ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Yale Union Transfers Historic Portland Property to Native Arts and Cultures Foundation

institutional · 2026-04-20

Yale Union, a nonprofit dedicated to contemporary arts in Portland, is set to dissolve and will transfer its land and building to the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation (NACF). The site, a former commercial laundry established in 1909 and recognized on the National Register of Historic Places since 2007, will serve as NACF's national headquarters, where it will host exhibitions, workshops, and seminars centered on Indigenous artists, decolonization, and environmental justice. Lulani Arquette, NACF's president, described the transfer as 'liberating and encouraging,' emphasizing its significance for Native property ownership in urban settings. Discussions initiated by former Yale Union executive director Yoko Ott and board president Flint Jamison highlighted the role of art institutions in 'restorative social change.' The two organizations will jointly manage the site until Yale Union's dissolution in 2021, amid heightened scrutiny of U.S. museums following George Floyd's murder. Yale Union has utilized the space since 2010 for exhibitions, studios, and publishing.

Key facts

  • Yale Union is dissolving its nonprofit and transferring property to the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation (NACF).
  • The property is a 1909 commercial laundry in Portland, Oregon, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.
  • NACF president Lulani Arquette said the free transfer sets an example for Native property ownership in urban areas.
  • The new Center for Native Arts and Cultures will serve as NACF's national headquarters.
  • The center will host and exhibit Indigenous artists with workshops on decolonization and environmental justice.
  • Discussions began between former executive director Yoko Ott and board president Flint Jamison about 'restorative social change.'
  • Yale Union and NACF will co-manage the space until 2021, when Yale Union dissolves.
  • The transfer comes amid scrutiny of U.S. institutions after George Floyd's murder and debates over structural racism.

Entities

Artists

  • Lulani Arquette
  • Yoko Ott
  • Flint Jamison

Institutions

  • Yale Union
  • Native Arts and Cultures Foundation (NACF)
  • National Register of Historic Places

Locations

  • Portland
  • Oregon
  • United States

Sources