Maine Business Survey - For Arts Business Too!

The 2012 Maine Business Survey is now up and running. Governor Paul LePage and the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development want to hear from as many Maine businesses as possible. This includes businesses in the arts sector, so please contribute to the data if you can.

The feedback generated over the next several weeks will help drive economic policy decisions which will have a direct impact on the bottom line of the Maine Economy. “Businesses are being given a unique opportunity to influence Maine’s future business climate and their very own profitability,” said DECD Commissioner, George Gervais.

The online survey, consisting of approximately 40 questions, asks businesses to rate everyday challenges from attracting and retaining employees to overall infrastructure needs. The questionnaire also digs deeper into specific policy areas such as workforce development, regulation, access to capital and incentives, workers compensation and marketing. Individual responses to the survey will be confidential and included in an overall summary. Maine Businesses, our front line job creators, are being given a terrific opportunity to tell state leaders what needs to be done.

To participate in the survey go to http://www.maine.gov/decd/survey/.

 

Artwalk Maine all Summer Long.

More than eighty artwalks are held each year throughout Maine. These self-guided tours lead visitors to some of Maine’s world-class art museums, galleries, artist studios, and exhibits in local businesses and cafés.  A list of Maine communities that host artwalks can be found at artwalkmaine.org.

In addition to visits to open studios, an artwalk evening may include swank opening receptions, street performances, and a chance to view works in progress or participate in a hands-on workshops. Maine’s artwalks are an intersection of Maine’s contemporary art scene, historic downtowns, the natural world and community hospitality. You can discover artists of island communities, urban centers and revitalized mills. The fine craftsmanship for which Maine is known is on view year round.

Artwalks are traditionally held on Friday evenings from 5-8pm, however, schedules vary and several Maine artwalks take place on Saturday afternoons. More information can be found at artwalkmaine.org.

Maine’s Artists Showcase at Biathlon World Cup

Winter sports enthusiasts will be treated to the best of Maine’s culture in the coming weeks as over 35,000 visitors, including 3,000 members of the European press, descend upon Aroostook County for the 2011 Biathlon World Cup in Presque Isle and Fort Kent for Olympic-level competition.

The Maine Arts Commission has worked with event organizers in an effort to provide the very best in entertainment and cultural offerings for spectators during their two-week stay in Maine. Festivities include live music, exhibitions of Maine art and much more.

In Presque Isle, support from the Maine Arts Commission will allow artisans Thom Cote, Brian Theriault and Laney Lloyd to bring Maine’s traditions alive though demonstrations of carving, traditional snowshoe making and weaving. The funding will also support performing artists as they round out existing offerings for the February 4 and 5 festivities.

In Fort Kent, the events will run for five days beginning on February 9. The 10th Mountain Ski Club has been given funding to support artists at the Lions Pavilion, the University at Fort Kent, the venue at Lonesome Pines, the area high school and the Ice Castle venue.

Support from the Maine Arts Commission will allow for extended programming of artists like Pete Kilpatrick and Dark Hollow Bottling Company. It will also bring The Acadian Singers and local singing sensation Melanie Saucier to the festival to perform traditional songs associated with the St. John Valley. The funds will also help traditional arts exhibitions by local artists involved in weaving, basket making, snowshoe making, rug hooking, wood sculpting, ploys (buckwheat pancakes) and more.

More information for the Presque Isle event can be found online using this link. http://discovernorthernmaine.com/2011-biathlon-world-cup/presque-isle-world-cup/
Information for the Fort Kent event can be found using this link.

Maine Stae Music Theatre new hire

The Maine Arts Commission would like to welcome Amy Mussman to Maine. Amy has joined the staff at Maine State Music Theatre as they expand their costume and props rental business. Amy was formerly the Costume Coordinator for the Washington National Opera in D.C. She is the author of The Prop Master and is a contributing writer for Stage Directions magazine.

It is encouraging to see one of the top arts organizations in Maine hiring and bringing such good people into the state. It is a good example of how the arts contribute to jobs growth and economic profitability as well as bringing cultural vitality to an area. Welcome.

Cultural Facilities Grant Reintroduced

Nonprofit arts organizations are an essential part of Maine’s economy. A recent study of a small portion of Maine’s museums showed that $148 million was generated in sales from these alone each year, and that $7.5 million was generated in tax revenue.

To make sure this essential sector of Maine’s economy is able to accommodate their patrons, the Maine Arts Commission is reintroducing its Cultural Facilities grant for a small window of time. The deadline for applications is January 13, 2011; the maximum grant award is $5,000 and the full guidelines are available at MaineArts.com.
Funded through the New Century Community program, as part of a citizen bond allocated to the seven member organizations of the Maine Cultural Affairs Council, this grant program will offer several one-time grants for new capital projects and renovations, as well as technology projects and/or improvements. The Maine Arts Commission will provide funding for: new construction, repairs or renovations of existing facilities owned and operated by a nonprofit Maine arts organization, or repair, upgrade, or replacement of capital technology equipment for a facility operated by a nonprofit Maine arts organization.

This program was last offered in 2009 and this year’s grant awards will represent the final dispersal of the agency’s facilities funds. In the past the Cultural Facilities grant funded projects at the Haystack Mountain School of Craft’s to assist their plans to upgrade assisted listening equipment and lighting in the school's ADA accessible public Gateway Auditorium. Support was also provided for ADA restroom upgrades to Maine State Ballet’s building on Route One in Falmouth.

