a job description and submit a service package to hire an appropriate individual.
5. Establish a Downtown Parking Advisory Committee to assist in the implementation and ongoing review of the parking plan.
6. Evaluate collection of data to measure parking impacts in select neighborhoods adjacent to the downtown, as well as feasibility and cost of neighborhood permit programs (e.g., administration, process and stakeholder education).
7. Develop funding options to support parking management, maintain the existing parking supply, and support future growth, ensuring the financial feasibility of the system.
8. Create a cohesive pricing policy for on- and off-street parking in downtown Bend. Support new policy with a rate/fee study to inform appropriate adjustments to current pricing formats to cover the cost of managing the downtown parking system.
9. Evaluate and implement solutions to safety impediments that create inconvenient and inefficient connections to parking, e.g., lighting, sidewalk/paths, lot conditions, etc.
10. Establish business-to-business and residential outreach on parking issues, including education and planning, and a Customer First Partnership with the Downtown Bend Business Association.
11. Identify off-street shared-use opportunities based on data from the 2016 parking study. Establish goals for transitioning permit users and long-term parkers out of on-street parking, begin outreach to opportunity sites, negotiate agreements, and sell permits.
12. Implement variable-rate pricing for on-street permits based on location, demand, and availability of parking. This will create pricing differentials between “premium” and underutilized locations.
13. Reduce or phase out the number of “2-Hour or as Otherwise Specified” on-street stalls in coordination with Strategies 11 and 12 above to simply “2-Hour Parking”.
14. Based on documented parking behavior, establish four distinct on-street parking management zones in the downtown parking district. Use 2016 or newer data to define the boundaries.
15. Eliminate free parking for the first two hours at the Mirror Pond lots.
16. Create a critical path timeline to a new parking brand that can be utilized at all City-owned lots and shared facilities, and in marketing/communications.
17. Standardize the design of on-street parking signage in the parking management district and incorporate the new brand/logo.
18. Rename all public parking facilities by address.
19. Establish best-practice protocols and performance metrics for enforcement personnel and support enforcement with appropriate technology. 20. Where practical, expand the bike parking network to connect parking and the downtown, encouraging employee bike commute trips and drawing customers to downtown businesses.
21. Develop a reasonable schedule of data collection—every two years —to assess the performance of the parking supply and support the 85% Rule for decision-making.
22. Using data collected per Strategy 21, evaluate on-street pricing by zone in high-occupancy areas. If peak occupancy exceeds 85%, implement on-street pricing during enforcement hours where appropriate. - If on-street pricing is implemented, review on-street time stays established in Strategy 14.
23. Eliminate free parking in the public garage when garage occupancies exceed 85% and on-street parking is priced. Implement demand-based pricing for all hours of enforced parking—e.g., hourly, evening, weekend, overnight, and event rates.
24. Develop and implement improvements at the downtown public parking garage to enhance its appearance, identity, safety, revenue control, communications technology, and pedestrian access.
25. Solicit firms to establish wayfinding and dynamic signage systems in the public right of way, integrated with the off-street system and using the brand/logo developed per Strategy 16.
26. If existing parking becomes limited, explore expanding access capacity with new transit and parking.
27. Develop cost forecasts and feasible financing methods for preferred parking supply and transit/shuttle options.
28. Expand capacity as necessary and feasible.

For more information, please feel free to reach out to the DBBA at downtownbend@gmail.com

The DBBA is a small nonprofit with a mission is to grow the vitality of Downtown Bend by enhancing the experience, image, and lifestyle of the Economic Improvement District (EID). For more information about the DBBA, visit www.downtownbend.org.

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New Staircase on Lava Rd. in Downtown Bend

11/4/2019

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The Doubletree Hotel sits on the edge of the Downtown Bend Economic Improvement District (EID), providing Bend visitors with excellent hospitality and a front door that leads right into the heart of Bend, our downtown.

