Portland area offers plenty of artistic 'Fertile Ground'

The Rose City has always danced to its own artistic beat, providing a fertile ground for creativity and all that entails.

So, naturally there’s a festival that is dedicated to that creative vibe — the Fertile Ground Festival of New Works.

After two years of the event being held virtually, then a hiatus year in 2023, Fertile Ground returns for its first in-person event since 2020. And simply put, unlike your typical fringe festival, Fertile Ground, which runs April 12-21, is unadjudicated, and features new work created by local artists, performers, and companies. That, say organizers, is to ensure that the artistic and financial benefits of the festival stay in Portland.

“The fact that Fertile Ground is an ‘uncurated’ festival is key and one of the places I have connected ideologically to Fertile Ground from the beginning, and the only reason I would take on this role as director — because I don’t have any interest in being a gatekeeper,” said Tamara Carroll, the festival’s new director.

Fertile Ground is held throughout all four quadrants of Portland, as well as venues in Lake Oswego, Milwaukie, Hillsboro, Multnomah Village and more.

“The shows in the festival are all independently produced, so producers find their own venues — sometimes with help from the festival — and we largely help with marketing and connecting producers to an established platform,” Carroll said.

Fertile Ground has undergone some changes in the last few years. Nicole Lane, the festival director for 13 years, retired in 2022, so the festival is under new leadership. Additionally, Fertile Ground was the recipient of the first-ever “Scale Up” grant from Prosper Portland, $25,000 to help increase the festival’s reach and revitalize tourism focused on the festival.

This year’s event has also moved from its traditional January-February dates to April 12-21, and there are more than a dozen events slated in Artists Repertory Theatre’s new lobby performance space. The diversity of artistic expression will offer exciting opportunities for those participating.

“I love this role because it feels like the opposite of a gatekeeping — Fertile Ground doesn’t have a gate — we have an umbrella and it reaches from Hillsboro to Lake Oswego to North Portland and it fits as many people as are willing to share it,” Carroll said. “The arts community doesn’t need more gatekeepers; it needs advocates and supporters. It needs people who will say, ‘Your work deserves to be seen because it’s your work. It’s something you’ve put time, resources, and passion into. If you care enough to make it, I want you to have the best possible shot at getting it in front of the people who will appreciate it, nurture it, and help it grow — help you grow.’”

The event schedule is chock full of unique artistic endeavors of all types throughout the area during its run. Fertile Ground will likely have something for every taste.

Fertile Ground Festival of New Works was founded in 2009 by Trisha Mead, then led by Lane from 2010-2023. It was launched to provide a platform for local theater companies and individual artists to showcase their commitment to new work. A program of the Portland Area Theatre Alliance, Fertile Ground projects can range from fully staged world premieres to workshops and readings to ensemble, multidisciplinary and collaboration-driven work, to a variety of dance, comedy, film events and more.

“The festival always contains the work of both established masters, as well as hidden and emerging gems, and this year is no exception,” Carroll said.

To see the full festival guide, get more information or buy festival passes, go to fertilegroundpdx.org .