Swan’s Island Elementary School students participate in Vintage Classroom, a historical reenactment that depicts a day in the life of a 19th-century school. Performing artists from Barn Arts, a 2022 Maine Expansion Arts grantee, bring the 1895 classroom to life. Photo courtesy Ann Finnochiaro/ Barn Arts

STATE — Arts organizations throughout the state may be eligible for grants from two Maine Community Foundation (MaineCF) grant programs.

Maine Expansion Arts and the Maine Theater Fund are accepting online proposals from arts organizations and for arts-related programming throughout the state.

Maine Expansion Arts supports arts organizations serving rural communities and those led by and/or serving Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). Maine Theater supports nonprofit professional and community theaters in the production and presentation of live theater.

The deadline to submit proposals is Thursday, Sept. 15. To apply, visit mainecf.org.

In 2022, MaineCF awarded 18 Expansion Arts grants totaling $148,500 to organizations and projects ranging from hands-on workshops to cultural preservation and community art events. An additional 11 grants totaling $80,800 were awarded from donors with advised funds at MaineCF.

2022 Grantees include:

• Eastport ArtWalk, to support inclusive, interactive art activities, music, performance, dance, storytelling, and more
• Indigo Arts Alliance, to continue to grow as an incubator for professional development and amplification of BIPOC thought leadership, artistic vision, and practice
• Maine Inside Out, for its arts and advocacy-based leadership development programs for youth of color
• The Maine Theater Fund awarded a total of $126,485 to 16 professional and community theater companies throughout the state in 2022. Priorities of the fund include adult theater, dramas, and organizations that have not recently received funding.

2022 grantees include:

• Heartwood Regional Theater Company, for its production of “Hamlet”
• Mayo Street Arts, to replace audience risers and add additional chair stops and handrails
• Rangeley Friends of the Performing Arts, to support its 2023 productions.

For more eligibility, guidelines and to apply, visit www.mainecf.org. Lists of all grantees are available at www.mainecf.org/recentgrants.

For more information about the Maine Expansion Arts, contact Program Officer John Ochira, by email at jochira@mainecf.org or by phone at 207-412-0837.

For more information about the Maine Theater Fund, contact Program Officer Katie Howard at khoward@mainecf.org or 207-412-0832.
The Maine Community Foundation brings people and resources together to build a better Maine through strategic giving, community leadership, personalized service, local expertise, and strong investments. To learn more about the foundation, visit www.mainecf.org.