Pingree Unveils Impressive $300,000 Boost for Maine’s 1st District Arts Initiatives!

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree today disclosed $298,000 in grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to assist 11 organizations within Maine’s First District. NEA announced a total of $37 million to support 1,474 arts initiatives nationwide.

“From visual arts and music to drama and literature, the arts are intertwined with the essence of Maine’s legacy, culture, and economy. Funding from the National Endowment for the Arts is crucial for ensuring that art initiatives across the nation have the means to engage, motivate, and fortify the communities they serve,” expressed Congresswoman Pingree, Co-Chair of the Congressional Arts Caucus. “As the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee that supervises the NEA, I have witnessed the transformative influence of investments in the arts on individuals and whole communities. I’m honored to endorse this funding, which will greatly advance the missions of these commendable Maine organizations and uphold the creative essence that characterizes our state.”

“The NEA takes pride in continuing our nearly 60 years of backing the endeavors of organizations and artists who contribute to the formation of our nation’s dynamic arts landscape and communities of all varieties across the country,” stated NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “It is uplifting to observe the vast array of imaginative projects unfolding—those that reflect on our history and prompt us to envision our future, integrate arts and culture in innovative manners within our lives and communities, and offer meaningful opportunities for individuals throughout our nation to unite through a collective arts experience.”

The 10 projects in the First District receiving financial support are as follows:

• $15,000 for the Bowdoin International Music Festival (Brunswick) to assist the festival’s Chamber Music Educational Institute
• $20,000 for the yearly Salt Bay Chamberfest (Damariscotta)
• $45,000 for the Alice James Poetry Cooperative, Inc. (New Gloucester) to facilitate the publication and promotion of poetic works
• $30,000 for the Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts (Newcastle) to support a mentor-mentee artist residency program
• $20,000 for the Maine Academy of Modern Music (Portland) to aid the annual Resurgam Music and Arts Festival
• $20,000 for Mayo Street Arts (Portland) to help fund an international puppetry festival
• $55,000 for Portland Ovations (Portland) to promote a multidisciplinary performing arts series
• $15,000 for Portland Stage Company, Inc. (Portland) to support the inaugural production of “Madeleines” by Bess Welden
• $10,000 for TEMPOart Portland (Portland) to facilitate a temporary art installation
• $45,000 for the Camden International Film Festival (Rockport) to support professional development activities for nonfiction filmmakers and media creators
• $23,000 for Maine Crafts Association (West Gardiner) to promote a master-apprenticeship initiative for contemporary craft artists

This recent round of NEA grants also encompasses funding for four initiatives in Maine’s Second District.

Pingree serves as the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, which supervises funding for the NEA. As Chair of the Subcommittee during the 117th Congress, Pingree managed an Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2023 that allocated the highest-ever funding levels for the arts and humanities, which included $207 million each for the NEA and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

Founded by Congress in 1965, the NEA is an independent federal entity that stands as the largest supporter of the arts and arts education within communities nationwide and serves as a catalyst for both public and private backing for the arts. By promoting equitable avenues for arts engagement and practice, the NEA cultivates and maintains a setting where the arts benefit everyone in the United States.

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