For the past couple years, fans of independent and underground music from all over Louisville have discovered a hidden treasure near 20th and Main Street in Portland: the Rosetta Chapel, a performance space which has hosted dozens of bands of all varieties, and also happens to be the home of Daniel Barber, a multi-media sculpture artist. He started out having dance parties with his friends, and the scene organically expanded into serving as a home for live music. The home’s namesake, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, is the “godmother of rock and roll,” the gospel blues singer and guitar innovator from the 1930s and ‘40s who influenced the likes of Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Tina Turner and Elvis Presley. The striking mural on the side of the church was created by prominent local artist Damon Thompson, whose work can be found on urban spaces all over Louisville.
Category: Local Events
Portland Now Community Picnic and Back to School Drive a Success!
The sound of children’s laughter, flowing from the bouncy house, and the chatter of neighbors pondering their hopes for the neighborhood, filled the air at the Portland Now Community picnic. We had hoped forty folks might show up, you can imagine our delight when over seventy people came to the event.
New Directions Breaks Ground on New Roosevelt Senior Housing Project in Portland
New Directions Housing Corporation broke ground on the Roosevelt Senior Apartments at 225 N. 18th Street in the Portland Neighborhood. This $8.9 million dollar project will create 36 subsidized one-bedroom apartments for seniors 62 and older. These apartments will be fully ADA compliant, with such features as roll-in showers, dishwashers, and fully accessible washer and dryer units
The Portland Free Wedding Day!
I am happy to announce that the Portland Free Wedding Day was a success! The first wedding was of Stephane and Charles “Pico” Mitchell, and the second; Tiffany and Matt Cotton. Each wedding was uniquely lovely and memorable. The day was so wonderful and we are hoping to make the Portland Free Wedding Day an annual event!
Neighborhood House Serves Portland’s Young and Seniors Alike
Read this month’s round of Neighborhood House News to learn about their new Pathways program for young adults, a senior’s trip to Shepherdsville, and preschool graduation!
Portland Now Welcomes New Directors With Community Picnic
In June of every year, Portland Now has an annual meeting to elect a board of directors for the coming year. We are proud to announce that we added nine new directors this year, who will join the ten returning members. All of our Portland Now directors have strong ties to the neighborhood and a deep desire to work in collaboration with others to advocate for the common good of Portland.
Squallis Puppeteers Returns to Portland With New Headquarters
Squallis Puppeteers have moved into the neighborhood with a new headquarters next door to the Portland Museum! Read their history here in Portland from Executive Director Nora Christensen.
Now, That’s Some Mighty Fine Print: Reflections from CeLOUbrate Print 2025
This spring, I worked with the Portland Museum to reprise our annual community printmaking project CeLOUbrate Print. Sustaining the heart of our programming, we again hosted free traveling woodcut workshops, culminating in a day of collaborative printing, during which these community woodcuts (hand-carved wooden stamps) were inked up and driven over with a steamroller to print them.
New Faces, New Mural, and New Flowers at Louisville Grows
Read the latest updates from Louisville Grows including new additions to their staff, an upcoming arts exhibition, and new flowers blooming around Portland.
City and Neighborhood Leaders Congratulate Portland Anchor on 50 Years!
Louisville’s oldest neighborhood newspaper the Portland Anchor celebrated its 50th anniversary in July 2025 with a special 40-page issue filled to the brim with original reporting and community submissions, including a fair share of congratulations from community leaders and figures from the Anchor’s past and present including Mayor Greenberg, Gordon Brown, and more!