Category — Uncategorized

The Creative Portland Corporation (CPC) is a newly established non-profit organization created to receive donations, grants, and contributions in support of and to assist the City of Portland’s economic development efforts which enhance, support, and create creative economy business and arts district development and employment opportunities.

The Board of Directors shall consist of thirteen individuals, two of which shall be ex officio members (the Mayor or City Council member, and the City Manager or designee associated with the Economic Development Division). Qualifications: three representatives from each private creative category (creative enterprises, creative organizations, and artists), and two members representing higher education and real estate. All Directors, with the exception of the ex officio members, must be either residents of, own a business located in, or work in the City of Portland.

Additional information is available in the City Clerk’s office, on the City’s website at www.portlandmaine.gov or at 874-8677. Deadline for submission is September 17, 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.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010, from 5:30 pm-7:30pm
113 Masterton Hall on the USM Portland Campus

Please register at intern@mainecenterforcreativity.org

University of Southern Maine and the Maine Center for Creativity invite you to the second installment of this year’s Creative Toolbox & Survival Guide lecture series. This is a topic-specific series of lectures for innovative
individuals who work in Maine’s Creative Economy. Thanks to KeyBank for their generous sponsorship.

Cynthia Thompson, owner of Transformit, www.transformit.com will moderate the panel discussion during the second of this year’s lecture series.

Speakers will include Skip Bates of Bangor Savings Bank, Jane Harmon of Key Bank, Frederick Lipp of Bernstein Shur, Peter Moore of Corporate Finance Associates, Linzee Weld of Slow Money Maine and Nord Samuelson of North Main
LLC.

The discussion will cover how to bridge the different financing options for businesses within the creative sector.

Questions asked of the speakers will include:

1. Where is there common ground between finance and creative?
2. How does one identify what type of funding or investment that you need?
3. How does the Creative prepare for Finance?
4. How does Finance prepare for the Creative?
5. How do you support Genius?

Maine Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts is excited to announce a new opportunity for artists and arts organizations seeking help with law-related questions and issues.

During August 6th’s First Friday Art Walk, we will be hosting a drop-in clinic at our office in the Constellation Gallery at 511 Congress Street from 5:30-7 PM.

Interested artists and arts organizations will be able to spend 15 minutes speaking with a Maine VLA volunteer about a law-related issue of concern to them. Depending on the issue, the Maine VLA volunteer may point the artist or arts organization in the right direction to find an answer on their own, or assist in arranging for a volunteer lawyer to get involved. Appointments will be made on a first come, first serve basis, starting at 5 PM.

Maine VLA does not provide legal advice, and is not a law firm. We help connect artists and arts organizations with information and resources, which in some cases includes assisting in arranging for the artists or arts organizations to obtain legal advice, at a later date, from a volunteer lawyer.

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.