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In 2026, Portland-based nonprofit Indigo Arts Alliance (IAA) is taking a step toward a more sustainable future: installing a 54-panel rooftop solar array on its studio in Portland’s East Bayside neighborhood. In partnership with ReVision Energy, this project represents more than a sustainability upgrade. It is a powerful statement about the intersection of art, culture, and climate action.
At IAA, creativity and social change have always gone hand in hand. But rising energy costs have constrained their budget, limiting the financial resources they can devote to local artists. Now the organization is extending their original creative vision to the way they power their work. By using clean energy to stabilize costs, IAA is strengthening its mission of empowering artists of color while reducing their carbon footprint.
Indigo Arts Alliance works to shift historical injustices to achieve equity for Black and Brown artists. They believe that artists are instrumental to doing the work of social justice in ways that are deeply grounded in lived experience and community. Similarly, ReVision Energy’s mission is to make life better by building a just and equitable electric future. Both organizations are rooted in the belief that a better future is possible – if we invest in our community, create possibilities, and promote social justice.
As IAA’s Executive Director Jordia Benjamin says: “The arts have always been a mirror of society and a catalyst for change. Supporting renewable energy ensures that creativity thrives in a world powered by sustainability, where inspiration doesn’t come at the cost of the planet. When champions of clean energy support the arts, and vice versa, they help shape a culture that values both imagination and environmental responsibility.”
Within IAA work, artists are seen and have always been stewards of the land. During IAA’s partnership with Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, under the symposium theme, "Deconstructing the Boundaries," 2024 Mentorship Artist in Residence Shane Perley Dutcher spoke about his indigenous grounding and responsibility to the earth:
"It’s about that connection you get when you put your hand on the earth and you take something from it and you give thanks for it. There’s an energy behind that give and take of reciprocity that is exemplified when we’re connecting with the land.”
Our shared vision can’t be realized alone. Community support is critical.
For Indigo Arts Alliance, going solar is both a moral and financial imperative. Installing a 21-kilowatt photovoltaic solar array will lock in a low rate for IAA’s electrical costs for the next 25-30 years, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars. That money can be redirected to what matters most:
In an era of rising utility rates, solar provides cost-controlling measures, future‑proofing the organization against price volatility. When an organization can eliminate major operational expenses, it becomes more resilient. Federal arts funding has been slashed in the last year. Reducing reliance on grants and fundraising to cover operational expenses will result in greater financial durability. Solar gives IAA the stability to weather uncertain times while staying focused on its mission.
“The installation of solar will substantially reduce the carbon footprint of IAA and will further demonstrate organizational leadership,” says Donald Bowen, a supporter of IAA. “Not only throughout the art community, but also across the Portland region. This is not a time to discontinue prioritizing the fight against carbon emissions and the catastrophic impacts of climate change."
Because the solar array will be so financially beneficial to IAA, a donation towards the project is really a multiplier, explains one donor. It also benefits the wider Portland region because of the creative community’s ripple effects across the retail, restaurant, and tourism industries.
“Every organization, non-profit or for-profit, has a responsibility to the next generation to preserve the environment to the maximum capacity possible,” says Bowen. “Through the generosity of donations to this cause, individuals across the creative community will benefit – artistically, creatively, financially, and environmentally.”
Donations towards IAA’s solar array help control energy costs and build organizational resilience at a time when it’s needed most. By investing today, donors ensure that IAA remains a safe, creative space for Black and Brown artists for decades to come.
Want to learn more about IAA’s work? Register for “Spring is In the Air” and experience live performances, diasporic cuisine, and community celebration of black and brown artists. One donor calls it “truly a celebration of joy – not to be missed!”