Projects do not need to address an ADA upgrade specifically during this round. However, as this year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, priority will be given to organizations that have completed the development of an ADA/504 plan (http://www.arts.gov/about/504Workbook.html) working toward accessibility. For more information about 504 plans, please contact Keith Ludden, accessibility coordinator, 207/287-2713, keith.ludden@maine.gov, Nextalk ID: keith.ludden.

For more information about the grant itself, contact Kathy Ann Shaw, senior grants associate, at 207/287-2750, or through e-mail at kathy.shaw@maine.gov.

Maine Museum Report Released

In 2009, the Maine Arts Commission oversaw research at 14 of Maine’s museums in order to determine their economic impact on the state.

Chuck Lawton, chief economist at Planning Decisions, Inc., and Lindsay Rowe, arts recovery and reinvestment coordinator at the Maine Arts Commission, conducted a survey with museum visitors in order to gather important information about why they attend museums in Maine.

Their findings have now been published in a report titled, Maine Museums: An Economic Impact Study. Among the many interesting facts and figures in this report are the following highlights: approximately 442,000 people visited the 14 museums in 2009, spending approximately $71 million and producing a sales impact close to $148 million. This generated tax revenues for state and local governments of more than $7.5 million.

There are many more facts and figures throughout this concise report which you can now read in its entirety online.

There are many more reports of this nature on the WebPages of MaineArts.com.

Juice Conference Report Published

In November of 2009, the Midcoast of Maine was the place to be for creativity. The second Juice Conference brought over 600 creative sector workers, entrepreneurs and businesspeople together to continue the important task of charting the future of Maine’s creative economy.

The conference boasted keynote speeches from the likes of Nick Spitzer and a dance performance from the talented Liz Lerman Dance Exchange. There were also at least 40 breakout work sessions where attendees shared information and ideas. At the end of the conference feedback was compiled into a final report.

This report is now available online in a PDF document. You can also read reports from the last decade of the creative economy movement in Maine at MaineArts.com.

Governor Signs Memorandum of Understanding on Cultural Initiatives with New Brunswick Premier

Governor John E. Baldacci today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with New Brunswick Premier Shawn Graham to establish a Maine-New Brunswick Cultural Initiative.

Specifically, the MOU recognizes the strong and deep historical, cultural and artistic ties between Maine and New Brunswick. The agreement calls for further exploration of collaborative cross-border cultural projects, as well as business and cultural trade opportunities. Among the specific projects that the Cultural Initiative will provide support to is the upcoming 2014 World Acadian Congress. That event will be held in an area encompassing northern Maine, T�miscouata, Quebec and northwestern New Brunswick.

“Maine’s ties with our friends in New Brunswick are strong. I am pleased that in the past few years we have expanded our partnerships, especially in the areas of education, energy and the economy,” said Governor Baldacci. “The agreement we sign today builds on these ties and will enhance our creative economies.”

“This initiative builds on the long tradition of friendship New Brunswickers have enjoyed with the people of Maine,” said Premier Graham. “We look forward to sharing the rich culture of our communities and artists with our neighbors and identifying new opportunities for cooperation in the promotion of arts and culture.”

The MOU was signed by the two leaders during the 34th Conference of the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers being held in Lenox, Massachusetts.

As part of the agreement, Maine and New Brunswick will each appoint one person to serve as the point of contact for the tasks outlined in the MOU. Governor Baldacci has appointed Donna McNeil, the Director of the Maine Arts Commission, to fill this role for the State. The points of contact will report back to both governments by Dec. 1, 2010, to provide initial assessment of priorities after collecting input from cultural industry stakeholders.

Full details can be found on the Maine.gov website.

Bangor Daily News Highlights Maine's Creative Economy

In part one of a two-part look at Maine's Creative Economy, Emily Burnham, journalist at the BDN, highlights what has happened in Bangor in recent years, and how the arts have played an important part in Bangor's transition.

Accompanying Emily's article is the video below. In this video you will hear the views of gallery directors, artists and business owners as they explain what how the creative economy has changed Bangor in a positive way.

Maine’s Creative Economy Model Could Guide the Nation

The Maine Arts Commission Director met with the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, Rocco Landesman, and U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree in Washington Tuesday to discuss the success of Maine’s Creative Economy.

Stories documenting this meeting have appeared in the Portland Press Herald on January 19 and in the Bangor Daily News on January 20. Click the names of these papers to read these articles.

Creative Economy Featured on MaineBiz Sunday

Maine Arts Commission Chair John Rohman talks with Skip Bates and Amber Heffner about the Creative Economy on MaineBiz Sunday.

Announcing the 2009 Juice 2.0 Conference

The 2009 Juice Conference takes place on November 13 and 14 in Downtown Camden. It will bring together over 500 of Maine’s most creative entrepreneurs, artists, innovators and statewide leaders at the intersection of technology, tradition and design for the purpose of charting the future of Maine’s economy.

This conference, “Building Maine’s Innovation Networks,” asks participants from across the state to come together to explore the power of creativity and innovation in protecting Maine’s quality of place while transforming Maine’s economy. The themes of connecting our history with the future, investing in technology and design, introducing young and established leaders, fostering art and culture, and protecting and promoting our natural resources, reflect the elements of the creative economy that will be central throughout the conference.

To learn more, or to become involved visit the Juice blog for full details.