International Exchange

The Maine Arts Commission is committed to partnering with artists and art organizations everywhere. We understand that technology has brought us all closer together and everyone benefits from shared knowledge and communication. Toward that effort we have begun collaboration with our nearest neighbor, Canada.

In January, 2008, the Maine Arts Commission partnered with Aucocisco Gallery in Portland, Tides Institute & Museum of Art in Eastport along with the City of Saint John and the Saint John Arts Centre in New Brunswick to bring an exhibition of works by distinguished Maine artist, Bernard Langlais, to the Saint John Arts Centre. Several hundred people attended the opening and a letter of support was read from Maine's Governor John Baldacci.

More recently, the Maine Arts Commission has been working with the Tides Institute & Museum of Art and counterparts in New Brunswick including the New Brunswick Arts Development Branch and the New Brunswick Arts Board to develop a potential Memorandum of Understanding on the Arts between Maine and New Brunswick. The trust of such a Memorandum is to facilitate and expand opportunities for arts exchange between Maine and New Brunswick. A meeting was held between the various state and provincial entities, including the Maine Arts Commission, in St. Andrews, New Brunswick in late May, 2008 to advance discussions. The crafting of a potential Memorandum of Understanding is now ongoing.

In August, 2008, the Peter Buckland Gallery in Saint John, New Brunswick in partnership with the Tides Institute & Museum of Art will bring an exhibition of work by renowned New Brunswick printmaker, Dan Steeves, to Maine. Steeves was the winner of the 2007 Strathbutler Award - the top award for individual visual art/fine craft achievement in New Brunswick. In time, the discussions with New Brunswick may be able to be expanded to other neighboring Canadian provinces such as Quebec and Nova Scotia.

The New Brunswick and Canada collaboration represents but one example for potential international arts collaboration between Maine and others parts of the world. These collaborations might include exchanges of artist residences, exhibitions, and performances.

What is going on in New Brunswick, Canada?

View New Brunswick artists and other links on http://www.artsnb.ca/eng/.