RUMFORD – Two committees were appointed Thursday by the River Valley Arts Initiative to find a place to display work and to offer artistic opportunities for youth and adults.
At a lively arts forum last month, the more than 100 people participating named those the top two goals.
Ideas for space ranged from the historic opera house in Dixfield and the expansive and ornate Rumford municipal auditorium, to empty buildings such as the former Agway, storefronts and the Mexico Recreation Center.
River Valley economic developer Scott Christiansen was appointed to the space committee. Tony Mazza, who has taught after-school art, was appointed to the youth education committee.
The establishment of the committees is part of the overall arts initiative and the Maine Arts Commission’s funding of Discovery Research for the River Valley area.
Becky Welsh, coordinator of the project, along with volunteers, is compiling a listing of as many creative people and groups in the area as possible. So far, she has identified nearly 180. And this is before a survey of creative people has been distributed throughout the area.
That survey, available at the River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition office on River Street, will provide more data on who does what throughout the area. Deadline for turning it in is July 16.
Eventually, a directory of craftspeople and artists and what they do, along with short stories of how and why they became artists, will be compiled. That information will then be distributed at state and regional information centers.
“This is a vibrant arts and cultural area,” said Welsh.
On loan from the Maine Arts Commission is Matthew Shippee, a folklorist who will assist in the compilation for the next couple of weeks. His specialty is finding people, places and trends in the area’s arts that aren’t usually identified, things such as expressive art that may happen on porches or kitchen tables.
He will conduct interviews, record music and photograph some of what he finds for inclusion in the arts survey.
The next meeting of the arts group is Aug. 7 and is open to the public. The initiative is financed by a $10,000 grant from the Maine Arts Commission.
eadams@sunjournal.com
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