Building a new event space in the Portland community

Help Us Transform our Community Events Space

Past Lives is a makerspace founded by a former prisoner guided by the belief that no one is irredeemable. In the strength of our creative community, members have found a sense of place, purpose and belonging. While our makerspace has all the facilities for basically any artist in any trade (woodworking, blacksmithing, metal fabrication, textiles, screenprinting, ceramics, stained glass, studio art…), we have yet to establish the facilities for a true performing arts space. With this fundraiser, we are hoping to expand our events space so it can be just as accessible and supportive to our local community.

Over the past year, our humble stage has become a home for artists of all kinds — from first-time performers at our monthly Open Mic Nights to local bands and musicians, community builders, puppeteers, and poets.

Now, we’re dreaming bigger — and we need your help to make it happen.

We’re raising funds to upgrade our events space so we can confidently host a wider range of community-driven events, from live music and theater to storytelling, dance, and more.

Our goals include:

What makes this project special is that all of the work will be done in-house by our incredibly talented community: installations by our contractor members, curtain rods by the Metal Guild, handmade curtains by the Textiles Guild, stage design by our resident artists, and so much more.

Your donation will directly fund the materials, equipment, and support our volunteers who are making this vision a reality. Every dollar gets us closer to a space that fully reflects the creativity and care of the community it serves.

We’ll also be celebrating this campaign with a benefit show on July 5 — but you don’t have to wait to support! By donating here and sharing with your community, you become a vital part of this collective dream - and your contributions directly support us in designing a space where everyone is welcome to express, create, and belong.

Be a part of our dream!