For my Case study I chose PDX Contemporary Art(PDX), located within the Pearl District in Portland Oregon. PDX Contemporary Art originally started in 1996 in a rather small building that was built by an award winning architect. In 2006, PDX changed location to a much larger space as PDX and its represented artist also grew in prominence. 

PDX Contemporary Art has around 12 different exhibitions each year, each exhibit stays in the gallery for 3-4 weeks. The general audience that makes up PDX Contemporary Art participants are predominantly white, but the different exhibitions alters the race/ethnicity of the participants based on any cultural or heritage based art. The events or exhibitions that occur at PDX are free of charge, but they provide food and drinks. There isn’t a membership program or any other fee that according to their website. They are a commercial gallery so they make their profit through the selling of artwork. PDX is a contributor to First Thursday by holding receptions for a specific solo artist. Some of the artists are well know within Portland but have never had a major solo show within a commercial gallery. PDX provides great opportunities for new or not well known artists to show their art to a different section of the community. PDX Contemporary Art has a large network of artists that they have had within their gallery and their interests seem to be in cultivating a strong sense of community for those that participate with PDX and art.  

There doesn’t appear to be any trends that dictate what exhibition will be presented in the PDX gallery. The art and artists that have had gallery exhibits also don’t appear to follow any particular trends. The art work from one artist to the next differs greatly, and the extent to where it falls under the category of contemporary art varies. In terms of adapting to change, with the increased use of technology, PDX has included technology in their marketing but it isn’t done in a highly professional way. PDX Contemporary Art doesn’t have a wide range of media that they utilize to spread awareness on their gallery space or the works it showcases. Their website has a minimal amount of information, but they do keep an archive of the gallery exhibits that they have held. PDX also has a relatively active Facebook page and a twitter account that presents the same material. They post frequently with pictures, article links and upcoming events not only held within PDX but within the great Portland area.

Website- http://pdxcontemporaryart.com/

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/pdxcontemporaryart/timeline?ref=page_internal

Twitter- https://twitter.com/pdxart

 

 

SWOC Analysis:

 

	Strengths	Weaknesses	Opportunities	Challenges
Cultural Product(s)	PDX offers a large gallery exhibition space for both well known and relatively unknown local artists.	Contemporary art doesn’t appeal to everyone.	PDX offers not only contemporary art but they offer events that are focused on heritage and developing a greater understanding about “othering”.	Creating and event or presenting an exhibition that will create interest and get people through the door.
Pricing	There is no entry fee to attend any of the exhibitions or receptions.	With no incoming funds for the audience of exhibits, the gallery has to make their money else where.	If there was a small fee at any event then their income would increase.	PDX has to choose wisely who they have showcase their work in their gallery. It is a commercial gallery so they derive their profit from sales of artwork.
Place (Access)	Located in the Pearl District in Downtown Portland.Most of the exhibits are in the evening (6pm).	Only street parking is available downtown so finding parking can be difficult.	The lack of fees and the permanent window exhibit as an attraction to get the local community to stop by PDX.	There are other art galleries located in the downtown area, there needs to be some type of wow factor to make people want to view the gallery or attend an event.
Promotional Efforts	PDX has aFacebook page and twitter account for events	Their social media presence is lacking in this day and age.Their accounts aren’t very interactive, nor do they reach a large audience.	With more time spent on creating a stronger social network, the number of individuals that go to PDX would increase.	Art is subjective and everyone is interested in something different, so creating events or promoting others work that appeals to a broader community might work best in the long-run.