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About
L/A Arts: |
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L/A
Arts Board of Directors 2009-10
Sandy Marquis, Chair
Pauline Taylor, Vice Chair
Susan Geismar, Interim Treasurer
David Slatery, Clerk
Nerys Bayley, Past Chair
Sue Donovan
Jim Handy
Jan Marston
Kevin Morrissette
Ellen Peters
Patricia Phillips
Amanda Theberge
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HISTORY |
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L/A Arts began in 1973 as the LPL Plus program established by
the trustees of the Lewiston Public Library. Within a few years,
the Auburn Public Library joined to form LPL Plus APL. In the
early years, volunteers and library staff presented an
impressive series of arts and humanities programs including
concerts, foreign films, art lectures and public policy
discussions. Gradually the organization developed programs to
bring artists into the schools in the two cities, |
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Over
the years, L/A Arts has earned local, regional and national
recognition for its model cultural programs in education,
performance and community service. This recognition has enabled
L/A Arts to attract funding and other support from such
prestigious institutions as the Kennedy Center for the
Performing Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Lila
Wallace/Readers Digest Foundation, and the American Festival
Foundation. L/A Arts was instrumental in the citing of
Lewiston-Auburn as one of the 100 Best Small Arts Towns in
America, a publication of John Muir Publications. |
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In
1998 L/A Arts was awarded the Noyce Award for Non-Profit
Excellence. The award, created in 1989, annually recognizes a
Maine nonprofit organization’s exceptional leadership and
service to the community, with a different focus each year. That
year the award honored a community organization that
successfully uses arts and culture in its community building
strategies. L/A Arts was chosen for taking a leadership role in
promoting the arts and cultural participation in its community.
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ORGANIZATION |
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Today,
L/A Arts continues the essential work begun in 1973, while also
evolving to meet the needs of an ever-changing community. L/A
Arts programs include: a presentation series of world-class
performing artists, a cabaret series of more locally known
artists, an international film series, a nationally acclaimed
arts-in-education program, and community building activities.
These programs serve most of Lewiston-Auburn’s 64,000
residents and many of the 105,205 residents of Androscoggin
County, as well as visitors from around the state and elsewhere. |
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L/A
Arts is a nonprofit corporation, under IRS Section 501(c)(3),
organized in the State of Maine and operating from a single
office in Lewiston, Maine. The corporation uses the accrual
basis of accounting with revenues recognized when earned and
expenses recognized when incurred. |
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The
mission of L/A Arts is the integration of the arts into the
fabric of life in the community served. The organization’s
purpose is to increase awareness, appreciation and support of
the arts in the Lewiston-Auburn area. |
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The
organization currently has a paid staff of three: Executive
Director, Marketing Director, and Business Manager.. The board of directors is
comprised of active community members including:
artists, bankers, business leaders, attorneys, accountants,
school administrators, and civic entrepreneurs. A large number of community members have maintained a
long-term commitment as volunteers with L/A Arts. They serve
ably on committees of the board; in fund-raising; in program
implementation; in information collection and processing; and
many other endeavors of the organization.
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STEWARDSHIP
OF LOCAL ARTS AND CULTURE |
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Business
leaders have long understood the value of strong and viable
educational and cultural opportunities in their communities.
Most companies also recognize their unique responsibility to
return something of value to the people of the community. Beyond
simply providing entertainment or diversion, the arts are
emerging to play an increasingly important and well-documented
role in virtually all facets of education, as well as economic
development efforts, community building and downtown
revitalization. There are always diverse conditions and
incentives, but cultural and educational opportunities for
executives, employees and their families are now a tremendously
important factor in a company’s or an individual’s decision
to relocate to a community, or even to stay there. |
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L/A
Arts was a leader in developing a far-reaching Cultural Plan for
Lewiston-Auburn over the last several years with more than 70
artists, educators, interested citizens, professional arts
administrators, city officials and others. This Cultural Plan,
which explores such major issues as Cultural Facilities,
Services to Artists, the Arts in Education, and the
Coordination/Alliance of the community’s cultural resources,
was incorporated into Lewiston’s state-mandated Comprehensive
Plan. The inclusion of a “cultural” component within a
municipal Comprehensive Plan is unique. The Cultural Plan calls
for the establishment of a Cultural District, with special
incentives for the development of retail, residential and other
enterprises.
