The Bodecker Foundation provides creative communities with an extraordinary and energetic gathering place for workshops, mentoring, and collaboration.
Workshops. Mentoring. Collaboration.
Empowering creative youth to imagine and achieve their artistic, educational, and professional dreams.
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MISSION
The N M BODECKER CREATIVE FOUNDATION (“Bodecker Foundation”) was established in 2017 by Sandy Bodecker, Nike’s legendary VP of Special Projects, and by Tanya Cerda as a tribute to Sandy’s father, the award-winning author and illustrator N.M. Bodecker, who instilled a love and appreciation of the arts in Sandy and his brothers, Niels and Torsten. Sandy’s chosen career path and significant professional accomplishments were directly impacted by his father’s support, encouragement, and artistic influence. Inspired by this profound legacy, the Foundation’s workshop, mentoring, and scholarship programs empower creative youth to imagine and achieve their artistic, educational, and professional dreams.
WHAT WE DO
The Bodecker Foundation partners with professional artists, writers, musicians, and educators to design and lead immersive program experiences for high school students who are interested in exploring the arts, including those from traditionally underserved and underrepresented communities. Threaded throughout is a career exploration and applied arts approach that uniquely centers collaboration, inclusivity, and positive affirmation of student identities. In addition to our youth programming, the Foundation’s multi-use spaces are made available to emerging artists and performers, like-minded nonprofit organizations, and our collaborative creative community.
PROGRAM DISCIPLINES
Our workshop program disciplines include: art/illustration, creative writing, songwriting, audio recording/engineering, game design, skate culture, graphics, film/video, zine making, and sneaker, apparel, and accessories design. We also partner with other youth and arts focused nonprofits to host their own programs and events at our building in NW Portland.
ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE
The Bodecker Foundation’s custom built 14,000 sqf building in NW Portland includes well-appointed spaces reserved exclusively for Artists in Residence and bands recording at Halfling Studio, an on-site, state-of-the-art analog and digital recording facility. Artists in Residence are invited to work in the building while they focus on developing new creative output. In exchange, resident artists strengthen our collaborative community by leading youth focused workshops and/or salon events for the broader community.
HALFLING STUDIO
Halfling Studio is an on-site, state-of-the-art analog and digital recording facility. Studio revenue directly funds the Foundation’s music workshops and student programs. Artists including The Decemberists, Portugal. The Man, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Kim Gordon, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Patterson Hood (Drive by Truckers), Sleater Kinney, and Dame D.O.L.L.A have all recorded at Halfling Studio.
OUR COMMUNITY
The Bodecker Foundation’s intergenerational community is grounded in Sandy’s personal creative ethos: Respect the Past, Embrace the Future. Community members include professional artists, writers, designers and musicians who serve as program advisors, workshop leaders, and Artists in Residence; educators, non-profit, and business leaders who energize our multi-use creative, event, and meeting spaces; and talented workshop students whose emerging creative voices are nurtured, amplified, and supported by our programs and collaborative community.
The Bodecker Foundation welcomes and prioritizes the participation of Black, brown, Indigenous, and other students of color as well as emerging English speakers, LGBTQIA+ youth, and those with disabilities.
CONTACT US
For information on upcoming youth workshops or to find out how you can get involved please use the contact form below. Or say hello@bodeckerfoundation.org.