At Portland’s Independent Publishing Resource Center (IPRC), local artists create goods they can use to sell, start businesses, make a living, and contribute to the local economy. The center has served tens of thousands of Portlanders over the last eighteen years. But as a result of recent zoning changes and Portland’s changing real estate landscape, the IPRC is facing 300% increase in rent and are being forced to move from their location on Southeast Division.

Walk into expansive warehouse of printing presses, computers, and publishing stations, and you’ll find Jillian Barthold silkscreening her latest run of prints. She is one of the many artists who rely on the IPRC’s resources so she can print her inventory. She estimates she prints 90 per cent of her work in the building. “It’s made my life as an artist a possibility,” she says.

The IPRC’s struggle exemplifies the challenges facing a rapidly changing Portland. Industrial spaces like theirs have been re-zoned for commercial use. The industrial spaces that remain are now often appropriated by the growing cannabis industry. A.M. O’Malley, the IPRC’s Executive Director, says this is a harbinger of what was seen in San Francisco, where mid-sized non-profits like hers are squeezed out during gentrification. IPRC’s impact extends far beyond local artists. They also serve homeless youth, K — 12 students, and prisoners with a mission to give underserved populations the opportunity to share their stories. “The population of people we serve don’t have a lot of money. We are the front lines of providing support to those who need it most. And the only thing holding back our growth is the threat of losing our space.”

We believe that artists play a crucial role in the future of Portland, and that media literacy and the freedom for all residents to share their story is a necessary part of creating an equitable and thriving community.