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PROJECTS
/ INITIATIVES |
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All
of the projects and initiatives that L/A Arts undertakes are the
result of efforts of the community to realize its potential. The
role of L/A Arts has been to employ the arts and the creative
process in facilitating the realization of this potential. This
role has been played through collaboration with business, social
service, and government organizations. As the Local Arts Agency,
L/A Arts seeks to meet the needs of the artists and arts
organizations which serve the community and to foster the belief
that: Art- It’s Everybody’s Business. In his article, “The
Arts As Basic Skills,” Martin Engel from the National
Institute of Education, wrote: |
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“The
fact is that the arts are about what we know; they are about
knowledge. They are symbolic forms which say very important
things to us. It is not their pleasantness which make them
essential to our lives. It is their essence; that is, the
information which they contain . . . . We are surrounded by the
arts to such an extent that were all the arts miraculously
lifted from our world and our experience, we would be cast into
a mental and physical solitary confinement worse than any
prison. We would be reduced to mindless ignorance about
ourselves, our society, our world, our reality, our beliefs,
faiths and our imagination.”
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-
of L/A Arts Supported Community Events over past 10 years
ArtWalk
- Created through a partnership of L/A Arts, the Maine Arts Commission
Partners in Arts & Learning and the Cities and Schools of Lewiston
Auburn, ArtWalk is a community celebration of the year’s Arts in
Education Programs in the Lewiston and Auburn schools
The Auburn Wall Painting Project - A repainting of the mural on the 692’
wall on S. Main St, Auburn by elementary, middle, and high school
students and community members under the direction of resident artist
Natasha Mayers.
Chantons
- A CD of traditional French Canadian songs sung in both French and
English by local musicians Michael Parent and Greg Boardman,
distributed, at no cost, to schools throughout Maine (produced by L/A
Arts).
more
info/order CD
Cultural
Heritage Chronicles - Middle school students developed stories about
culturally significant places and people in their neighborhoods and then
produced audio and video recordings based on what they learned.
Cultural Mozaic -
14 ethnic groups and ethnologists celebrate the
contributions of various group to the Lewiston Auburn community in a
cultural cookbook.
A
Frog Stuck in the Ice - A theatrical piece that provides an occasion
for the Franco-American community not only to celebrate their culture
and traditions, but to share them with the larger community. The work
was commissioned by L/A Arts and written and performed by 3 Maine
artists.
HereAfter
Project - A unique dance/multimedia piece, created by both a
professional dance team and the whole community, that attempts to
demystify and inform our perceptions of the last stage of life.
Love
in Cactus Village - A Somali play written by Ohmar Ahmed and
directed by Michael Parent, celebrating the rich cultural traditions of
the Somali people in poetry, music and theatre/dance. The play is
based an original Somali folk-tale told through music,
gesture and dance, written and presented by the Somali community and L/A
Arts.
Interdisciplinary
Education through the Arts Institute - Area artists and educators
from local schools came together for a week long “summer institute”
where they developed arts integration strategies. Then, during the
following school year, they worked in teams, developing teaching units
that specifically incorporated these strategies. Finally they utilized
these units in the classroom.
Music
in the Parks - This summer music series will includes free
noontime concerts throughout July and August. These open air events are
performed in two parks, one in Lewiston’s downtown district and the
other in Auburn’s. These concerts entertain local employees on lunch
break as well as attract tourists, summer visitors, and residents of the
two cities to the downtown area. Each concert is performed by a
different group of musicians.
Neighborhood
Art - a multilevel collaboration between L/A Arts and the Lewiston
and Auburn Recreation Departments, sculptor Nantz Comyns-Toohey, and a
number of community members and organizations. The objective was to
create six 14’ high sculptures of indigenous wildlife to be installed
in three parks in Auburn and three parks in Lewiston. The creative
process involved community members of the neighborhoods surrounding the
selected parks under the guidance of the artist.
The Source: Guitar and Arts Festival
- A celebration of Lewiston and Auburn's guitar and music legacy, as
well as the quantity of Maine's visual artists and the quality of their
work, The Source is a day long event with continuous music presented on
multiple stages as well as an Artist's Village to view and purchase the
works of over 50 artists and craftsman from all over Maine and New
England.
Summer
Youth Theatre - A summer theater program for youths ages 8 to 18,
this theatre program began in 1996 and has steadily grown in popularity
as a place where students can learn and experience the theater arts.
Youth
Theatre - a youth-based theatre program which produced the highest
quality theatre based on the cultural history of the community.
