The National Endowment for the Arts took back $30,000 the agency awarded to the North Portland art gallery Oregon Contemporary to fund its Artists’ Biennial, a long-running biannual exhibition that traces its legacy back more than 70 years.

In a letter to supporters sent Nov. 6, Oregon Contemporary’s executive director Blake Shell said the NEA funding had been in limbo since the spring, but had been confirmed in August. According to the NEA’s letter, Oregon Contemporary’s “selected artists/artist information submitted for consideration is not consistent with the original project as recommended.” Shell said the NEA revoked the funding due to the names and biographical statements of artists involved , including curator TK Smith.

“It is a huge hit to the biennial, especially in its timing

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