Nearly 20 vacant small businesses in Portland's Old Town neighborhood have removed their window boards to showcase an innovative outdoor art exhibition. The No Vacancy Window Gallery has transformed empty storefronts into display spaces, creating a unique cultural experience that runs 24 hours a day through December 1st.
The exhibition spans from the White Stag Block at 70 Northwest Couch Street and extends under the Chinatown gates on Northwest 4th Avenue at West Burnside Street. Visitors can view the free outdoor gallery at any time, with artwork visible through windows that have been covered up for years in some cases. The diverse collection includes photography, textiles, sculpture, paintings, and art installations that peek out from previously abandoned storefronts.
The pilot project is spearheaded by real estate strategy firm Field States, with support from Prosper Portland and the Old Town Community Association. Organizers describe it as an open-air art gallery designed to fill empty neighborhood spaces with creative energy and positive transformation.
Matthew Claudel, founder and CEO of Field States, whose company is headquartered in Old Town on Northwest 5th Avenue, drew inspiration from similar pop-up art installations in other West Coast cities. These include Seattle Restored and Vacant to Vibrant in San Francisco, both successful programs that have revitalized vacant storefronts through art.
"With Old Town, and in Portland, we let the muscle of going downtown atrophy a little," Claudel explains. "The reality is, there's a stigma around this neighborhood. Even though it's got heritage architecture and so much cultural richness, a lot of people don't come down here anymore, and it's such a shame. No Vacancy is about supporting local artists and bringing people back to Old Town."
One notable installation can be found at the historic Tuck Lung Building at 140 Northwest 4th Avenue, where passersby can peer through one of the building's distinctive hexagonal windows to see a dreamy red and blue tablescape created by artist Lauren Lesueur. This piece serves as both art and historical tribute, as Lesueur also served as curator of the entire exhibition.
Lesueur's work was specifically inspired by the history of the Wong family, who operated a grocery store and restaurant in the Tuck Lung building for decades. "I wanted to take that space and pay tribute to the family," she says, connecting the contemporary art project with the neighborhood's rich cultural heritage.
Each artwork display includes informational placards that feature both the artist's name and landlord contact information, serving the dual purpose of promoting local artists while potentially connecting interested parties with available rental spaces. This innovative approach addresses both the neighborhood's artistic vitality and its commercial vacancy challenges.
The No Vacancy Window Gallery represents a creative solution to urban revitalization, using art as a catalyst for community engagement and economic development. Maps for the self-guided tour are available at Elle Gallery, located at 207 Southwest Pine Street, and more information can be found at novacancyproject.com/window-gallery.
