Category — Community Happenings

“Rethinking the Art Gallery in the Digital Age” with panelists Dan Kany, Bridget McAlonan of the Sylvia Kania Gallery and Andy Verzosa of Aucocisco was a fascinating exploration. “Street Art v. Graffiti,” will be held Tuesday, April 19 and “Sharing Space and Art: Connecting Artists and Businesses,” will be held Tuesday, May 17.  Save the dates!

If you have ideas for a Creative Conversation, or would like to get involved, we’d love to hear from you! Email jhutchins@portlandarts.org.

Portland Maine has one of the most dynamic arts and cultural scenes in the country. Support your many local artmakers, craftspeople, writers, musicians, dancers, performing arts groups, and galleries and help our creative communities thrive. PortlandArts.org/BuyLocal

Two Organizations Join Forces to Invest in City’s Creative People and Businesses

Portland, Maine—The Creative Portland Corporation and the Portland Arts and Cultural Alliance (PACA) announce the appointment of Jennifer Hutchins as full-time executive director, serving both organizations as of December 1, 2010. The hire follows several years of planning by Portland businesses, cultural institutions, artists and city officials to invest in the development and promotion of the city’s creative economy.

“This announcement caps a very successful year for both organizations,” said Andy Graham, Creative Portland board president and owner of Portland Color. “By combining our resources, we want to promote and expand Portland’s creative community and attract talented, motivated people who want to live, work, and set up shop in this exciting, beautiful coastal city.”

Hutchins is currently the director of communications and external affairs for the USM Muskie School and is a co-author of the seminal study, “Maine’s Creative Economy: Measurement and Analysis,” conducted by the Muskie School for Governor John Baldacci’s inaugural Blaine House Summit on the Creative Economy in 2004. Previously, she has been marketing director of Portland Stage Company and an Artsave representative for People For the American Way in Washington D.C.

Since its start in 2008, Creative Portland—made up of representatives of Portland businesses, arts organizations, and independent artists—has raised private financial support from over 20 individuals, corporations, and foundations, won a “Bright Idea” award from Harvard’s Kennedy School for its Creative Economy Tax Increment Financing, and launched two websites — LiveWorkPortland.org and CreativePortland.me — designed to lure highly-skilled people and creative businesses to the city.

Now a subsidiary of Creative Portland, PACA organizes Portland’s nationally-recognized First Friday Art Walk and this year inaugurated summertime trolleys shuttling attendees to art spaces throughout the city. PACA has organized and supported many programs during its 25-year history, including Creative Conversations in collaboration with SPACE Gallery, and research initiatives with the Maine Arts Commission and Americans for the Arts.

“Hiring Jennifer really takes us to the next level,” said Alice Kornhauser, PACA board president and director of marketing and communications at the Portland Symphony Orchestra. “Volunteer support from artists, businesses, community members and organizations continues to be critically important, but a full-time executive director will allow us to focus our combined efforts in a whole new way.”

Creative Portland is a non-profit established by the City of Portland in 2008 to capitalize upon and grow Portland’s creative economy. More information is available at www.liveworkportland.com. In 1997, PACA was designated Portland’s local arts agency by City Council resolution. Its mission is to strengthen Portland by strengthening the arts. More information is available at www.portlandarts.org.

The 2011 Arts Guide Portland is seeking listings! All city arts galleries and artist studios that are open to the public at least 2 days a week receive an annual free listing. Simply fill out this form to be part of this passport to the visual arts, music, dance, stage performances – all things expressive and artistic – in Portland.

Questions about listings or advertising in the guide?

Contact | Tom Urban, Advertising Account Manager

207.772.3373 ext. 112 |turban@themainemag.com

THIS JUST IN!  Note Date & Time!

The Business of Fashion:
What Every Designer and Practitioner Needs to Know

The Intellectual Property Section of the Maine State Bar Association & The Maine Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
Presents:
 
The Business of Fashion:
What Every Designer and Practitioner Needs to Know
Wednesday, September 8, 1:30 – 3:00 pm
Location: Wischamper Center, University of Southern Maine (Portland Campus)

Speaker:  Barbara Kolsun

Ms. Kolsun is a prominent Fashion Lawyer, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Stuart Weitzman, LLC, and Author of Fashion Law. Mrs. Kolsun will speak to the day-to-day concerns and needs of small and growing fashion labels and companies, what fashion law includes (protection strategies, counterfeiting, import/export and distribution, licensing, employment issues, and more) CA’s Proposition 65, the current status of design piracy protection in the United States and abroad, and other issues relating to the legal aspects of the design, manufacturing, and retail of getting products to consumers.
 
