n the eve of the Portland Winter Light Festival (Feb. 7 — 15, 2025), Willamette Light Brigade (WLB) is thrilled to announce a major step toward creating a master plan to illuminate Portland’s bridges–a transformative vision that could become one of the largest public art installations on the West Coast.
This ambitious master plan will guide the future of Portland’s bridge lighting, enhancing the city’s visual identity, economic vitality, and cultural history. Today, Willamette Bridge Brigade is proud to share that it has already secured $65,000 in funding to kickstart the Illuminate Bridge City initiative:
- $50,000 Matching Grant from Alaska Airlines, reinforcing its commitment to Portland as its second-largest hub and continuing its investment in the city’s innovative spirit.
- $10,000 Contribution from Killian Pacific, a dedicated supporter of Portland’s arts and placemaking projects.
- $5,000 Contribution from the Daniel W. Hoan Foundation, supporting impactful civic initiatives.
A Community-Driven Vision for Portland’s Future
“Building on the momentum of our Portland Winter Light Festival event and the community appetite for placemaking and light-based art, the Willamette Light Brigade is proud to take this important first step toward developing a comprehensive master plan for bridge lighting that will define our skyline for generations,” said Alisha Sullivan, Executive Director of Willamette Light Brigade. “This is just the beginning, and we invite the community, businesses, and individuals to join us in this journey of creation.”
A Bold Investment in Portland’s Economic Revival
The potential impact of permanently lighting Portland’s bridges is significant. A compelling case study is London’s Illuminated River or Milwaukee’s Bridge Lighting Project, which both accentuated the city’s riverfront, turning civic infrastructure into massive public arts displays that have since generated enormous economic activity through increased tourism, events, and civic pride.
Andrew Hoan, President & CEO of the Portland Metro Chamber and Vice President of the Daniel W. Hoan Foundation indicates, “A similar investment and bold vision for Portland’s bridges could serve as a beacon for economic revitalization, bolstering our central city vibrancy, and re-affirming Portland as a leader in public art and innovation. This effort will complement some of the most important economic development efforts underway along our stunning waterfront such as the Broadway Corridor project, Albina Rose Alliance, OMSI redevelopments and efforts to secure a Major League Baseball franchise.”
The Portland Metro Chamber and Downtown Portland Clean & Safe fully support this vision, recognizing that large-scale, creative investments like this are exactly what Portland needs to propel the city forward.
Join the Movement: A Call to Action
The Willamette Light Brigade is actively seeking corporate and individual donors to support the master plan’s development by reaching the match from Alaska Airlines.
Killian Pacific and the Daniel W. Hoan Foundation dollars are helping to jumpstart the needed match to access the Alaska Airlines dollars. “The business community has a critical role in shaping Portland’s future. Supporting the Illuminate Bridge City project goes beyond visual appeal–it’s an investment in placemaking that fuels economic growth and fortifies our city’s identity. We’re proud to follow Alaska Airlines’ lead and kickstart the matching, and we invite fellow business leaders to join us in making a bold impact on Portland’s future,” indicates Lance Killian, Chief Visionary Officer at Killian Pacific.
Future phases will include engagement opportunities, where the community will be invited to contribute ideas, get involved in the creative process, and participate in fundraising efforts.
“This is more than just lighting bridges–it’s about energizing Portland’s nighttime experience, creating an iconic landmark attraction, and shaping a bright future for Portland,” stated Megan Conway, CEO of Travel Portland.
###
About Willamette Light Brigade: The Willamette Light Brigade was founded in 1988 with a goal to light the bridges that span the Willamette River. The WLB’s mission, more relevant now than ever before, is to enrich the public realm by harnessing the power of art and artful lighting to transform the cityscape and enhance civic pride: We light bridges, produce a dynamic winter light festival, and advocate for the importance of night-time identity and place-making using light as art. Over the last three decades, Willamette Light Brigade volunteers have successfully advocated for and facilitated the architectural lighting on many of Portland’s iconic bridges. The WLB continues to be part of long-term planning for the bridges in the city of Portland.
About the Portland Winter Light Festival: The Portland Winter Light Festival (PDXWLF), an annual program of the Willamette Light Brigade, returns for its 10th year. From February 7 to 15, 2025, the city will be illuminated with over 220+ free light-based art installations and performances at over 100 locations. The full artist roster and map are now available at https://pdxwlf.com/program.