This access is provided by a long staircase from the Doubletree property to Lava Rd. This year, the Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA) and the Doubletree Hotel brought the condition of this staircase to the attention of the City of Bend, who owns the property.

The Lava Rd staircase after project completion

Jacob, Doubletree Hotel manager and Mindy, DBBA Executive Director in front of the completed project.

The City of Bend quickly responded and they were able to complete the project before winter set it. The Downtown Bend Business Association and the Doubletree Hotel would like to extend their appreciation to the City of Bend for helping visitors access the Downtown Bend boutiques, spas and restaurants owned by local Bend families!

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Downtown Safety Cameras Installed

5/21/2019

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The City is installing safety cameras downtown this week, one piece of a multi-faceted plan to make downtown feel safer and more inviting, in response to feedback from the public and downtown businesses.

Some of the other incremental improvements in the downtown safety strategy include: removing garbage enclosures in the south Mirror Pond parking lot, increasing foot patrols, improving lighting in the parking garage and adding a new Police substation on Oregon Avenue next to the parking garage.

“The Downtown safety camera project is part of a larger plan to improve safety in downtown Bend. This is a collaborative effort between business owners and many departments within the City of Bend,” said Police Lieutenant Jason Maniscalco.

Staff will now be getting trained on how to use the cameras and how to store and retrieve the footage. Police can use the feed for investigations.

“Addressing safety downtown has been a team effort for the City, downtown building owners and the Downtown Bend Business Association,” said Bend Business Advocate Ben Hemson. “There isn’t a single solution to confronting these issues but if all of us who live, work, play and own property in the area continue to work together, we can improve safety and maintain the qualities that keep downtown Bend unique.”

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Working in Downtown Bend | Job Postings

5/15/2019

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Working in Downtown Bend is an incredible opportunity to contribute to the culture and vibe of the heart of Bend - Downtown! Did you know that Downtown Bend is the #1 Tourist Destination in Bend, the largest employer in Bend and that by working in Downtown, you automatically become a member of the Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA) - which gives you all sorts of perks like free tickets to the Downtown Bend Celebration Night, discounted beer at Oktoberfest, discounts a local Downtown shops & restaurants, the option to join Downtown teams competing in local events, and SO much more! Downtown is the place for you to bring your unique expression of self to a culture of service to our community.

Check out the listing below to discover all the places in Downtown hiring for Summer 2019!

LIVE LOCAL | SHOP LOCAL | SERVE LOCAL | WORK LOCAL | PLAY LOCAL | LOVE LOCAL

The Downtown Bend Business Association

916 NW Wall Street - A small nonprofit dedicated to increasing the vitality of Downtown Bend (Learn more about this association at their website here)
Job: Maintenance & Operations Staff
Contact: downtownbend@gmail.com

Diamond Parking

841 NW Bond Street - A small company contracted through the City of Bend to manage Downtown Parking. (Learn more about this company on their website here)
Job: Parking Attendent
Contact: Apply in person

The Bend Store

815 NW Wall Street - The Bend Store offers Bend-themed goods: Drinktanks, SiliPints, mugs, cards, candles. We make Bend magnets, ornaments, bottle openers & key chains on site! Learn more about this company here: https://www.bendstore.com/
Job postings:

McMenamins

700 NW Bond St. - McMenamins is a family-owned chain of brewpubs, breweries, music venues, historic hotels, and theater pubs in the Pacific Northwest. Learn more about this company on their website here)

Job Openings:
Bartender
DMO
Housekeeper
Line Cook
Pub Host/Runner/Busser
Pub Server

Contact: Applicants can apply online or in person.

