Contemporary Art

	Ruby Lerner

Creative Capital Comes to Maine

Ruby Lerner, director of Creative Capital Foundation, was welcomed by Maine early in June 2006, as part of a state arts research program. In an effort to broaden the constituency of artists served by Creative Capital, an organization devoted to granting the most adventurous forms of creative investigation, the foundation put out a call to all the states excluding New York and California, to apply for a two phase grant. Phase I, for which Maine and Arizona were selected, provides consultants to each state to analyze the infrastructure support for artists. These assessments will be delivered to each state and used by Creative Capital to make an assessment regarding the feasibility of partnering for further artist support projects in Maine and/or Arizona.

Ruby Lerner, a dynamic and passionate artist advocate, held an open forum for artists at Maine College of Art, met with philanthropic organizations and artists, visited artist studios, attended a performance and had breakfast with Governor John Elias Baldacci and First Lady Karen Baldacci, John M. Rohman, chair of the Maine Arts Commission and chair of the Creative Economy Council and Maine Arts Commission Director, Alden Wilson. It was due to the work of Maine’s Creative Economy initiative coupled with Maine’s long and rich history as a haven for artists that caught the attention of Creative Capital. In early of 2007 Maine will formulate next steps with the foundation, to strengthen Maine’s support for individual artists.