Press Releases

Congresswoman Pingree at May 5 grants workshop in Augusta.

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree today announced that nine organizations in Maine will receive nearly $900,000 in federal funding through the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to support a range of creative projects throughout the state.  The announcement comes after Pingree held a grants workshop in Augusta yesterday with staff from the NEA, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).  Over 80 representatives of Maine libraries, museums, historic preservation groups, and arts organizations attended.

“We’ve seen in different parts of the state what the arts can do to revive local economies and make the state a more attractive place to live and work.  I’m thrilled that the NEA is investing in so many projects that will keep Maine vibrant, support the creative economy, and make art accessible to all Mainers,” said Pingree.  “All the federal funders who attended our workshop yesterday said that Maine is always one of the most competitive states for funding.  By bringing the agencies to Maine to talk about grant opportunities and connect them with local applicants, I’m hoping we can keep it that way.” 

At the workshop, the three federal agencies made presentations about the kinds of work they fund and tips for successful applications, and took questions from the audience.  Pingree also discussed ways her office is available to support applicants, including writing letters of support.

Pingree is a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, which oversees funding for the NEA and NEH. 

Information on the NEA awards is below. 

Cultural Resources, Inc., Rockport
$21,000
To support New Lives/New England Artists Gatherings.  Folk artists from the Somali Bantu, Tibetan, Burmese/Karen, and Bosnian communities living in New England will present their traditions of music, dance, and textile art to the public. Connecting the immigrant artists from across the region will encourage the maintenance and practice of newcomer traditional arts, develop potential new partnerships, and promote cultural cross-fertilization among the communities.

Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, Deer Isle
$20,000
To support the Open Studio Residency program.  Working in partnership with the Center for Bits and Atoms at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Haystack will offer residencies to artists working in ceramics, fiber, graphics, glass, iron, and wood. Selected through an open call, participants will receive 24-hour studio access, staff support, and time to work in new digital fabrication techniques. Artists will experiment with digital fabrication techniques for cutting, molding, casting, and 3D modeling through the use of control precision equipment. The program's inclusion of scientists, researchers, writers, and other artists from outside the craft field encourages experimentation and cross-disciplinary exchange.

Maine Arts Commission, Augusta
$723,300
To support Partnership Agreement activities.

Maine Fiberarts, Topsham
$10,000
To support the expansion and promotion of the Maine Fiberarts Digital Tour website. The interactive site will highlight profiles of people, artists, and places on a map; display current information about events and exhibitions throughout Maine; and feature photo-illustrated journeys to fiber art destinations. The project will update and refine the tour format, gather new content, and market the site.

Portland Opera Repertory Theatre, Portland
$15,000
To support PORTopera's new production of Verdi's "Aida" and accompanying FILMfest for young filmmakers. The new production will be brought to life by a creative team that may include stage director Dona Vaughn, conductor Stephen Lord, costume designer Millie Hiibel, and Tony Award-winning set and lighting designer Christopher Akerlind. Young filmmakers will choose one of six musical themes from the opera and will work with a writer and musician to use the music as the inspiration to create a short film of their own. The films will be juried and screened in mid-2015 at a Portland theater. Performances at the Merrill Auditorium and related project activities will occur in summer 2015.

Portland Ovations, Portland
$30,000
To support the presentation of multidisciplinary artists and accompanying activities. Portland Ovations will present artists from several disciplines, including dance, chamber music, and world music, among others. In addition to performing, artists will participate in engagement activities, such as master classes, discussions, workshops, and lectures.

Telling Room, Portland
$10,000
To support the Young Writers and Leaders Program. The project includes creative writing, public speaking, and visual arts workshops for Portland youth who have recently immigrated and are enrolled in English classes. Each student is paired with a mentor and together they prepare a personal narrative, which is collected in an anthology. The project culminates with the students giving multimedia presentations to a live audience.

University of Maine, Orono
$25,000
To support "Maine Fiber Folk Arts."  Free-standing panels displaying photographs and text will describe the textile traditions of established and newly identified artists, as well as fiber arts found within the state's emerging immigrant and refugee populations. The panels celebrating the state's textile folk arts will be available to travel to state libraries through the interlibrary loan system.

William A. Farnsworth Library & Art Museum, Inc., Rockland
$40,000
To support an exhibition of the works of artists Edward Hopper and Andrew Wyeth. The project will present pairings of the work of two American artists who sought to redefine realism in contrast with prevailing languages of abstraction. The project will explore the nature of the relationship between Hopper and Wyeth, including the commonalities of their subjects, artistic training, painting styles, public perceptions, and their legacies. The exhibition will be accompanied by a catalogue and related programming.