TeaCupfuls

744 NW Bond Street - Not your ordinary cup of tea! They serve bubble tea and coffee with a unique twist! Topping it with cotton candy, waffles, donuts and so much more! We also serve small bites!
Jobs: Boba-ristas, key holders, and an assistant manager
Contact: Apply on indeed.com, their website (teacupfulsbend.com) or by messaging for details. 541.598.6310

Noi Thai

550 Franklin Ave - The Ultimate Thai Dining Experience (learn more about this company on their website here)
Jobs: bussers and food runners. Experienced preferred but we will train the right people.
Contact: Drop off your resume in person

Mother's Downtown Kitchen

10 NW Minnesota - Healthy, locally sourced, creative meals and smoothies in Bend, Oregon. (Learn more about this business at their website here)
Jobs: Hiring all positions
Contact: Apply in-person

Barrio

915 NW Wall Street - Barrio is a Latin-inspired restaurant serving lunch, dinner and happy hour in downtown Bend, Oregon. At Barrio you'll find bold, flavorful tapas, refreshing cocktails, and daily specials. (Learn more about this business at their website here.)
Jobs: Line cooks, dishwashers, host/bussers and food truck cooks
Contact: Drop off your resume in person

Lone Crow Bungalow

937 NW Wall Street - Our style is eclectic as much as it is classic, making the shop compelling for nests of all kinds. (Learn more about this company on their website here)
Jobs: Sales Association
Contact: Apply in-person

Urban Beauty Bar, MD

Modern Day Spa Hiring 2 Positions. Please contact Nic at 5413824800 for an interview and please drop a resume off at Urban Beauty Bar, 5 NW Minnesota Ave., Ste 104, Bend, OR 97703

FRONT DESK: Part Time/Flex Time Front Desk Receptionist opening for someone who learns quickly and has exceptional customer service + problem solving skills.
Hourly + Retail-Sales Commission, between 8-24 hours/wk. Competitive in-house benefits, with some group plan benefits available based on hours.
NAIL TECH: New or experienced Nail Tech or Nail Tech/Esthetician interested and excited about self-development, learning, and creativity. Established nail business with a loyal base is steadily growing and needs additional stations filled! Our environment is highly team-oriented and open-minded where what you love + do is nurtured towards a thriving career! Flexible, Part-Full Time position available, Commission-based. Competitive in-house benefits, with some group plan benefits available based on hours.

Outside In

845 NW Wall Street - Locally owned outdoor lifestyle store, Outside In, is hiring!
Jobs: We are looking for applicants for our Sales Associate for our busy summer season. Weekend and evening availability is a must!
Contact: Drop off resumes at the store or email them to angela@outsideinbend.com

Joolz

916 NW Wall Street - Joolz offers an eclectic mix of middle eastern fare with a local flair by chef Ramsey Hamdan
Jobs: Kitchen staff for a busy summer. Line experience, ALSO dishwasher/prep.
Contact: Visit their Facebook, and respond the their job post

Village Interiors

750 NW Lava - Since 1991, Village Interiors has been bringing unique and stylish furniture and accessories to the homes of Central Oregon.
Jobs: Sales Associate
Contact:

Goody's

975 NW Wall Street - Handmade Chocolates, Homemade Ice Cream, Caramel Corn
Jobs - Goody’s is hiring, Downtown, Factory and Sunriver. Front Line Soda Fountain positions for the summer. We also have an Assistant Manager position open for the Downtown Store.
Contact: Drop of your resume in-person

Zydeco

919 NW Bond - Zydeco is a from-scratch kitchen focused on freshness & quality ingredients.
Jobs: looking for support staff and a.m. kitchen prep cook
Contact: Drop of your resume in-person

Astro Lounge

939 Bond Street. Spacious local party spot offering a huge liquor selection, an outdoor patio & a snacky bar menu.The Astro Lounge stands as a staple of the Central Oregon nightlife.
Jobs: hiring for a part-time line cook. Two to three maybe four days a week.
Contact: Drop of your resume in-person

Employee Parking in Downtown Bend

You might be wondering about where to park as a Downtown Bend employee - well, we've got you covered! We have 5 approved parking lots, and permits range from $10 to $50 per month, depending on where you want to park. Some employers include parking permits as part of their employment package, and others require that you purchase your own permit - so make sure to ask about this at your interview. More information on employee parking can be found here.

