Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that eleven organizations in Maine have been awarded a total of $280,000 to enhance performing arts and literature programs.  This funding was awarded through the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

“Arts and humanities programs help communities exercise their creativity and maximize their learning potential,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement.  “This federal funding will help to support organizations throughout Maine that are dedicated to advancing our state’s rich cultural opportunities.”

The funding was allocated as follows:

·         Alice James Books in Farmington received $30,000 to support the publication and promotion of new books of poetry;

·         Bowdoin International Music Festival in Brunswick received $10,000 to support faculty concerts during the festival, a resident teaching program;

·         Cultural Resources in Rockport received $20,000 to support the Wabanaki Traditional Arts Mentorship program;

·         Adam Giannelli, Visiting Assistant Professor of English, Colby College in Waterville, received $25,000 to support activities that contribute to creative development and artistic growth;

·         Opera Maine in Portland received $10,000 to support a new production of Gaetano Donizetti’s Don Pasquale;

·         Points North Institute in Camden received $20,000 to support the annual Camden International Film Festival and associated public programming;

·         Portland Museum of Art in Portland received $45,000 to support an exhibition of the work of painter Dave Driskell;

·         Portland Stage Company in Portland received $20,000 to support the Clauder Competition for New England Playwrights;

·         Bates College in Lewiston received $40,000 to support artists both teaching and presenting their work at the Bates Dance Festival;

·         Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Madison received $30,000 to support residencies for emerging artists working primarily in painting and sculpture; and

·         Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts in Newcastle received $30,000 to support mentor and mentee residencies, with a focus on advancing ceramic artists of color.

The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent federal agency established in 1965 whose funding and support give Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities.  Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America.