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Artists in Maine Communities
The following guidelines are designed to assist arts organizations, schools and other community groups to develop collaborative projects that employ Maine artists and provide artistic programs to Maine communities, schools or families. Funded by a Challenge America grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, this program combines activities from all four of the commissions’ major programs: arts in education; contemporary arts; community arts; public art and traditional arts. In addition, projects that enhance Maine’s creative economy efforts are encouraged. In so far as they focus on professional artists within a community setting.
Deadline
The application deadline is March 7, 2008, for projects starting after July 1, 2008.
Completed applications must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. E.S.T. on the on the date listed above in one of the two formats:
- Standard format must be postmarked by mail, a delivery company or be hand delivered to the Maine Arts Commission office, 193 State Street, Augusta, Maine.
- e-GRANT format must be electronically submitted. (See Introducing e-GRANT below.)
Note: e-GRANT applications may require an original signature or artist materials that can not be submitted electronically. These must be postmarked by the deadline as well.
If you are waiting until the last moment, please make sure the postal worker correctly postmarks your package. Applications may also be hand delivered until 5:00 p.m. EST on the day of the deadline, but please make sure you hand materials directly to a staff member. We are not able to accept late applications under any circumstances.
Examples
Examples of initiatives that have been funded under the Artist in Maine Communities grants program below:
- The Bangor Folk Festival in collaboration with the Maine Folklife Center presented a program which highlighted the textiles of Maine’s immigrant communities. This award helped the Bangor Folk Festival, producer of the American Folk Festival, sustain momentum after the National Folk Festival moved to its next community.
- L/A Arts was funded to present the Visual Literacy initiative, in collaboration with the University of Southern Maine/Lewiston Auburn and a Maine painter, poet and actor, to help students and teachers incorporate the visual and performing arts in their daily experiences.
SPACE Gallery’s “Reclaiming Space” presents a year-long, public art program that produces temporal, unexpected public art experiences. The community at large was challenged in their ideas and engaged in a way that focuses thoughts about space usage. Three artists presented intelligent and complex public arts works through the city of Portland as part of the project.
Who is Eligible to Apply
Any community organization that is:
- A nonprofit organization, legally established in the State of Maine,
- and has tax exempt status 501(c)(3) from the Internal Revenue Service,
- or is a unit of local, county, state or tribal government; and
- has completed and filed all final reports required for previous Maine Arts Commission grants.
The initiative must include a nonprofit community organization that serves as the legal applicant and is fiscally responsible for the management of funds, and one or more additional community organizations such as an artist collaboration, a trade organization or a creative economy business.
Applicants must demonstrate a fiscal structure that allows them to legally and responsibly utilize grant funds. An organization, or a program of the same organization, may apply only once in any fiscal year. The maximum award is $7,500. Individual artists may not apply; however, by definition artists must be included in the collaboration through organizations or as individuals. Artist initiatives are sought; however, the actual applicant must be an organization as defined above. Artists must be involved in the planning for any application.
Review Process
The Maine Arts Commission will appoint an ad-hoc committee will include two members of each of the Maine Arts Commission’s standing committees (arts in education, contemporary arts, community arts, and public art) and several public members who have expertise in a variety of art forms. The Artist in Maine Communities committee will review only applications that have been forwarded by staff as complete.
Recommendations will be presented to the Maine Arts Commission on June 15, 2007, who approve the selection process. Funds will be available on July 1, 2007, at the earliest and are dependent on funds received from the National Endowment for the Arts. Please plan accordingly which may mean that grant funds are used to reimburse costs incurred for the project.
Review Criteria
All grant proposals are reviewed on a competitive basis using the following criteria:
- Quality of the process used to involve local residents, including artists, and key members of local organizations.
- Artistic quality of the initiative including the involvement of professional artists within a community setting.
- Incorporation of a planned strategy for implementation and evaluation.
- The ability of the plan to relate to the community's social and economic needs.
- Potential of the project to create visibility and opportunities for Maine artists.
- Potential of the project to increase understanding and collaboration between artists and other community members.
- Financial stability of the applicant.
- Equitable geographical distribution of program funds.
- Potential of the project to inspire other artist and community collaborations.
Projects involving only one artist or projects that have been funded by the Artist in Maine Communities program in the past, may be less competitive.
How to Apply
Guidelines are available in large print format by request. All Maine Arts Commission programs are accessible to people with disabilities. All programs funded by the
Maine Arts Commission must also be accessible.