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At Liberty Announces Blind Pilot Concert in conjunction with Summer Exhibition

5/13/2019

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Blind Pilot to play at the Tower Theatre on Saturday, August 3rd followed by an After-Party in the Gallery with the Band.

May 13th, 2019 (Bend, Oregon) – Following the announcement last week of their summer exhibition of work by the late Oregon artist Royal Nebeker, At Liberty is pleased to announce a collaboration with Nebeker’s son, Israel Nebeker, founder and lead singer of the renowned band Blind Pilot. They will be playing a concert at the Tower Theatre on Saturday, August 3rd. The gallery will host an event for the band and concert attendees immediately following the show.

“For nearly a year I’ve been dreaming of a particular show we have coming up in August, at The Tower Theatre in Bend. I love old Oregon theaters, and Bend’s high desert holds you so well in late summer with the juniper, pine, and sage all drying on its breeze. But this will be a unique night, which is why I’ve been looking forward to it. Opening the night before our show at The Tower and just two doors down from the theater, At Liberty Arts Collaborative is hosting a large show of my father's paintings.
My dad, Royal Nebeker, was one of the Pacific Northwest’s most prominent artists of the past few decades. I wanted these two shows to coincide because the link between his work and my own has always been a strong one. He was my biggest mentor in songwriting and I made Blind Pilot’s first recordings in his painting studio. People have told me that they hear his images in my songs, and my music in his paintings, so it seemed like a fun thing to celebrate with anyone that loves music and visual art, and the links that cross between them.

We’ll play some old and new Blind Pilot songs for you at The Tower, and then you’re all welcome to come join us for an afterparty in the At Liberty gallery where my dad’s paintings are hung. It’s not often we get to invite a whole theater full of people to come hang out with us after a show, and I’m excited for it. I hope to see you there!” says Israel Nebeker of Blind Pilot.

At Liberty is honored to present this first solo exhibition of Royal Nebeker’s work in Central Oregon. Working from Nebeker’s extensive oeuvre, the exhibition will feature a selection of paintings, monotypes, watercolors, etchings and lithographs. At Liberty is working closely with the Nebeker family to bring this exhibition to Bend and is developing extensive programming which will include family members and will highlight Nebeker’s influential art career.

Royal Nebeker was a true visionary and a central figure in the Oregon arts landscape. First and foremost as a gifted and prolific artist, working in many different mediums over the course of his career. His work has been exhibited extensively in galleries in the United States and Europe and featured in museum exhibitions across the country. Nebeker also dedicated himself as an arts educator: as a full time faculty member at Clatsop Community College from 1978 through 2004; and as a visiting artist-teacher and guest lecturer at Pacific Northwest College of Art, Portland State University and the University of Oregon, among others. Nebeker was appointed to the Oregon Arts Commission in 2006 and was instrumental in developing programs that provided grants directly to individual artists. Upon his appointment to a second term on the Commission, he told The Oregonian, "It is gratifying to be able to facilitate the growth and development of our many fine artists and arts communities here in Oregon." Nebeker passed away in 2014.

“Royal spent his life equally passionate in developing his work and developing his arts community, as a professor, as an Oregon Arts Commissioner, and as an ambassador on his travels.” says Sarah Nebeker, the artist’s widow. “It brings me great joy to witness Bend’s arts community flourish in recent years, and it would him too. Our family is very excited for this unique opportunity to show his work At Liberty this summer.”

The exhibition title, ‘The Night Window’ refers to a metaphor Nebeker frequently used to describe the intention behind his work. “This process of painting resembles looking through a night window. I peer out, observing and at the same time see the reflection of the interior conditions of my own reality,” said the late Nebeker for an exhibition at the BYU Museum of Art, “It is my intent that as the viewer peers into my painting, he will not only see a visual record of meaning in my life, but will discover the reflection of meaning in their own, as in a night window.”

