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Literary Arts

Building Portland’s next great cultural institution

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Literary Arts HQ Opening
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The Challenge

At a pivotal moment in its history, Literary Arts was preparing to open a new $25 million headquarters in Portland’s Central Eastside. More than a physical home, the project represented a major investment in the future of arts and culture in the city.

While Literary Arts had long been deeply respected within literary circles, the organization saw an opportunity to expand its visibility and influence beyond its existing audiences. The new headquarters created a timely chance to reposition Literary Arts as a leading civic and cultural institution in Portland.

WPR was initially brought on to support media relations around the headquarters opening. Together, we quickly recognized a larger opportunity: to use this milestone to elevate Literary Arts into broader conversations about Portland’s future, culture, creativity, and civic identity.

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The Goal and Strategy

WPR developed a communications strategy that placed Literary Arts in a larger civic story. At a complicated moment for Portland, the organization’s new headquarters became more than a milestone for a literary nonprofit. It became a symbol of cultural investment, public connection and belief in the city’s future.

We connected the opening to larger conversations about urban revitalization, public gathering spaces and the role arts organizations can play in shaping vibrant, connected cities.

At the center of the strategy was Literary Arts Executive Director Andrew Proctor, whose vision for the organization and the city helped establish him as a trusted voice in Portland’s cultural landscape. Through strategic media outreach, thought leadership positioning and proactive storytelling, WPR helped move Literary Arts into new local and national media spaces.

As the partnership expanded, so did the storytelling opportunities. Nationally recognized speakers, sold-out programs and the growing prominence of the Portland Book Festival all helped reinforce Literary Arts’ role as one of Portland’s essential cultural institutions.

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53

Total media placements

946M

Total reach

4

National media features

28

HQ opening placements

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The Results:

The campaign generated significant local and national media coverage, including features in Fast Company, Willamette Week, Poets & Writers, broadcast television, regional business press, and arts and culture media outlets.

Coverage positioned Literary Arts as a leading example of positive momentum in Portland — an organization investing boldly in the city’s future while creating meaningful spaces for conversation, creativity and community.

The visibility generated through the campaign helped open doors with civic leaders, elected officials, donors and new audiences, while reinforcing Literary Arts’ growing stature within Portland’s cultural ecosystem.

The momentum also contributed to a major milestone for the organization: the first-ever sold-out Portland Book Festival, further cementing Literary Arts as one of the city’s defining cultural institutions.

Featured Coverage
  • Fast Company: “How books, not troops, are reviving central Portland”
  • Willamette Week: “Andrew Proctor Gets Frank About Portland’s Creative Past, Present and Future”
  • Poets & Writers: “Literary Arts Thrives in Portland”
  • The Oregonian: “Opinion: A case for art in urgent times”
  • Portland Business Journal: “Literary Arts director on why his organization does not have an audience problem”
  • Portland Monthly: “With New HQ, the City’s Literary Heart (Finally) Finds a Permanent Physical Form”
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WPR has transformed our organization. At a moment when we were stepping on to the national stage, they sharpened our focus, re-tooled our message, and strengthened the brand. It made the national press sit up and take notice, gave our local media a new appreciation for our work, and brought our community members along as we realized a new vision for the organization. This has been crucial because it allowed us to arrive at this moment with programs that have been embraced by the community, and funders that understand what we are doing and where we are headed. Molly and her team have a deep understanding of our work, at a level most do not, and have become crucial thought partners. They are also great writers (a matter on which I feel I have credibility to judge!). It’s hard to imagine how we could have done it without them."

Andrew Proctor

Executive Director, Literary Arts

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