Pony Up Portland!
July 2026 and beyondPONY UP PORTLAND
A Community Art Project by the Equine Museum of Science and Art 2026 — The Year of the Horse
Portland is about to have a horse problem. We are entirely responsible for it.
Pony Up Portland is a citywide community art project celebrating the Year of the Horse. By creating a city wide pony initiative we hope to uphold unity in our community by combining the rich talents of the people who live here with the small businesses that keep Portland alive. Using our interactive map, community members can track town all of the ponies we have on display!
This project is built by the community, for the community. It is one part art installation, one part city-wide scavenger hunt, and one part horsey love letter to a city that does not yet have a museum dedicated to the horse.
Join us at one of our pony parties or read below to find out how else to get involved.
HOW IT WORKS
Artists, makers, painters, and people with a plastic horse from 1994 sitting in a box are all equally welcome. You can source your own form, bring your own vision, and contact us for pick up. We will find a home for your pony to be admired that is safe and visible at a local small business. Check out the map to see where the ponies are near you!
At the end of the project, pieces will be auctioned, donated to the EMSA permanent collection, or returned to their makers if we have information on file.
There is no size requirement, no experience requirement, and no wrong answer. Small, large, painted, sculpted, found, repurposed, weird, and wonderful are all welcome here.
For those who do not wish to source your own horse, find us at one of our community Pony Painting Parties! We are holding one at Pickathon and one at Cascadia Healing and Integration. We may have more on the way. To stay up to date, visit our Instagram @NWHorseMuseum.
GET INVOLVED
Ready to put a horse somewhere in Portland? Contact us for pick up of your pony and we will place them for you with one of our community partners.
Not an artist but want to support the project? Share the hashtag, follow along, go find the horses, and consider making a donation to help EMSA keep building.[DONATE ]
FIND THE HORSES
Every registered piece gets a pin on our public map. Check back as the project grows and new pieces go up around the city. Some are easy to find. Some are not. That is the point.
Pony Up Portland- Horse Spotting Map
FOLLOW THE PROJECT
Tag your photos with #PonyUpPortland and follow along on Instagram to see new pieces as they appear, meet the artists behind them, and stay connected with what we are building.
[FACEBOOK ]