Nebeker’s work focuses on the figure, examining each relationship within the unique framework of the composition. Using rich colors, bold brushstrokes and recurring motifs, he leads us on an intimate journey examining the spaces between the material and the spiritual. Common themes include personal stories, childhood memories, and vivid dreams which are often combined with song lyrics, poetry, or prose to create deeply powerful and emotional imagery. His work was strongly influenced by Norwegian painter Edvard Munch, the German Expressionists, and by the Vienna Secessionist artists Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele and others.

About Blind Pilot:
Blind Pilot is an American indie folk band based in Portland, Oregon. Blind Pilot, which consists of Israel Nebeker, Ryan Dobrowski, Kati Claborn, Dave Jorgensen, Ian Krist and Luke Ydstie, was formed in Portland, Oregon in 2007 when songwriter Israel Nebeker and co-founding member Ryan Dobrowski went on a west coast tour via bicycle. Eleven years later, Blind Pilot has released three studio albums, 3 Rounds And A Sound (2008), We Are The Tide (2011) and And Then Like Lions (2016) and has sold out concerts throughout the U.S., Europe and the UK since its inception. The band has performed on Ellen and The Late Show With David Letterman as well as at Newport Folk Festival, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza among others.
About At Liberty:
At Liberty, located in Bend’s historic Liberty Theater, provides an inspiring and dynamic space for the exploration of arts and culture, through exhibitions, collaborations, and events. For more information on the space, renting the space, or ideas for collaboration, visit: www.atlibertyarts.com.
Exhibition Calendar of Events:

Opening Reception: Thursday, August 1st, 2019 from 6–7:30pm
First Friday Art Walk: Friday, August 2nd, 2019 from 5–9:00pm
Blind Pilot Concert at Tower Theatre: Saturday, August 3rd, 2019. Doors 6:30pm

Pre-Sale Tickets: Thursday, May 16, General Tickets: Friday, May 17th
Ticket link: https://www.towertheatre.org/tickets-and-events/blind-pilot_0

Post-Show Event: Saturday, August 3rd, 2019 immediately following concert @ Tower
First Friday Art Walk: Friday, September 6th from 5–9:00pm

3 Comments

Alignment between Downtown Bend and the City of Bend

4/18/2019

3 Comments

At last night's City Council Meeting, Mindy Aisling, Executive Director of the Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA), presented to Councilors during the the Council Work Session. Aisling covered some of the key metrics of Downtown, the scope of the DBBA, the proven success of the DBBA and City of Bend (COB) partnering, and the alignment between COB goals and DBBA goals for 2019/2020.

Please review the highlights below, and download the documents provided for more detailed information.

A few facts about Downtown Bend
1. Downtown is the largest visitor attraction in Bend.
Excerpt from page 5 of the Visit Bend - Bend Summer 2017 Final Report

2. Downtown is the largest employer in Bend.
Excerpt from page 1 of the EDCO – 2018 Largest Employers Report

3. The Downtown EID has an annual Tax Assessed Value (TAV) of $112,387,304.00.

4. Downtown Bend is a hub for entrepreneurship, culture, civic services, and it is the historic core of our City.

The DBBA Scope
The DBBA's scope includes everything from the street up. They create Downtown Bend as you know it.

The DBBA/COB Partnership
•Increases the effectiveness of both the COB and the DBBA
•Builds trust and communication between Downtown stakeholders
•Would be advantageous to expand

Goal Alignment
•City Council goals align with the top two goals of the DBBA, which are improving transportation access to Downtown & safety and hospitality in Downtown.
•The DBBA expects to be an active partner with the COB in achieving our aligned goals

To watch the video of last night City Council session, click here.

Documents supplied to City Council: