Visitor's Guide 2023-2024

RECHARGE YOUR CREATIVE ENERGY

Be Part of Portland’s Artistic Revitalization

The magical fusion of visual and performance artistry with wide-open natural spaces makes Greater Portland a unique all-season destination for recharging your creative energy.

DIVERSITY FEEDS CREATIVITY, BUILDS AN ARTIST COMMUNITY Portland, Maine has long welcomed an international community, with New Americans coming from the Philippines, South Korea, Cambodia, Africa, Vietnam, India, China, and

PORTLAND’S DNA Look at that. That’s like the God Light. Artist, representative of Maine College of Art and Design (MECA&D), and Director of Artists at Work, Jessica Tomlinson, points to the window as she attempts to explain why artists flock and flourish here. And maybe that’s it. The way the rays gild the afternoon breeze with gold, cascade across the bobbing boats, and illuminate the rocky cliffs and tree-dusted mountains—there’s no doubt it inspires replication in art. And maybe the light upon this extraordinary landscape is the DNA of this city, and everything that follows—the art college, the artists’ community, the international draw, and the amalgamation of cultures—are just natural expressions of that deeply embedded, ancient quality. This port city, with its God-light and vast ocean views, expands the mind and opens the hearts of those lucky enough to experience it— igniting inner creativity and unbridled expression.

pocketed; it doesn’t sit on one street, or a few painted exterior walls, or even a district or borough of Portland. It weaves throughout the city itself, into Greater Portland, and is drawing national attention. Just this year, Ebenezer Akakpo, an artist and jewelry designer, designed a bus stop in Portland, Maine that won Best Bus Stop of the USA. Ebenezer now calls Portland home, but his Ghana roots bring a global perspective to his art. The unique bus stop installation intertwines traditional cultural symbols of hope and friendship and has helped put Portland on the map as an arts city.

beyond. Because art is all about individual expression, this influx of cultural diversity feeds the creative scene, fuels originality, and builds a strong artist community. The more artists connect with each other, the better they become, claims Daniel Minter, Co-Founder of Indigo Arts Alliance. And here, the artist connection is strong. As Greater Portland’s identity as a destination for arts and culture grows, it calls to people from all over to explore hidden art-centric gems across the region and ignite their own inner creator. And this experience isn’t

PHOTOS, FROM TOP: DREW FORTIN; MUSE PAINT BAR

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