PEOPLE BEHIND THE MUSIC: Selections from the JWF Artist Portrait Project
This fall, The Old Church Concert Hall and the Jeremy Wilson Foundation will present PEOPLE BEHIND THE MUSIC: Selections from the JWF Artist Portrait Project, the first public exhibition of photographs from an ongoing visual record celebrating the musicians and music community workers who shape the cultural life of Oregon and Southwest Washington.
The exhibition will be on view at The Old Church Concert Hall, 1422 SW 11th Avenue in Portland, from October 18 through November 21, 2026. A public reception will be held Wednesday, October 21, from 6–8 PM.
Launched in 2020 by JWF in collaboration with photographer Norm Eder, the Artist Portrait Project has grown to include more than 500 musicians, promoters, venue operators, stage crew, producers, and other members of the regional music community. PEOPLE BEHIND THE MUSIC presents a curated selection from this much larger and still-growing body of work.
The project is closely connected to the mission of the Jeremy Wilson Foundation, which has supported working musicians and music industry workers in Oregon and Clark County, Washington since 2010. Through its Musician Health & Services Program, JWF provides financial assistance and resource navigation during health-related challenges, as well as proactive support in accessing health coverage and care.
For participating artists, the portrait project also provides something practical: professional photographs they can use to represent and promote their own work at no cost.
“This project is such a natural fit for The Old Church because these are the people who make our music community possible,” said Constance Bracewell, Executive Director of The Old Church Concert Hall. “Some are people audiences recognize immediately, and others do their work out of the spotlight. Bringing their portraits together here gives us a chance to celebrate the whole community, and to introduce more people to the important work JWF is doing to support the people behind the music.”
The selected exhibition of portraits includes:
Arietta Ward
Bobby and Julana Torres
Calvin Walker
Carlton Jackson
China Forbes
Johnny Franco and his real brother Dom
Johnny Wheels
Kendall Luhan
LaRhonda Steele
Mary Flower
Nancy Ives
Norman Sylvester
Rizo
Tyrone Hendrix
Ural Thomas
Over six years, Eder has photographed the project in studios and temporary spaces throughout Portland, with support from organizations and individuals across the music community. The exhibition at TOC will feature a curated selection of those portraits, printed by Eder in large-format black and white.
PEOPLE BEHIND THE MUSIC is not intended as a retrospective or conclusion to the project, but as an opportunity to see a selection from an effort that continues to grow—honoring the people behind the music while bringing greater visibility to the community and organizations that support them.
Check out our Artist Portrait Project page for more examples of Norm’s work in association with The Jeremy Wilson Foundation.
