By Jen Otterson,Staff Writer

NORWAY – Downtown Norway will soon benefit from a $100,000 grant awarded to the Maine Development Foundation.

U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud, D-Maine, announced Saturday that $50,000 from the grant will be used to develop arts and creative-economy initiatives in Norway.

Michaud called the grant the result of “many tireless hours,” noting how difficult it is to obtain funding at the state level. The Maine Development Foundation obtained the $100,000 grant from the USDA’s Rural Community Development Initiative grant program. An additional $100,000 in matching funds was also awarded by the Betterment Fund.

Funds will be divided by the Maine Downtown Center, part of the Maine Development Foundation, between the towns of Norway, Eastport, Skowhegan and Van Buren. Norway and Eastport became Main Street Maine communities with the Maine Downtown Center in 2002. Skowhegan and Van Buren’s share of the grant will be used to help them join the program.

Anne Campbell of Norway Downtown Revitalization told a gathering at Saturday’s news conference that Norway has already benefited greatly from being part of the Main Street Maine program. “We’re very proud of our program,” she said. “We’ve accomplished quite a bit,” including expansion of the Norway Summer Festival to include music, dance, poetry and children’s activities. Facade improvement grants awarded through the program have helped businesses in downtown Norway to paint their storefronts.

Lauri Lachance, president of the Maine Development Fund, said that $40,000 in technical assistance and training has already been invested in Norway through the Main Street Maine program. Norway’s commitment to the program has included hiring a downtown manager and forming Norway Downtown Revitalization.

Since Norway became a Main Street Maine community, Lachance said the town has seen a net gain of three new businesses, 14 new jobs, and an investment of $1.9 million from the public and private sector. “We’re seeing a 9-to-1 return in our investment,” Lachance said.

Lachance, who wrote the grant, said that arts and the creative economy have been identified as “a potential niche” for downtown Norway and which community leaders hope will replace some of the businesses the downtown area has lost over the past few years.

Roy Gedat, president of Norway Downtown Revitalization, explained that creative economy could include computers, arts, crafts and music. One of the group’s ideas is to bring artists together to share studio or gallery space. Likewise, music studios could offer space for lessons or performances.

Gedat hopes to use some of the grant money to bring in marketing expertise that might help local artists to advertise or sell their work. Gedat said the $50,000 grant would “bring people together” in downtown Norway, whether through shared studio space or a retail outlet for area crafts makers.