PHAME

PHAME is a fine and performing arts academy serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Founded in 1984 by families seeking creative outlets for their loved ones, PHAME now offers three 10-week terms of arts-based classes each year, as well as many performance opportunities. Classes are taught by talented arts professionals and include acting, choir, dance, visual art, musical theatre, and many more.

PHAME is built upon the belief that art is for everyone, and the organization seeks to empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to lead full, creative lives through arts education and performance. With that in mind, PHAME brings passion, joy, and rigor to arts education and performance.

PHAME’s partnership model welcomes collaboration with local arts organizations. These collaborations present opportunities for other arts organizations to learn from PHAME about how to better include and support individuals with disabilities, both on their staff and in their programming. In the past, actors from PHAME have appeared in Artists Repertory Theatre and Portland Playhouse productions. This summer, PHAME concludes an 18-month collaboration with the Portland Opera with The Poet’s Shadow, a world-premiere rock opera written and designed by PHAME students. PHAME looks forward to its collaborations with Oregon Ballet Theater, Portland Center Stage, and LineStorm Playwrights during the upcoming years.

PHAME vocal groups and ensembles have performed alongside Pink Martini and the Portland Cello project, as well as at events such as TEDx, Portland Monthly’s “Light a Fire” awards, and Mississippi Street Fair. PHAME presents a yearly Winter Concert as well as biannual Get PHAMEous open house events.

For more information, contact PHAME at (503) 764-9718 or info@phamepdx.org.

PHAME’s Director of Arts and Education, Matthew Gailey, directs the iPad Ensemble at a Get PHAMEous open house event.

PHAME students performing at a Get PHAMEous open house event.

PHAME students Aaron and Priscilla.

Director of Community Engagement Rob Smith with PHAME drummers.

PHAME students performing at a Get PHAMEous open house event.