Welcome to Portland
First, a few things you should know about Portland:
- Portland has more microbreweries inside their city limits than any other city in the world.
- It is illegal to pump your own gas in Oregon.
- Portland has over 700 food carts throughout the city.
- Our annual World Naked Bike Ride in Portland is the world’s largest with 13,000 nude participants.
Portland is divided down the middle by the Willamette River (wil-lam-it) into East and West, while Burnside Street similarly divides the city into North and South. Each quadrant is represented by its direction (NE, NW, SW, SE), and then North Portland is right on top.
We go by many names…
- PDX = Portland
- City of Roses = Portland
- Rose City = Portland
- Bridgetown = Portland
- Rip City = Portland
- Stumptown = Portland
Guides To Portland
Every Portlander has their own favoriters, just as each of our local publications have a different take on the city. Use these resources to help discover how to make Portland your own home.
Enough about PDX… now about AIGA Portland
AIGA is the oldest and largest professional association for design. Since 1914, we’ve been advancing design as a professional craft, strategic advantage and vital cultural force. Today we count more than 25,000 members spanning 70 chapters nationwide, and represent a variety of professions under the umbrella of communication design—from book and type design to interactive, environmental, and experience design.
Sounds cool? You should Volunteer!
It’s really about wanting to give back, meeting amazingly talented people, and supporting a larger cause that lifts the practice of design and moves it forward. It’s high-minded but really is true. We get a tremendous amount of joy bringing design to people in new ways and supporting our community.
So that’s the real benefit, and you have to be down with that. BUT, THERE ARE PERKS:
- Unlimited networking. Seriously, who doesn’t want more of that!?!
- You get a free ticket to the event! (if you’re helping us work it, but you still get to see them even if you are volunteering)
- Community visibility, credits and general awareness about YOU (pretty sweet, being a known entity in a national organization of the best design talent on Earth. Yeah think about that…)
Here’s the thing. We have a lot of stuff to do. All. The. Time. There are events, workshops, tools, meetups, talks, gallery shows…and that’s just Portland. We also have a lot of really cool national-type things we like to tell people about too. And we need you and your talents to help us do all of that. Pretty simple.
Ways to Volunteer
- Committee Volunteering
The board can’t do it alone and we need members to help us accomplish everything we want to do. Committee volunteering is a long-term commitment, generally 1 year, that ranges from programming to communications to community outreach and more.
- Event Volunteering
We have cool events and definitely need help. For the commitment of a single event, you can help with meeting and greeting, hanging posters, setting up the event and tear down. It takes a village to make our Portland events happen.
Programs at AIGA Portland
We are an active AIGA chapter, with programs supported by dedicated committee volunteers that each have different interests. While some of the direction comes from national, we give all of our programs a PDX-flair. Check out what we currently have going on:
Interested in volunteering?
Let us know and we will help fit you with something you’re passionate about. Fill out the form here.
Agencies, Studios, Creative Work Places & Recruiting
Portland, OR is home to some of the most creative agencies and studios in the world. Every single company puts out work that they are proud of, dedicated to the craft of using design to tell a story that moves. From the well-known and fully-staffed (Weiden+Kennedy) to the scrappy and dedicated (Parliament), Portland is a concentration of heart and talent that you won’t find anywhere else. We have put together an ever-growing list of agencies and studios to help you learn more about what makes the Rose City tick.
View our list of agencies and studios in Portland.
Local Design Schools & Programs
4 Year Design Programs:
2 Year Design Programs:
Student Portfolio Reviews
THE MIX is AIGA Portland’s annual portfolio review. We connect selected applicants with creative industry leaders from companies such as RG/A. Adidas, W+K, Ziba, and Sandstrom Partners with the intent to create design relationships between two distinct spectrums—entry-level and established. Through round-table discussions and chances to meet and greet, participants will make connections and gain the needed insight to become strong professionals.
Become a Member – Join Today
No matter who you are, you’re one of us. As the largest professional association of designers in the world, AIGA is committed to advancing the value and impact of design, both locally and globally, and working together to inspire, support and learn from each other, at every stage of our careers.
Together we can do amazing things.
Click here to learn more about joining AIGA Portland.
