Seeking unaffiliated artists to exhibit in PACA’s office (shared with the Portland Downtown District) at 549 Congress Street for First Friday Art Walk. Interested? Email info (at) portlandarts.org for details.

Creative Portland is seeking a member for the board from the higher education sector. Help strengthen Portland’s creative sector! Additional information is available in the City Clerk’s office, on the City’s website at http://www.portlandmaine.gov/board.htm or at 874-8677. Deadline for submission is July 16, 2010. Please send a resume and cover letter to Appointments Committee Chairman, c/o Linda C. Cohen, City Clerk, 389 Congress Street, Portland ME 04101 or lcc@portlandmaine.gov. Applicants will be contacted for interviews.”

PACA is seeking an Executive Director, responsible for the leadership and management of our organization. We are at an exciting moment in our history, poised to expand our services and programs in partnership with Creative Portland, and we are seeking a part-time Executive Director who can effectively lead this effort.  

You are the ideal candidate for this job if you:

• Live and/or work in Portland
• Are highly motivated, visible and flexible.
• Love to attend networking and community events, including but not limited to City Council meetings, arts events, etc.
• Can cultivate and maintain relationships.
• Have 3-5 years experience in non-profit management or fundraising and a proven track record in successful fundraising and/or marketing.
• Have excellent skills in communication (both verbal and written) and event planning and management.
• Have excellent organizational skills, the ability to multi-task, anticipate, set priorities and meet deadlines.
• Are passionately interested in the Portland arts community!

Here is what you would do:

Current Programs

PACA’s ongoing programs include First Friday Art Walk, Creative Conversations

• Oversee all aspects of developing and distributing promotional materials including design/printing, web, social media and email
• Distribute press releases
• Solicit partnerships and sponsorships
• Provide administrative support to the Portland Public Art Committee

Community Outreach and Communications

• Actively represent PACA in the community
• Establish relationships and leverage networks with arts advocacy organizations on the local, regional and national level
• Conduct outreach and establish partnerships with other organizations
• Maintain press contacts and relationships
• Process and respond to correspondence and communications

Grants & Fundraising

• Research and develop funding sources for current and prospective programs
• Develop and maintain contacts database (mail/email)
• Develop and maintain a yearly calendar for grant submissions
• Acknowledge and track gifts, steward donors
• Write grants and followup reports

Administration & Business

• Develop and maintain vendor relationships
• Provide administrative support to Board
• Develop and oversee annual budget in collaboration with Board
• Financial management including bookkeeping, processing accounts receivable, etc.
• General office tasks such as filing, processing mailings, etc.

Qualifications Requirements

Demonstrated verbal and written communication skills, including public speaking.  Computer skills together with fluency in office applications (Word, Excel, Quickbooks) and social media. Strong interpersonal skills with proven ability to work collaboratively with the volunteer Board of Directors. Proven record of establishing and maintaining strong relationships with artists and non-profit organizations in the community.

Compensation

Commensurate with experience. The position is an independent contractor (minimum 20 hours a week), and could become full time with increased funds and expansion.

How To Apply

Email resume and cover letter to info@portlandarts.org by Friday, June 11.

About Portland Arts and Cultural Alliance (PACA):
Founded in 1985 and designated as the City of Portland, Maine’s local arts agency in 1997, PACA’s core programs include First Friday Art Walk and Creative Conversations. PACA also provides support to the City of Portland’s Public Art Committee as well as Maine Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. PACA was the facilitating agency for Portland’s participation in the Maine Arts Commission’s Discovery Research and “Arts and Economic Prosperity” national survey through Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. For more information, visit www.portlandarts.org.

PACA winds up our Spring series of Creative Conversations on Wednesday May 19 with The Lightbulb Sessions.

The Lightbulb Sessions is about inspiring and being inspired by “those flashes of light when you get a really cool idea” and the hard work it takes to see those ideas come to fruition. For this event, PACA welcomes several arts community “movers and shakers” to discuss recently developed projects that have made Portland a more exciting, interesting, and creative place to be. A series of short presentations will be followed by an informal workshop to ask questions, help develop ideas, learn how to get involved… and hopefully leave participants with a light bulb of their own. Presenters for this inaugural program include Annie Larmon and Petra Simmons (Crit Club), Spencer Albee and Mark Curdo (Clash of the Titans), Lisa Pixley (Pickwick Independent Press), Michelle Souliere (The Green Hand Bookstore), Ahna Galatea (Dirty Dishes Burlesque) and others.

All PACA’s Creative Conversations take place at SPACE Gallery, 538 Congress Street in Portland, Maine www.space538.org. Doors open at 6:30 PM, and programs run from 7 to 9 PM. The events are free and open to the public. Visit www.portlandarts.org or call Cathy Valenza at (207) 772.6828 for more information.

Free trolleys for First Friday Art Walk  starting May 7!
The trolley will make the following loop every hour, beginning at 4:30, with the last run at 7:30. Each stop will be about 5 minutes.

1. Longfellow Square (start)
2. Congress Square
3. Monument Square Washington Avenue @ Congress St.
4. India Street @ Middle Street
5. Exchange Street @ Middle Street
6. Longfellow Square (return)

The free trolley service is financed by the Portland Arts & Cultural Alliance, with generous donor support. If you or
your organization would like to sponsor the trolley please contact PACA at info@portlandarts.org or at 772-6828.
Special thanks to Portland Discovery Land & Sea Tours, owners and operators of the Portland trolleys.