Be nice (white), you’re in Bend

Scalehouse Gallery in Bend, Oregon opened a show on Friday, August 6th provocatively titled, “Be Nice White, You’re in Bend.” The artists behind the exhibit are a collective that began as an informal Facebook post hoping to connect people of color in Central Oregon during the pandemic.

They gave their Facebook group a utilitarian name that they believed would help others find them. And now the collective known as Central Oregon Black, Indigenous, People of Color or COBIPOC has expanded from its virtual gathering space to online zines and now, the walls of a gallery.

Two of COBIPOC’s members sat down with Arts & Culture producer, Claudia Meza to discuss this evolution.