New $10,000 Residency Opportunity for Maine Artists

The Maine Arts Commission and the New Brunswick Arts Board are working together on a cross-border artist residency program. Artists from Maine can apply for up to $10,000 to cover a one-to-three month residency for a creation-based or professional development project in New Brunswick, Canada.

This grant provides up to $10,000 to a Maine artists and the deadline for applications is April 1, 2012.

The grant provided by the Maine Arts Commission under this program is $3,000 maximum for one month, $6,000 maximum for two months and $9,000 maximum for three months. It is intended to cover the following expenses: the artist's personal insurance, accommodation and living expenses. It will also cover the costs of purchasing, transporting and insuring the materials required to carry out the project. Applicants may also request up to an additional $1000 to cover their travel expenses to and from their place of residency. One Creative Residency grant will be granted per year.

The proposed residency must take place between April 1, 2012 and March 31, 2013. Funding will be made available after June 15, 2012.

Interested Artists should contact Vanessa Moeller at Artsnb for assistance with finding an appropriate residency opportunity in New Brunswick. Her e-mail is vmoeller@artsnb.ca. If you already have a New Brunswick residency in mind, please visit the Maine Arts Commission’s website or contact Donna McNeil at donna.mcneil@maine.gov, 207/287-2726.

Maine - New Brunswick Memorandum of Understanding Phase One Report

The task-force assigned to study cross-border cultural exchange between Maine and New Brunswick submitted their report today. Task-force Members Donna McNeil, Hugh French and Kerstin Gilg presented findings that cite jobs growth and increased economic vitality between the two regions as the most significant outcomes of future regional collaborations.

The report, presented jointly to Governor Baldacci of Maine and Premier David Alward of New Brunswick, is the first of two called for by a Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier this year between leaders of both regions in order to enhance the mutual benefits of cultural relations.

Some encouraging information within the report includes
- Over 32,240 Maine jobs are supported through Canada/U.S. trade.
- Canadians made over 885,400 visits to Maine in 2008, spending an estimated $266 million.
- Visitors to Maine museums alone create an annual sales impact of $148 million with a contribution to state and local taxes of over $7.5 million.
- Cultural and heritage travelers contribute $192.3 billion to the U.S. economy annually and their average spending is $994 (compared to $611 for other leisure travelers).
- Three of the top five vacation activities of 2011 are projected be cultural; these include visits to festivals, visits to art museums and touring historic sites.

The full report can be found at the Maine arts Commission website