Portland State University's collection of art spans the entire campus, from the large-scale sculptural works amidst the Park Blocks to the paintings that decorate the halls of our buildings. The collection reflects Portland State's interest in local, regional, national and international art practices.

With over 300 works, PSU’s campus art collection includes generous donations by community members, commissions through the Oregon Percent for Art program, and works by artists with close ties to the university.

Art Collection Mission

The mission of the University's art collection is to add works of art to the collection on the basis of their potential value as objects of aesthetic or educational importance or for use in exhibition, research and/or educational programs, and prioritizing works by historically underrepresented artists:  

• To preserve, promote, and provide access to the University’s Art Collection. 
• To aid in obtaining works of any medium, era, or culture which add to research, teaching, learning and community engagement at the University. 
• To create a framework for management of the University’s Art Collection. The guidelines outlined in this policy are consistent with the professional standards and best practices defined by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM).

2020-2025 Art Collection Vision

• Represent a diverse, historically underrepresented range of artists
• Include works from a variety of mediums and time periods
• Have the ability to be sited efficiently after accession
• Include artists with a connection to PSU and Portland, as well as national and international artists who are not currently represented in the collection or the region
• Include a curated collection of 1-3 works per year recommended either by Art+Design faculty or a student appointed review body, by graduating BFA & MFA artists from the School of Art+Design*
• Include a curated collection of works from the Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts prize.*

*Artists shall have the option of submitting works for consideration. All works shall be gifted to PSU through a gift agreement and shall be reviewed after 10 years to determine if they should be considered for deaccession. If deaccessioned, artists shall have first rights to their work.

Image: Saya Woolfalk, Dashikimono #1 (Day wear for lands not yet habitable by humankind), 2014. Image courtesy of the artist.