MICA Conference Workshops

 

 

Workshop Descriptions

The Maine International Conference on the Arts boasts an incredible array of workshops and discussion sessions designed for everyone in the cultural community. The professional development workshops will be led by experts who will structure their time to include advice and training that is readily implementable by all. The discussion sessions will allow attendees to learn, share creative ideas, network and build long-lasting collaborations.  

Breakout sessions are offered in five tracks that mirror the Commission’s priorities as outlined in its new Cultural Plan, “Fortifying Maine’s Creativity and Culture.” The plan culminates in Maine’s bicentennial in 2020.

For a PDF workshop schedule (October 7), please click here.

 

Leveraging Investment
Breakout 1: The Other Half of Your Story: Using Data to Strengthen Impact
Breakout 2: Building Strong Communities Through Cultural Planning  
Breakout 3: Best Way to Fund Your Work: Meet and Know Your Funders!   
Breakout 4: Maine's Cultural Affairs Council, Leading the Celebration of Maine's Bicentennial
 
Building Capacity
Breakout 1: Strong Boards, Healthy Organizations: Fundraising, Roles, and Best Practices
Breakout 2: To Be A Working Artist: Creating a Career in the Arts
Breakout 3: Keep Calm and Carry On: Working with the Life Cycle of Your Nonprofit
Breakout 4: Tools for Success for Individual Artists
 
Visibility of the Arts & Cultural Sector
Breakout 1: Audiences Everywhere, Part 1 of 2 (must register for both Parts 1 and 2)
Breakout 2: Audiences Everywhere, Part 2 (only if you have registered for Part 1)
Breakout 3: Creative Industries for a Stronger Maine
Breakout 4: Tell Your Story: Get Your Sound Bite On
 
Arts Education & Lifelong Learning
Breakout 1: Story and Images from Malawi: No One Can Show You the Sun, Dzuwa Salodzelano
Breakout 2: STEAMing It Up in Maine
Breakout 3: Intergenerational Programming, Traditional Arts, and Creative Aging
Breakout 4: Creativity: A Group Inquiry
 
Promoting Cultural Tourism
Breakout 1: Is Tourism for you? A Practical Guide to Tourism and its Benefits
Breakout 2: Sell it: Meet Maine's Market Segments!
Breakout 3: Cultural Collaborations and Partnerships
Breakout 4: Deepening the Experience and Building Audiences
 
    

Leveraging Investment - Breakout 1

 

9:30-10:30 a.m. — The Other Half of Your Story: Using Data to Strengthen Impact

 

Workshop Description:  Artists and arts organizations tell great anecdotal stories about our successes, but rarely have the data to back up reported impact. Learn from practitioners how to make data “the other half” of your story and to strengthen your case.
     
Presenters:
Cheri Leach, CEO, Raven Hill Discovery Center
Mary Garcia Charumilind, DataArts/Cultural Data Project
Dee Schneidman, NEFA Culture Count
Facilitator: Linda Nelson, Maine Arts Commission. 
Location:  Room 1
 

 

     

Leveraging Investment - Breakout 2

 

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. — Building Strong Communities Through Cultural Planning

 

Workshop Description:  There’s always so much to do in implementing our programs it is often tempting to work without a plan. But the dirty little secret of planning is that the process itself builds consensus and collective action, increasing overall impact. Learn from the experts how cultural planning can accelerate growth in your communities. (Cultural plans are now a requirement for the Commission’s CCED grant program; communities interested in applying should attend.)
     
Presenters: 
Saskia Reinholt, Reinholt Consulting
Julie A. Richard, Maine Arts Commission
Location:  Room 1
 

 

    

Leveraging Investment - Breakout 3

2:00-3:00 p.m. — Best Way to Fund Your Work: Meet and Know Your Funders!  

 

Workshop Description:  Who funds the arts in Maine, and what do you need to know and do to get funded? Join Barbara Edmond, the director of the Maine Philanthropy Center, as she leads this conversation with some of the state’s key funders from different sectors.
     
Presenters: 
Barbara Edmund, Maine Philanthropy Center
Daniela Jacobson, NEFA
Steve Rowe, Maine Community Foundation
Location:  Room 1
 
 
 

 

   

Leveraging Investment - Breakout 4

3:30-4:30 p.m. — Maine's Cultural Affairs Council, Leading the Celebration of Maine's Bicentennial

Workshop Description:  What IS the Cultural Affairs Council, and how can you engage with efforts to celebrate Maine’s Bicentennial in 2020? Understand this important part of the state’s cultural infrastructure and how we can work together to deepen the impact of the arts in culture in our state.
     
