Sanctuary for Sacred Arts pursues its mission through a range of active programs designed to preserve, promote, and share sacred artistic traditions.
Collection & Preservation
We collect, store, and preserve sacred arts and recordings, concentrating on artists of the Pacific Northwest. Our goal is to digitize and catalog the collection to make it accessible in worship spaces and via the internet.
Exhibition
We exhibit sacred art in churches, galleries of colleges and universities, abbeys, and other religious and public spaces of the Pacific Northwest. Sacred art is circulated to parishes throughout the region.
Sacred Spaces Archive
We curate a growing online archive of sacred art and architecture from all faiths, in the spirit of Vatican II — documenting Catholic churches across Oregon, Europe, Mexico, and the American Southwest, as well as Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Native American, and Islamic sacred sites.
Student Art Program
We sponsor and exhibit the work of student artists from Portland Catholic high schools, providing a platform for young voices to express faith, beauty, and the human experience through visual art. Schools participating include Valley Catholic High School, Central Catholic High School, St. Mary’s Academy, La Salle Catholic College Preparatory, and De La Salle North Catholic High School.
Artist Support
We sponsor artists working in sacred and liturgical arts, collaborate with visual arts centers, and promote ecumenism through shared artistic expression across traditions.