esperanza spalding Offering to Compose, Record and Perform an Original Suite of Music for a Donation of $777,777 (or More)

From June 1st through December 31st 2025, esperanza spalding is offering to compose, record, and perform an original suite of music for each supporter of Prismid Sanctuary donating $777,777 or more. The suite of music will be catered to the story and dreams of each supporter, and will be delivered through a one-of-a-kind vinyl record (pressed on the highest quality vinyl by one of the top pressing facilities in the world), and personalized collage. spalding will take an approach similar to the creation of Exposure - her 2017 album that was composed from scratch, and recorded, in just 77 hours, by inviting donors to witness live the initial creation of the suite of music.

During this time when the precarity of external institutional funding is being exposed, esperanza hopes this initiative will be another luminous thread in the global story of artists and cultural workers creating and funding the institutions that they need. In her words, "Prismid Sanctuary as a process of being in community has expanded my imagination, conception of reciprocity with place, and affirmed the audacious dream that - together with community - artists can create the institutions we need to thrive."

All donations are tax-deductible, and go 100% toward the building and sustaining of Prismid Sanctuary. To commission a new suite of music, and to learn more, go to: Prismid.org/777suite + https://youtu.be/5mdvIe9iMZ0?si=bDY6tDUmMMeQMS5r

Located in Portland, Oregon, esperanza founded Prismid Sanctuary as a nonprofit residency and regenerative space dedicated to nurturing BIPOC artists. The dreamchild of (and currently co-directed by) the world-renowned jazz bassist, five-time Grammy Award-winning composer, and former Harvard University professor, the Sanctuary has rapidly developed into a beloved local hub for artists, culture workers, and land stewards to gather, host events and share their respective practices.

The Sanctuary, which was purchased in 2021 thanks to local crowdfunding, is steadily growing into a vibrant and sustainable model of BIPOC community-led placemaking focused on arts, culture, and ecology.

About Prismid Sanctuary:

Since its founding in 2020, Prismid Sanctuary has been nurtured and evolved by the devoted input and guidance of Portland's BIPOC arts and culture community. The Sanctuary provides cost-free space for arts and cultural gathering, creative development, and inter-community exchange. The core mission of Prismid Sanctuary is rooted in arts & culture supporting healing - of the land and our relationships with one another. All of Prismid's programming, space, and offerings are free to the community. Prismid Sanctuary currently offers:

• Both Indoor and Outdoor event and programming space
• Community Herb and Flower gardens space for meeting, resting, creating, or working
• Organic annual vegetable/herb gardens CSA
• Roster of Community-Led/Curated Classes in wellness, conflict remediation, dance, arts-archiving, music, traditional crafts, native plant cultivation, poetry, design, and more
• Monthly study/meal/art exchange conversation for Indigenous and Black Artists, featuring various local and national guest speakers/lecturers
• Library & Tea Bar providing indoor spaces to read, work, convene, and/or rest
• Weekly Programming: Basket-Weaving & Brunch, Free Somatic Body-work sessions, Open House Community meet & greet
• Production, staff, and facilitation support for community initiated gatherings, ceremonies, art-showcases, salons, meals, and workshops

Community-Led Rebuild - the first of its kind

In its commitment to be a Sanctuary for community, created by and for artists and cultural workers, Prismid Sanctuary developed a first of its kind community-led design program. Over the course of 2 years, with the guidance and support of our award winning real estate developer ( Adre ), architect ( Allied Works ) and builder ( Green Hammer ), Prismid's diverse and intergenerational community gathered in-person and virtually to vision and lead the design of every aspect of Prismid's ecologically and architecturally innovative reconstruction. Once completed, Prismid Sanctuary will be the first Net-Zero Black and Indigenous community-designed and owned facility in the Pacific Northwest. The design has been diligently and passionately visioned to further enrich, extend and sustain Prismid as a community resource, as well as a hub for expanded offerings and services (always cost-free to the community!)

Once complete, our 7,044 sq ft, targeting LEED v4.1 GoldGold Sanctuary and 0.74 acre of Gardens will provide:

● Artist-in-Residence Studios

● Dance Studio (indoor)

● Dance performance space (outdoor)

● Workshop/Studio

● Expanded organic gardens and First Foods production

● Amphitheater

● Documentation Archive

● Expanded Library, office and community kitchen

● Full ADA accessibility

To ensure that the rebuilt Sanctuary reflects the shared wisdom and expertise of the Prismid community, every step of the redesign and landscape design process remains firmly rooted in community-centered decision-making.

Key outcomes of the community design process include accessibility, sustainable building practices, design flexibility, and a protected space that fosters physical & emotional safety, inspired by joy and creativity.

The rebuild process is currently completing its design phase and aims to complete the redevelopment in Spring 2027.

Welcoming Abundant, Sustaining Funding

Thus far, our community-led programming and redevelopment project has received funding from the following notable partners and invites additional funding partners to help cultivate and preserve this unique artistic and cultural center for years to come.

Prismid has currently raised 50% of its $7 million rebuild goal. In addition to fundraising to complete the Sanctuary rebuild and operation expenses, Prismid is building a long-term financial model to ensure the Sanctuary grounds and organization remain self-sustaining for decades to come.

In her commitment to establishing a sustainable community-led Sanctuary for artists and culture workers in her hometown, esperanza is leading this radical and creative fundraising effort to provide Prismid the long-term funding which will ensure its success beyond her tenure as co-director.

Learn more at Prismid.org

Press contact: Chris Taillie / Shore Fire / ctaillie@shorefire.com