Introducing e-GRANT
Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply through the Maine Arts Commission new e-GRANT system, the agency’s preferred method for grant filing. Forms to accompany e-GRANT applications can be downloaded on your computer, filled out and electronically uploaded to the e-GRANT system.
e-GRANT provides the following advantages over the standard application format:
- e-GRANT allows applicants who apply for multiple grants to supply contact information only once. Only one copy of the electronic application is required.
- e-GRANT guarantees that an application will be received by the deadline. Applicants are notified as soon as the e-GRANT application is downloaded.
- e-GRANT will not allow an incomplete application to be submitted, but rather will identify missing materials. Complete applications are guaranteed to be reviewed.
- e-GRANT allows an applicant to submit narrative, budget information and resumes, letter of intent, etc. by attaching word processed documents.
- e-GRANT applications may require an original signature or artist materials that can not be submitted electronically. These must also be postmarked by the deadline as well.
Please review the following guidelines carefully in preparing your application materials. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in disqualification of
your application. Only complete applications will be accepted.
Before developing your final application you must discuss your idea or project with a member of the Maine Arts Commission program staff. This is required. Please contact the program personnel best suited to your proposal. For proposals focused on:
- arts in education, contact Paul Faria, 207/287-2790, paul.faria@maine.gov or 877/887-3878 -
 TTY/NexTalk User ID: paul.faria .
- arts creation, presentation or art in public places, contact Donna McNeil, 207/287-2726, donna.mcneil@maine.gov or 877/887-3878 - TTY/NexTalk User ID: donna.mcneil.
- community or traditional arts, contact Keith Ludden, 207/287-2713, keith.ludden@maine.gov or 877/887-3878 - TTY/NexTalk User ID: keith.ludden.
Follow-up with Kathy Ann Shaw, senior development associate, 207/287-2750, kathy.shaw@maine.gov or 877/887-3878 - TTY/NexTalk User ID: kathy.shaw, may be recommended at that point.
If not already chosen the applicant must include Maine artists with who will take part in planning and participating in the proposed project. Applicants may choose artists from around the state or from their own community. Looking for resources? Consult the Maine Arts Commission's Artists and Organizations Directory on MaineArts.com. Artist directories from communities that have been through the Discovery Research process are also a good resource and are available by viewing the Discovery Research Sites area of MaineArts.com, in addition to artist listings on MaineCulture.org. The Maine Arts Commission strongly encourages applicants to work with professional artists.
Applicants who have been encouraged to proceed must provide:
- One Maine Arts Commission Application Form.
- One Application Budget Form providing evidence of cash or in-kind match or volunteer resources (a cash commitment strengthens the application.)
- One State of Maine Vendor Form.
- Up to three letters of support from community members.
- Resumes of key personnel and the names, contact information and resumes for the artists you have chosen.
- Digital images representing a sampling of previous program activities.
- Answers to each of the following questions addressed sequentially and by number. Answers should not exceed in five pages:
- How do you plan? Briefly describe your planning process. Who helped plan and how? How does this project fit a larger community vision? What needs does it meet? What will be the project activities? What will the artists and other participants do? What is your timeline for planning and completing the project?
- What are your goals and outcomes? What are your long-term goals? What would this project help accomplish over the long term as a result of your work and with public funds? What are your short-term intended outcomes or results? What specific difference will the project make for your community, schools, or families?
- Who will participate and benefit? Who are the partners jointly planning this project? Attach resumes of key personnel. Provide evidence that the partners have worked together before or that they have done sufficient planning together so they can succeed with this collaborative project? List the artists. Explain how the artists have or will have participated in the planning of the project. Who will benefit from your program, directly and indirectly?
- How will you manage the project? Who will be responsible for coordinating the project? How will you promote this opportunity to the intended beneficiaries of your project? What financial systems do you have in place to insure your ability to utilize grant funds in a fiscally responsible manner?
- How will you know if you succeed? How will you tell if you achieve your intended outcomes? Summarize what specific evidence you will look for and what is your evaluation plan to collect, analyze and report it.
- How does the initiative further the mission and guiding principles of the Maine Arts Commission?
Please do not submit applications in elaborate file folders or packaging or use fonts below 12-point print. Make copies of all forms and other application materials for your records prior to submitting them to the Maine Arts Commission. If you have questions about your Artists in Maine Communities application, please contact Kathy Ann Shaw, senior development associate & accessibility coordinator, 207/287-2750, kathy.shaw@maine.gov or 877/887-3878 - TTY/NexTalk User ID: kathy.shaw.
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