Esperanza Spalding's dream project looks like it's a go.
The Grammy-winning Portland musician has raised the $300,000 she needs to help build a sanctuary that will nurture BIPOC artists. A post on Spalding's Instagram credited "our angel-fairy donor who appeared and so generously brought us to the finish line."
A spokeswoman for Spalding confirmed that an anonymous donor chipped in. The artist's GoFundMe page indicated $151,000-plus had been raised as of Monday.
Spalding had sought to collect $1,000 from 300 donors to help purchase three-quarters of an acre in North Portland. She acknowledged in an interview with the PBJ that she had trouble getting a loan to purchase the land despite having cash in the bank, possibly because she's actively avoided using credit cards.
The space will feature an indoor shop, a library, a cafe and a wrap-around deck for community meetings, meals and music sharing. The basement will hold studios for both recording and rehearsals.
Our full interview with Spalding will run online this week and in our Friday PBJ print edition.