Presenters: 
Hayden Anderson, Maine Humanities Council
Bernard Fishman, Maine State Museum
Peter Merrill, Maine State Housing Authority
Julie Richard, Maine Arts Commission
Jamie Ritter, Maine State Library
 
Location:  Room 1

 

 

Building Capacity - Breakout 1

9:30-10:30 a.m. — Strong Boards, Healthy Organiztions: Fundraising, Roles, and Best Practices

 

Workshop Description: 
 We all know a strong board is the key to nonprofit success but the keys to developing a strong board can be difficult to realize. Hear how those who’ve done it in Maine have developed and lead effective boards and furthered the fundraising and overall effectiveness of their organizations.
     
Presenters: 
Beckie Conrad, MECA and Lewiston
Rich Howe, Opera House Arts
Jennifer Hutchins, Maine Association of Nonprofits
Larry Rubinstein, Portland Museum of Art
Mitch Thomas, Franco Center
 
Location:  Room 2
 

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Building Capacity - Breakout 2

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. — To Be A Working Artist:  Creating a Career in the Arts

 
Workshop Description:  Explore how one finds voice, develops it, and uses it to create a professional career as a working artist. Crista Cloutier uses her own background as an arts dealer, curator, publisher, writer and artist to illustrate her message of the importance of practice, authenticity, and the coupling of tenacity with audacity. She also speaks of the counteless artists with whom she has collaborated, both blue-chip and just-emerging, and the lessons they have taught her about devotion to craft and work.
     
Presenter:  Crista Cloutier, The Working Artist
Location:  Room 2
 
 

Building Capacity - Breakout 3

2:00-3:00 p.m. — Keep Calm and Carry On: Working with the Life Cycle of Your Nonprofit

 

Workshop Description:  Maine’s nonprofit cultural organizations are at many different stages in their life cycles: from start-ups to adolescents to those transitioning to the next generation of leadership. Learn how to most effectively and proactively understand and work with the needs and benefits of these organic life cycles to sustain and advance your institution.
     
Palelists: 
Amanda Houtari, Celebration Barn
Chris L'Hommedieu, Community Little Theater
Peter Simmons
Facilitator:  Linda Nelson, Maine Arts Commission
Location:  Room 2
 
 

Building Capacity - Breakout 4

3:30-4:30 p.m. — Tools for Success for Individual Artists

 

Workshop Description:  Fractured Atlas, a nonprofit helping artists across America, and Wicked Good Web, a regional web services agency, will discuss a variety of services, tools, and technology for building a thriving arts business, including fiscal sponsorship, tracking patrons, building an effective website, and leveraging the right social media platforms.
     
Presenter: 
Fractured Atlas: Tools for Success for Individual Artists
Location:  Room 2
 

    

Visibility of the Arts & Cultural Sector - Breakout 1

9:30-10:30 a.m. — Audiences Everywhere, Part 1 of 2 (Attendees must register for both Parts 1 and 2.) 

 

Workshop Description: 
 This workshop delivers practical guidance on how to advance your organization’s artistic mission, financial stability and audience engagement. Discover a whole-organization approach to understanding and serving your audience, challenging outdated conventional wisdom and inspiring innovation and alignment at every level of your organization – from your Board to your front-line staff. A two-part session!
     
Presenter: Matt Lehrman, Audience Avenue LLC
Location:  Room 3
 

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Visibility of the Arts & Cultural Sector - Breakout 2

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. — Audiences Everywhere, Part 2 (Attendees registering for Part 2 must have registered for Part 1.)

 

Workshop Description:  This workshop delivers practical guidance on how to advance your organization’s artistic mission, financial stability and audience engagement.  Discover a whole-organization approach to understanding and serving your audience, challenging outdated conventional wisdom and inspiring innovation and alignment at every level of your organization – from your Board to your front-line staff. A two-part session!
     
Presenter:  Matt Lehrman, Audience Avenue LLC
Location:  Room 3
 
 

Visibility of the Arts & Cultural Sector - Breakout 3

2:00-3:00 p.m. — Creative Industries for a Stronger Maine

 

Workshop Description:  Creative industries are an important and growing part of Maine’s, and the national, economy. Employers say they rate “creativity” as the #1 quality they seek in new employees. Why is it so difficult to make the connection between art, creativity, and innovation? Explore this with a range of artists and entrepreneurs from the creative industries sector.
     
Presenters: 
Jennifer Hutchins, Maine Association of Nonprofits
Luke Livingston, Baxter Brewing
John Michael Schert
Sherry Wagner-Henry, Bolz Center for Arts Administration
 
Location:  Room 3
 
    

Visibility of the Arts & Cultural Sector - Breakout 4

3:30-4:30 p.m. — Tell Your Story: Get Your Sound Bite On

 

Workshop Description:  The art of the sound bite is just that: an art. One we all need to power our arts and arts organizations to greater impact. Learn from the experts how to turn your wonderful and inspiring (and long) stories into the elevator pitches you need to succeed.
     