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Performance
Highlights since 1996
A B
C D E F
G H I J
K L M N
O
P R S T U
V W Y Z
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A
Adanggaman (film)
After Life (film)
Agronomist (film)
Alter Igor (music)
Amores Perros (film)
Animation Festival (films)
Anna (film)
Anne Frank Remembered (film)
Annegret Baier & Friends (music and dance)
Anni Clark (music)
April Verch (music)
Aztec Two-Step (music)
B
Banjo Dan and the Mid-night Plowboys (music)
BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet (music)
Bellamy Jazz Band (music)
Belle Epoque (film)
Berg, Jones & Sarvis (dance)
Blink (family performance)
Blue Hill Brass Quintet (music)
Blues Buzzards (music)
Boardman and Sons (music)
Boréal Tordu (music)
Brad Mehldau (music)
Buck Curran (music)
C
Cactus Highway (music)
Carolyn Currie (music)
Casco Bay Tummlers (music)
Castlebay (music)
Charlton Phaneuf (music)
Cherish the Ladies (music)
Cheryl Wheeler (music)
Christine Lavin (music)
Circo Comedia (family theater)
Cleveland SignStage (family theatre)
Control Room (film)
D
Dan Merrill Band (music)
DanceBrazil (dance)
Dar Williams (music)
Dave Rowe Trio (music)
David Mallett (music)
Delco Ray (music)
Denny Breau (music)
Devonsquare (music)
DinoRock (family theatre)
Dirk Freymuth (music)
Don Campbell Band (music)
Down By Law (film)
Downeast Brass (music)
Downhome Bluegrass (music)
E
Elizabeth Ross (music)
Emilia Dahlin (music)
Eric Bibb (music)
Erica Brown and the Blue Grass Connection (music)
Ernie Hawkins (music)
Esperanza (music)
Evangeline (film)
F
Fast, Cheap & Out of Control (film)
Five In Time (music)
Four Shadow (music)
Fred Garbo Inflatable Theater Co. (family theater)
Frotus Caper (music)
G
Garth Fagan Dance (dance)
Geno Delafose and the French Rockin’ Boogie (music)
Good Bye Lenin (film)
Grassholes (music)
Greg Boardman (music)
Guantanamera (film)
Guelwaar (film)
Guy Davis (music)
H
Half Moon Jug Band (music)
Happenstance (film)
Happy Times (film)
Hot Club of Portland (music)
Human Resources (film)
I
Independence Jazz Reunion (music)
J
Jason Spooner Trio (music)
Jay Leonhart (music)
Jazz Tap / Hip Hop (dance)
Jerks of Grass (music)
Jess Tardy (music)
Joe Lovano (music)
John Gorka (music)
Johnny Hiland (music)
Jonathan Edwards (music)
Jordan Benissan & Sankofa (music)
K
Kandahar (film)
Kenny White (music)
King of Masks (film)
Kitchen Stories (film)
L
La Promesse (film)
Lamerica (film)
Lantana (film)
Le Group de Joie (music)
Le Vent du Nord (music)
Libby Kirkpatrick (music)
Lisa McCormick (music)
Lissa Schneckenburger (music)
Livingston Taylor (music)
M
Ma Saison (film)
Mark Kleinhaut Trio (music)
Mark Miller Band (music)
Martin Gibson (music)
Modern Man (comic theater)
MOMIX (dance)
Mom's Home Cookin' (music)
Moolaade (film)
My Architect (film)
My Twentieth Century (film)
N
Natalie MacMaster (music)
National Marionette Theatre (family theater)
Natraj (music)
New Guitar Summit (music)
Nicholas Payton (music)
Nights of Cabiria (film)
Nnenna Freelon (music)
Northern Lights (music)
Northern Valley Boys (music)
Nylons (music)
O
Orfeu (film)
Otis Taylor (music)
P
Pam Baker & the BluTonics (music)
Pat Pepin (music)
Persuasions (music)
Peter Ostoushko (music)
Peter Pucci Dance (dance)
Piners (music)
Port City Jazz (music)
Portland Brass Quintet (music)
Prodigals (music)
Pushcart Players (family theater)
R
Rebecca Martin (music)
Red Lights (film)
Regeneration (film)
Riders in the Sky (music)
Robin Spielberg (music)
Roland White (music)
Rosie Flores (music)
Roundhouse (music)
Run Lola Run (film)
S
Samba Traore (film)
Samite (music)
Sara Cox (music)
Saraband (film)
Schooner Fare (music)
Scott Cossu (music)
Sean McGowan (music)
Sean Mencher Combo (music)
Second City (comic theater)
Skydance (music)
Sol y Canto (music)
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter . . . and Spring (film)
Steve Baughman (music)
Street Sounds (music)
Susan Poulin (theater)
T
Tango (film)
Taste of Cherry (film)
The Dreamlife of Angels (film)
The Edukators (film)
The Eel (film)
The Farewell (film)
The Third Man (film)
The Triplets of Belleville (film)
Thieves (film)
Tiger Okoshi (music)
Tim Behrens (comic theater)
Tinpanic (music)
To Be and To Have (film)
Tom Acousti (music)
Touching the Void (film)
Truth About Daisies (music)
Turkey Hollow (music)
U
Underground Railway Theatre (theater)
USAF Band of Liberty (music)
V
Vanya on 42nd Street (film)
Vishten (music)
Voyages (film)
W
WAiFS (music)
Wake The Neighbors (music)
Wallace & Gromit (film)
Western (film)
When the Cat is Away (film)
Woman is the Future of Man (film)
Y
Y Tu Mama Tambien (film)
Yellow Asphalt (film)
Z
!Zing (music)
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