The Campaign for Literary Arts was the largest capital campaign for our 40-year-old organization, raising $22.5 million in support of a new permanent headquarters and the future Ursula K. Le Guin Writers Residency. Literary Arts announced the successful completion of the campaign in February 2025 after launching the public phase of the campaign in April 2024.
In December 2024, Literary Arts opened its new headquarters in Portland’s Central Eastside, creating a vibrant home for readers and writers that includes an independent bookstore, classrooms, a podcast studio, event space, and the Mendoza Cafe. The historic building, now named The Susan Hammer Center, was made possible by a transformative $3 million gift from the Susan Hammer estate, which enabled Literary Arts to purchase the building outright.
The Campaign for Literary Arts was powered by the generosity of hundreds of supporters including individual donors, foundations, corporate partners, and public funders. Community support was especially meaningful with 57% of gifts coming in under $1,000 and an average gift of $245, demonstrating broad investment in the organizations future.
Throughout the campaign, Literary Arts centered its values of equity, accessibility, and sustainability. As a result, 35% of capital project spending went to BIPOOC-owned firms, with an additional 15% directed to minority, women-owned and emerging small businesses. The renovation also transformed the building into an all-electric facility with a rooftop solar panels.
In addition to the organization’s new permanent headquarters, the campaign also funded the upcoming Ursula K. Le Guin Writers Residency in the former home of one of Portland’s most celebrated literary figures. The Le Guin residency program will give writers a necessary respite from daily responsibilities and uninterrupted time to focus on their work, while also providing an opportunity to engage with and inspire our community starting in the fall of 2027.
As Literary Arts celebrated its 40th anniversary, the campaign marked the beginning of a new chapter, made possible by the vision, generosity, and dedication of the community that has sustained the organization for four decades.
“Creating an inclusive and welcoming center for our community, where people can gather to tell and hear stories and exchange ideas freely, has long been our dream. Susan’s gift, and the generosity of many other donors, enabled us to purchase the building outright, continuing our investment in Portland, a city that has been our home for four decades.” — Andrew Proctor, executive director of Literary Arts. “
