XRAY is thrilled to announce that we are officially moving to a new home in Southeast Portland! In partnership with Kickstand Comedy, XRAY's new headquarters will be at the corner of SE10th and Hawthorne beginning this fall. Our transition to this new location will enable XRAY to make better radio and engage with the public in a new accessible arts & civics hub where we will host a broad array of events and gatherings.
Since 2014, XRAY's mission has been “to hold a microphone up to the best and most distinctive of Portland. To build a culturally relevant center for ideas, music, and creativity in service of a more open media and a more just community.” For more than a decade, we've delivered on the first part: we're incredibly proud of the radio our volunteers produce, and we've been selected as the best radio station in Portland 5 times in our short history. Delivering on our aspirations for the second part has been harder. XRAY's studio is a part of the wonderful Falcon Arts Community in North Portland, but we haven't been able to host the public or fully engage with performing musicians from this home. In our new location, we hope to live up to the breadth of our entire mission statement.
XRAY's staff & volunteers have been working on this move for nearly two years and the transition is rapidly approaching. Countless hours have been spent planning, designing, coordinating, and haggling for building permits. We are working on a tight budget and timeline: Please help push XRAY across the finish line and get ready for our grand opening in September 2026!
Donate today support XRAY's move! Check out the FAQ below for more information! Donate
FAQ
Why is the move necessary?
Currently, XRAY's studios and offices are on separate floors in a North Portland apartment building: the Falcon Arts Community. Though we are thankful for the community support in the Falcon, a number of challenges have limited XRAY's ability to serve Portland. First, the building is not accessible for most people with mobility challenges, which is problematic for an organization committed to equity and inclusion. Second, the spaces XRAY occupies were not designed to host a public-facing entity. We don't have any space that can host a gathering of more than 8 people comfortably nor can our programmers host bands for on-air performances. Third, XRAY is invisible from outside the building. This makes it difficult for the public to discover XRAY in our digital age, which narrows that station's reach. Our new space addresses all of these impediments and has many additional advantages. We hope you visit soon to see for yourself!
What will XRAY do in this new studio/headquarters?
We have big plans! First, all of our DJs & hosts will have access to both larger and improved studios. These spaces will both connect to an open space that bands and other guests can use for live performances. Our new spaces will offer increased video production and streaming functionality, allowing XRAY to capture and distribute its programming online in new, compelling ways. In many other ways, we expect the new location to allow XRAY to offer a better on-air/listening experience to the audience and to increase the breadth of programming we offer.
The studios are only a part of the new facility. Formerly a micro-brewery, our new home will allow all kinds of community gatherings. When bands perform, we'll be able to host an in-studio audience. While we're programming on-air, our open space can be used for events and gatherings that won't interrupt programming in the sound-proof studios: record swaps, book clubs, civics education, media literacy training, happy hours – our space is designed to be activated by our broad community's interests. When the sun is shining we can roll up an industrial garage door to welcome in the community & we can't wait to see who gathers in our new home!
When will XRAY move into the new SE Portland headquarters?
After a long development and permitting process, renovation of our space began in March 2026, and we anticipate moving in during July-August. Over the summer, we expect to temporarily conduct on-air broadcasts remotely while our existing studio is decommissioned and equipment is moved into the new facilities. The full transition to SE Portland will be staged, with XRAY's office operations beginning first, the broadcast operations next, and then public events commencing at the end of Summer, 2026.
How is XRAY paying for this move?
XRAY runs a tight ship! Our operations are overseen by just two full-time employees and a handful of other folks who work part-time for the station. The majority of our on-air programming is made by volunteers and XRAY's board of directors offers additional volunteer support. Operating in the new SE Portland location will cost a little more, month-to-month, than staying in our current home and the renovations require, of course, a substantial investment.
XRAY is paying for this move largely with contributions from donors like you. Individual donors + foundation support provides the bulk of XRAY's annual funding. XRAY is fortunate to have stable funding that is creditworthy, which allowed us to accelerate this move with a construction loan. Paying this loan back sooner, rather than later, will allow XRAY to fully realize the potential of its new home.
How can I support?
XRAY can use support in two key ways. First, any donation you make today will go directly to the costs of construction and equipment needed to finish this move. We have worked very hard to make this move as affordable as possible, and yet some things (we're looking at you, HVAC!) are always much more expensive than you ever expect. Your support now will help XRAY not just move into the new space, but thrive in it. With enough funding, XRAY will be able to fully outfit our new home to maximize its potential sooner, benefiting every listener.
Second, we need your ideas and creativity. We've got 10+ years of experience running a radio station, but this will be our first time operating a community venue. Do you have ideas for events that we should host? Time to help coordinate or staff an event? Ideas of communities that we should connect with? Please reach out to be involved: info@xray.fm!
Any donation you make today will go directly to the costs of construction, equipment and materials needed to finish this move! We've already started building, it's your chance to get in on the ground floor and help us build something incredible.
Anyone that supports our campaign at $25 or more will be listed in our big thank you shoutout at the end of the campaign. Giving levels are listed below. Each level of giving receives the thank you rewards from the level before it.
Donate- $25 and up, recognition in our official thank you at the conclusion of the campaign
- $50 and up, thank you postcard with invitation to view the new space when construction is finished
- A limited run of individually numbered art prints will be available for supporters giving $107.1 and up
- $250 will get your name memorialized on a plaque as part of the wall of fame supporters in the new station
- $500 and above will receive all the prior gifts PLUS you'll be invited to a private music performance and soft opening of the new studio with other station insiders, DJs, board and staff
- $1,000 and up donors will be included in our campaign wall of fame plaque, and receive an invite to the private performance, along with a special token of gratitude from one of our volunteer DJs
- $2,500 and up donors will be included in our campaign wall of fame plaque, and receive an invite to the private performance, along with a special token of gratitude from one of our volunteer DJs
- $5,000 and up donors will be included in our campaign wall of fame plaque, and receive an invite to the private performance, along with a special token of gratitude from one of our volunteer DJs
Interested in naming rights?
If you are interested in making a large donation above $5,000 to our project and would like to know more about opportunities to support personally or in honor of your business or charitable foundation, please contact our staff at thanks@xray.fm to inquire about the availability of naming rights for our studios and facilities.
Your support will go a long way towards ensuring that arts and civics are accessible for all and is a great way to expose your values to our community.
* Final art subject to change
Have materials to donate? Want to throw a fundraising house party? Have other ideas with ways to support our move? Let us know at thanks@xray.fm!
DonateIf you have donated to XRAY before, you can log in to our donor portal to edit an existing recurring donation or see your giving history. Have a current membership issue you need help resolving? Email thanks@xray.fm or call us at 503-233-2700 to talk to a staff member.
Prefer to mail a check? Checks made out to XRAY.FM can be mailed to PO Box 12147, Portland, OR 97212
You can also support us in other ways, like donating an unused and/or non-working vehicle, considering including XRAY in your estate plans, or seeing if your employer will match your donation.
Cascade Educational Broadcast Service (assumed business name XRAY.FM) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. As such all donations are tax-exempt to the extent allowed by law, with cumulative tax receipts sent via email in January of the following year. Our EIN is 46-2172193.