Who Are They?: Schoodic Arts for All, Part 4

Schoodic festival

This blog post is part of a series called Who Are They? where information is provided for the Maine Arts Ed blog readers to learn about community organizations and institutions that provide educational opportunities in the arts. You will learn that they are partnering with other organizations and schools to extend learning opportunities, not supplant. Please consider ways in which you can collaborate to provide excellent arts education for all learners.

This is the fourth blog post of the series highlighting the work of Schoodic Arts for All located in Hammond Hall, 427 Main Street in Winter Harbor. This area is called Downeast Maine and Schoodic Arts for All is at the intersection of Hancock and Washington Counties. Schoodic Arts for All is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering interest and involvement in the arts for all who wish to participate.

Schoodic Arts for All evolved out of an organization called Maine Futures, in 1998. The first year of the festival was 1999 when we had around 65 workshops and seven or eight performances. That year we had no office, a small grant from the Maine Community Foundation, a few volunteers, and a part time director. Most of the work was done at Darthia Farm, even to using the farm’s credit card machine to sign up students.

It has grown over the years but we try to maintain the “grassroots” feeling of workshops and performances and to keep the tuition and admission charges low through donations and grants.

We are presenting many workshops in a number of categories. We have craft, visual art, cooking, writing, fiber, clay, dance, jewelry, music, and several free classes. The workshops are held throughout the entire Schoodic Peninsula in various venues in the many villages.

We also present 14 evening performances at Hammond Hall in Winter Harbor including music, theater, dance, film, and puppetry.

In Prospect Harbor, every day at noon, we have a free “brown bag” performance ranging from guitarists, reptiles, kids playing music, lectures.

During the two weeks of the Schoodic Arts Festival, the Schoodic Peninsula is transformed into a hub-bub of children and adults making and doing and observing art in all genres.

If you have questions about the Schoodic Arts for All Festival or any of their other programs please contact the Executive Director, Mary Laury, at marylaury@schoodicartsforall.org.

Norway Arts Festival

Saturday, July 12

JOIN US FOR THE FESTIVITIES
JULY 10-13, 2014.
This special announcement Featuring:
Thursday Night July 10, 7-9 PM
Sunday Evening July 13,  5-7PM

Cyrus Shaw Tucker

On Thursday, July 10, the 2014 Norway Arts Festival will kickoff with an original performance to celebrate this year’s focus figure: Cyrus Shaw Tucker. Tucker opened Tucker Harness Shop in 1867 after he returned from fighting in the Civil War. After the Great Fire of 1894, he was the first on Main Street to rebuild, and his building now houses Creative Media and Tucker’s Pub. A highly respected community leader, Cyrus was a founder of Norway Savings Bank, Treasurer of the Norway Branch Railroad Corporation and Treasurer of the Town among many other roles. Cyrus married Kate Denison in 1866, and the couple had three children. The Thursday evening performance at the Norway Memorial Library will begin at 7pm. Norway native Ben Tucker (Cyrus’ great-great-great nephew) and teacher Margo Pullen will bring Cyrus and Kate back to life as they read letters that capture the drama of the times and the intimacy of their love. Admission to the performance is free. A limited-edition print version of “The Cyrus Tucker Story” will be available for $2. FMI 743-9808.

Kate Denison

If you go, be sure and visit Diamond Duryea’s booth. Diamond is a volunteer at the Maine Arts Commission and is doing a fabulous job helping us get ready for the Summit on Arts Educadtion being held at USM, Portland, July 29-31.