Sketch + Release

Live @ The Belfry in Sisters, Oregon, on Nov. 19th, 2026

Sketch and Release is a touring multimedia poetry/storytelling performance and docu-series centered on Black creatives living and working in rural Oregon. Multidisciplinary artist Jason McNeal Graham (MOsley WOtta) created and leads the project, which blends filmed interviews, poetry, storytelling, and guided conversation into a 60-minute experience for campuses, libraries, theaters, and community spaces.

Touring from Spring 2026 through Spring 2027, Sketch and Release will visit venues across Central and rural Oregon, with each stop featuring new docu-series episodes, a poetry/storytelling performance, and a locally tailored community dialogue. Host sites can choose daytime campus presentations, evening public events, or hybrid options using a secure streaming platform. Our approach is twofold: we aim to bring this work into more communities and fundraise to reach even more artists and communities in the pursuit of connecting rural communities across Oregon.

Supported by major Oregon foundations and cultural partners, Sketch and Release is part of a broader effort to build sustainable, equity-focused cultural infrastructure in rural regions. “This project is about making room for Black artists in small towns and for complex stories about who we are becoming,” says Graham.

The Impact

This project doesn't just document—it shifts narratives, builds bridges, and uplifts voices that deserve to be heard across the entire state. We're creating space for rural Oregon to see itself more completely, and for Black artists to be celebrated in all the places they call home.

In August, we traveled to 7 libraries in Oregon: Hood River, Boardman, La Grande, Baker City, Aloha, Irrigon, and Heppner. We have more events planned this fall and more dates coming soon!

Tour Dates:

Bend @ Bend United Methodist Church Oct. 23rd
Sunriver @ The Library Oct. 24th
Redmond @ The Library Nov. 4th
Sisters @ The Belfry Nov. 19th
Bend @ Open Art Center Nov. 20th
Bend @ UUFCO Dec. 4th

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Sketch + Release is a fiscally sponsored project of New Room Studios (NRS). As the fiscal sponsor, NRS retains complete control and discretion over all funds donated to the project, and NRS reserves the right to use those funds in any way it sees fit, so long as it is consistent with its mission and with all relevant laws.

Sketch + Release @ The Belfrey 6pm Nov. 19th Sisters, OR