PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Portland is a city filled with artists and plenty of markets and events to showcase them. But one local market ventured outside the norm to create an event that’s only filled with LGBTQIA+ vendors.
The Spectrum Art Market takes place once a month and gives customers the opportunity to support LGBTQIA+ artists.
Market curator and manager JD Cox had wanted to start an LGBTQ-based market before the pandemic, but was set back when venues shut down and public spaces closed. Then, in 2021, they started talking about the idea with the Q Center, an LGBTQ+ community center in North Portland, and the idea came to life.
The Q Center allowed Cox to set up their market in its parking lot, allowing for social distancing as COVID-19 remained a concern. The first Spectrum Art Market was held in June 2021.
“I found that I’ve really enjoyed being in markets where it is a little more exclusively hosted with queer, other LGBTQ artists. Sometimes we don’t necessarily cross paths all the time, so it’s nice to be in that environment,” Cox said.
They said the Spectrum Art Market gives vendors a sense of community and a sense of safety. For some artists, creating their art is their full-time profession. It can sometimes be isolating and markets are an opportunity to hang out with other creative people who understand each other’s passions.
During the warmer months, the Spectrum Art Market is held in the Q Center parking lots and in the cooler months, the pop-up market takes place indoors at the Art Design Xchange, or ADX.
Spectrum Art Market has a wide variety of vendors. Cox includes both people who stick to local markets and those who travel through larger market circuits.
The only requirement for vendors is that they are a part of the LGBTQ+ community and that they are involved at least 50% in the development of their work from start to finish. They said there is room for new artists at the market, but Cox mainly focuses on people who are already established in their craft.
Since starting the market, Cox said they can tell the Spectrum Art Market has been a place vendors enjoy returning to every month – even on days when they didn’t sell as much as they’d hoped.
“People express to me that they appreciate how comfortable and easygoing the market is and they always end up having a good time, regardless of the turnout,” they said.
Cox invites anyone who’s interested in becoming a vendor at the market to contact them through the @SpectrumArtMarket Instagram page. They’ll be asked to fill out an application.
The Instagram page is also the best way to find out when and where the next market will be.
On May 13, the Spectrum Art Market will hold a final event at ADX before moving to the Q Center parking lot for its June market.
Cox asks everyone to come out and support local artists. They said the Spectrum Art Market is a great place to see incredible, diverse art and they’re proud to say it has inspired other LGBTQIA+ markets to pop up around the city.