This event is free of charge – but due to the limited seating, please contact Chelsea Fournier at chelsea@fgd-law.com to reserve your seat.

Maine Arts Commission Survey-Help us to Help You

In an effort to evaluate our programs and services, and to gather critical information about the cultural sector in Maine, the Maine Arts Commission is administering a short survey to our constituents. Your input will allow the agency to provide services and programs that best suit your needs. You need not be intimately familiar with the Maine Arts Commission to provide helpful information.
 
We estimate that it will take you no more than 15 minutes to complete the survey. Simply click on the link to begin. Take this survey:  http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2yxtie6gbmesxpn/a01qmgdtfyt91/greeting

Film: Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child 

Thursday, September 9, Doors at 7:00 PM, Starts at 7:30 PM, Ends at 9:30 PM, $7 / $5 for SPACE Members, All Ages
 
Location: Space Gallery, 538 Congress Street
 
Centered on a rare interview that director and friend Tamra Davis shot with Basquiat over twenty years ago, this definitive documentary chronicles the meteoric rise and fall of the young artist. In the crime-ridden NYC of the 1970s, he covers the city with the graffiti tag SAMO. In 1981 he puts paint on canvas for the first time, and by 1983 he is an artist with “rock star status.” He achieves critical and commercial success, though he is constantly confronted by racism from his peers. In 1985 he and Andy Warhol become close friends and painting collaborators, but they part ways and Warhol dies suddenly in 1987. Basquiat’s heroin addiction worsens, and he dies of an overdose in 1988 at the age of 27. The artist was 25 years old at the height of his career, and today his canvases sell for more than a million dollars. With compassion and psychological insight, Tamra Davis details the mysteries that surround this charismatic young man, an artist of enormous talent whose fortunes mirrored the rollercoaster quality of the downtown scene he seemed to embody.

Featuring interviews with Julian Schnabel, Larry Gagosian, Bruno Bischofberger, Tony Shafrazi, Fab 5 Freddy, Jeffrey Deitch, Glenn O’Brien, Maripol, Kai Eric, Nicholas Taylor, Fred Hoffmann, Michael Holman, Diego Cortez, Annina Nosei, Suzanne Mallouk, Rene Ricard, Kenny Scharf, among many others.

FMI:  www.space538.org

SPACE Gallery BLOCK PARTY!

a community event involving blocks, breaking barriers, and a Brazilian band
Saturday, September 11, Starts at 6:00 PM, Ends at 9:00 PM, Free, All Ages
BLOCK PARTY! is an unprecedented event for SPACE Gallery, in collaboration with Portland Ovations, The Portland Museum of Art, Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine,Pickwick Independent Press, Portland Symphony Orchestra, and numerous neighbors on Congress Street. The shops, galleries and venues from One Longfellow Square down to Port City Music Hall will transform their “front yards” with the help of local artists. Stop by in front of the PMA to check out Andrea Zittel’sGroup Formerly Known as Smockshop installation and launch event. Make way for the steamroller making giant woodblock prints by some of your favorite Portland artists with Pickwick Press at the controls! Take the kids down the street for hands-on activities and performances provided by the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, plus giant grid games and a host of surprises as we once again close off a portion of Congress Street to celebrate the vitality of Portland’s Arts District. And what block party is complete without dancing? At 7pm we’ll be treated to a special outdoor performance by Sao Paulo, Brazil’s Garotas Suecas who are making waves bringing the best tropicalia and soul to the northern hemisphere.
For detailed event info check out the SPACE website:  www.space538.org.

Mighty Big Yard Sale for Artists

Art supplies, art equipment, studio furnishings, etc. . .
MIGHTY CHEAP

When and Where: 
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18th from 10 – 2pm
54 COVE STREET, PORTLAND

TO SHOP:
Come visit us at The Cove Street Art Center at 54 Cove Street, home of running with scissors studios & find amazing bargains!

TO SELL YOUR STUFF:
Bring your “no longer needed” art supply & studio related stuff & a table and set up at 8:00 am on 9/18 in our parking lot & make some money! No vendor charge!

RSVP to scissorsart@gwi.net

RAIN DATE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19