Opb's State Of Wonder

This week we moderated a candidates' forum hosted by the Regional Arts and Culture Council and the Creative Advocacy Coalition. The purpose was to talk with candidates for mayor and council about hot issues like Portland's arts tax, city funding for arts organizations and projects, equity in the arts, affordable artist housing and more.Here's a breakdown of what we asked them with some highlights.02:16 What arts and creative work have you checked out over the past two months?07:10 What's your vision for Portland's future? And how do arts and culture fit into that?"We’re this close to a city that can be fantastic." —Stuart Emmons21:40 What candidates will commit to regarding funding RACC's arts work."As mayor, I’m committing to increasing funding for RACC." —Jules Bailey"I’m not going to promise every group that we’re going to increase their budget. You can look back at my past performance and see that I am a champion of the arts." —Ted Wheeler27:43 The 2015 budget surplus: why none of the $49 million dollars