Arts@Clark Presents
By Clark College Foundation
A curated series of unforgettable performances, workshops, and other activities open to the public, introducing national and international artists to Clark County through the unique lens of Clark College and Clark College Foundation.
Makin’ Cake
Join Wisconsin Poet Laureate Dasha Kelly for Makin’ Cake, a powerful blend of performance, storytelling, and dessert that invites us to reflect on history, culture, and community.
This unique experience is part history lesson, part live performance, part community gathering, and yes, there will be cake made by Clark College Culinary Students! The event will be hosted at Fourth Plain Community Commons on October 12 at 3:00 pm.
Learn more and register for free here!
October 12
Also available is a free Writing Workshop at Gaiser Student Center on the Clark College Campus on Wednesday, October 15th, at 10:30 am! No registration required!
Ms. Kelly’s Arts@Clark Presents residency also includes visits to Creative Writing and Baking classes.
Stefon Harris to Open the Clark College Jazz Festival
Stefon Harris, a four-time Grammy-nominated vibraphonist, is recognized as one of today’s most important voices in jazz. Leading his acclaimed band, Blackout, Harris blends intricate arrangements with soulful improvisation, earning accolades such as Jazz Album of the Year from WBGO and multiple “Best Vibes Player” honors. Beyond the stage, he is a dedicated educator, innovator, and thought leader whose artistry continues to shape the future of jazz.
Mr. Harris & Blackout will open Clark College Jazz Festival’s 62nd edition with a headline concert on Clark College Campus. Mr. Harris’ Arts@Clark Presents residency also includes a clinic and a performance with Clark College’s Jazz Band.
Information coming soon!
January 28th
Urban Bush Women
Urban Bush Women’s Arts@Clark Residency will include a workshop and lecture-demonstration at Clark College, open to all, on February 3rd, prior to and in conjunction with their performances with White Bird Dance in Portland on February 5-7.
THIS IS RISK, to be performed with White Bird Dance, looks forward and back in celebrating four decades of operating at the vanguard of movement and social activism. THIS IS RISK takes the audience through intentional storytelling to the next space of collective brilliance. This energetically charged evening includes iconic works by Founder Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, which feature live music including the return of Shelter, a full performance of Batty Moves last performed in 2022, and a new commission, Contemplations on Legacy, by long-time UBW collaborator and choreographer Vincent E. Thomas
Information coming soon!
February 3rd-7th
College Arts Events & Opportunities
Discover the creativity of Clark students, faculty, and invited guests who perform, read, lecture, bake, cook, and exhibit their innovative creations throughout the year in sites across campus and well beyond.
Clark College Art Faculty Biennial
Background image by Professor Ray Cooper
Archer Gallery’s 2025 Clark Art Faculty Biennial showcases recent works by Clark’s talented art faculty, celebrating their diverse creative practices and dedication to teaching.
Exhibit Dates: Sept. 26th – Nov.1st, 2025
Columbia Writers Series
The Columbia Writers Series has been a part of Clark College since 1988, bringing local, national, and international authors to the college throughout the year. All events are free, open to the public, and take place on Clark College’s Main Campus at 1933 Fort Vancouver Way.
November 13th
For a full list of Clark College arts events, click here!
Clark’s Culinary Institute is the sole degree-granting culinary training program in the Portland metro area—a nationally renowned hub for gastronomy. Stop by the Institute’s Student-Run restaurant for an affordable prix-fixe lunch most Tuesdays through Thursdays from 11-1, featuring a constantly changing menu infused with herbs and vegetables grown in the Institute’s own garden. Hosting a party? Grab a beautiful cake prepared by our Baking and Pastry Arts students (and a latte with housemade cardamom syrup while you’re at it).
Learn more about McClaskey Culinary Institute and see the restaurant hours here!
LEARN MORE ABOUT ARTS@CLARK
IN FALL 2023, CLARK COLLEGE FOUNDATION ASKED THE COMMUNITY HOW THEY WOULD LIKE TO ENGAGE WITH US.
The answer was made clear: more than 60% of respondents said the arts are their strongest connection to Clark College. That response has become a call to action, an opportunity to transform how the College and Foundation utilize the arts to build bridges between the campus and the community. Through Arts@Clark, Clark College Foundation is partnering with faculty to elevate the College’s visual, digital, performing, literary, and culinary arts programs. We are reimagining what the arts can mean for Southwest Washington, not only as a platform for students to learn, create, and perform, but also as a vibrant cultural hub that draws our community closer to the College.
Image of Kendra Larson, Archer Gallery and Clark Art Talks Director, speaking at Archer Gallery on campus
How you can support Arts@Clark
Attending and enjoy Arts@Clark Presents events (most are free or low cost and family friendly)! and College arts events. Consider making a gift to the Foundation’s Performing Arts Initiatives Fund, which helps the Foundation to grow this exciting program and connect college & community through inspiring arts events or to any Arts@Clark program—from Music to Art to Culinary!
Donate to Arts@Clark!
AS Foundation CEO CALEN OUELLETTE HAS SAID,
“Arts@Clark isn’t just about fundraising or programming; it’s about reimagining the role of the arts in higher education and in the cultural life of our region. By connecting community members, students, and faculty through the shared experience of creativity, Arts@Clark is shaping a future where the arts are not just an accessory to education, but a central, unifying force in Southwest Washington”
Photo of Ruth Wikler (Left) and Calen Ouellette (Right) speaking at the Vancouver Arts & Music Festival
Arts@Clark Past Highlights
Flynn Creek Circus
From October 2-5, 2025, Flynn Creek Circus delighted audiences aged 2-92 with their circus show performed under the Big Top, on the Clark College campus for the very first time! Inspired by a wolf, Nordic legend, and the architecture of connection, The Bridge is a freshly conjured visual feast sprinkled with cloaked commentary and gorgeous imagery. Read more about this project here.
Ticket sales supported Clark College Athletics scholarships.
Vancouver Arts & Music Festival
One powerful example of the Arts@Clark vision in action occurred in July at the Vancouver Arts & Music Festival, where Clark College Foundation debuted as the Festival’s first ever Programming Collaborator. The Foundation introduced audiences to artists from around the world while also spotlighting homegrown talent. Clark students had the unforgettable opportunity to perform alongside nationally renowned artists such as Tito Puente Jr. & his Orchestra, and McClaskey Culinary Institute’s creations delighted festivalgoers. Readings by Clark creative writers and an exhibit by Clark artists demonstrated the incredible depth of creativity Clark nurtures. See photos below provided by the City of Vancouver. Want to know more about the Vancouver Arts & Music Festival? Click here to visit their website!
Tito Puente, Jr. and his Orchestra (Latin Jazz – NY/FL)
Pamyua (Inuit Soul – AK)
Presented in association with
The Kif-Kif Sisters (Circus & Comedy – QC)
Made possible with support from
Clown Garage (“The Waddle Ensemble” Commission – WA)
Clark College Jazz Students
Ian Arellano Mendez (L) and Parker Bruning (R)
Nick Poindexter and Chanell Gore (CCF Staff) hand out fresh baked cookies made by McClasky Culinary Institute