Northeast Alberta Street is largely residential until it crosses Northeast 14th Avenue and becomes what is known informally as the Alberta Arts District. Although not considered a neighborhood in its own right, it’s a unique and dynamic area that attracts people from all over the city.

The Alberta Arts District presents itself in earth-tones and motifs quite distinct from other areas and reflects Latino, Asian, and African-American sensibilities. That’s not surprising, given its history as one of the oldest sections of Portland.

At first glance, the name “Alberta Arts District” may seem a little overstated when taking into account the number of galleries on the street. But when one discovers that nearly every business – from restaurants and bars to the finest in dress shops, with very little exception – functions as a gallery with a rotating roster of artists represented on their walls, one begins to understand the full nature of this community’s devotion to art.