People Behind the Music: Selections from the JWF Artist Portrait Project

The Old Church Concert Hall is hosting People Behind the Music on Wednesday, October 21, a free artist reception that brings together live music and a first look at the Jeremy Wilson Foundation's Artist Portrait Project. The evening runs from 6 PM to 8 PM, with Mary Flower and Leon Cotter playing live throughout.

The exhibition comes from the JWF Artist Portrait Project, which the Foundation launched in 2020 in collaboration with photographer Norm Eder. Since then, it's grown to more than 500 portraits of musicians, producers, promoters, venue operators, stage crew, and other members of the music community across Oregon and Southwest Washington. This is the project's first public exhibition, and all the photographs are by Eder.

There's a practical side to the project, too. Since 2010, the Foundation has supported musicians and music industry workers facing health-related challenges with financial assistance, guidance, and help accessing health care. Every portrait subject receives professional photographs they can use to promote their own work at no cost. The reception is a chance to see those faces and hear the music that connects them.

The venue is The Old Church Concert Hall, a nonprofit that owns the 1882 hall at 1422 SW 11th Ave in Portland. Admission is free, though a donation to the hall is requested, with a $1 minimum. The reception runs from 6 PM to 8 PM on Wednesday, October 21.