Presenter: 
Jack Leonardi, Art Collector Magazine
Linda Nelson, Maine Arts Commission
Tom Porter, Bowdoin College
Location:  Room 3
 
    

Arts Education & Lifelong Learning - Breakout 1

 

9:30-10:30 a.m. — Story and Images from Malawi: No One Can Show You the Sun, Dzuwa Salodzelano

 

Workshop Description:  An 18-day journey to Malawi demonstrates the arts as a powerful tool that guided daily workshops with 12 teachers and little to no financial or material resources -- and that opened the hearts and minds of all involved. A visual journey of stories, songs and traditions gathered along the paths in Malawi.
     
Presenters: 
Argy Nestor, Maine Arts Commission
Lindsay Pinchbeck, Sweet Tree Arts/Sweetland School
Location:  Room 4
 

 

 

Arts Education & Lifelong Learning - Breakout 2

 

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. — STEAMing It Up in Maine

 

Workshop Description:  What is all the national buzz about STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math)? What are the benefits of STEAM in Maine education and beyond? This presentation brings together four people focused on this topic in their work and play. From PK to higher ed to teaching artist to parent, administrator, and school board member: your questions and ideas are welcome!
     
Panelists: Chuck Carter
Jonathan Graffius
Malley Weber
Kate Cook Whitt
 
Location:  Room 4
 

 

   

Arts Education & Lifelong Learning - Breakout 3

 

2:00-3:00 p.m. — Intergenerational Programming, Traditional Arts, and Creative Aging

 

Workshop Description:  Programming for multiple age groups offers many benefits: to the organization, the artist, and the participants. Hear how the stretch for intergenerational programming translates into enhanced health and welfare for both individuals and their unique cultural traditions.
     
Panelists:  Cindy LaRock
Muhadin Liba
Theresa Secord
Facilator:  Kathleen Mundell
Location:  Room 4
 

 

  

Arts Education & Lifelong Learning - Breakout 4

 

3:30-4:30 p.m. — Creativity:  A Group Inquiry

 

Workshop Description:  What is creativity? How can it potentially impact our lives? And how do we talk about it with each other? This structured group dialogue will help artists, advocates and educators make connections between creativity research and creativity in practice, while promoting inquiry into the nature of creativity and its role in art, education and community.
     
Presenter: John Morris, Dancer and Teaching Artist
Location:  Room 4
 

 

 

Promoting Cultural Tourism - Breakout 1

9:30-10:30 a.m. — Is Tourism for you? A Practical Guide to Tourism and its Benefits

 

Workshop Description: 
 How to determine whether cultural tourism is a good fit for your organization, and how to access the benefits of resources to succeed provided by the Maine Office of Tourism and the Maine Tourism Association.
     
Presenters: 
Carolann Ouellette, Maine Office of Tourism
Tony Cameron, Maine Tourism Association
Location:  Room 5
 

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Promoting Cultural Tourism - Breakout 2

11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. — Sell It: Meet Maine's Market Segments!

 

Workshop Description:  Maine’s tourism industry is the fastest growing sector of the state’s economy. Join the Maine Office of Tourism’s Director, Carolann Ouellette, along with the acting troupe from Celebration Barn Theater as they take you on a personal, interactive tour and pitch session of the market sectors making these strategies successful. Know your inner “Genuine Original” and how to target “Balanced Achievers”!
     
Presenters:
Carolann Ouellette, Maine Office of Tourism
Celebration Barn Actors
 
 Location:  Room 5
 
 

Promoting Cultural Tourism - Breakout 3

2:00-3:00 p.m. — Cultural Collaborations and Partnerships: the Maine Art Museum Trail, the Maine Photo Project, Maine Craft Weekend and Experience Maritime Maine

 

Workshop Description:  How do they do it? Hear the stories of some of Maine’s most successful cultural partnerships, and an opportunity to quiz them on what works and what doesn’t work.
     
Presenters: 
Jessica Routhier, Maine Photo Project
 
Location:  Room 5
 
 

Promoting Cultural Tourism - Breakout 4

3:30-4:30 p.m. — Deepening the Experience and Building Audiences: Case Studies from the Portland Museum of Art, the Heart of Biddeford, and the Maine Historical Society

 

Workshop Description:  It’s not just about the show or the exhibit: it’s about the experience. Learn what works and what doesn’t work from organizations working to create unique visitor experiences and in so doing build and extend their audiences.
     
Presenter: 
Elizabeth Jones, Portland Museum of Art
Delilah Poupore, Heart of Biddeford
Nan Cumming, Maine Historical Society
Facilitator: Abbe Levin, Maine Office of Tourism
Location:  Room 5