AREA — Western Maine Play Museum is seeking its first executive director, to begin approximately two weeks prior to the museum’s opening later this summer.

The executive director will report to the Board of Directors and will be responsible for all day-to-day operations of the museum: hiring, scheduling, supervising and reviewing the performance of additional staff/volunteers; managing the operations budget; developing and directly implementing programming; grant-research and grant-writing to supplement the budget and new programming; and collaborating with collateral community resources while acting as a liaison to the greater Franklin County region on behalf of the Museum.

This is a salaried position with the expectation of time required to perform duties being approximately 32 hours per week. There will be some flexibility with scheduling. All interested candidates should review the full position description (with details on applying) on the museum’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/westernmaineplaymuseum. Interviews will continue until a suitable candidate is found.

The museum also invites the community to join it on June 15 from 6 to 9 pm for the third annual Spring Gala and Experience Auction, the first ever hosted at the museum. This year’s gala will feature a sneak peek of the museum, a silent auction, and the annual experience auction.

From 6 to 7:30, attendees can check out the long-anticipated exhibit space while enjoying hors d’oeuvres and refreshments provided by Calzolaio Pasta Company. From 7:30 to 9 p.m., under the tent, there will be desserts, refreshments, and an experience auction hosted by Teachers’ Lounge Mafia’s very own Dan Ryder and Jeff Bailey. A cash bar will be available the entire evening.

The 2019 Spring Gala and Experience Auction is a major fundraising event for the Western Maine Play Museum as it anticipates the summer opening date. All funds raised during the gala will be matched dollar for dollar, effectively doubling donations, ticket prices, and winning bids for the evening. Ultimately, the museum plans to have a “soft open” with limited hours July 31 and Aug. 1 for members only, followed by a public opening on Aug. 3.

Purchase tickets for the Spring Gala and Experience Auction in advance ($40 per person) at https://wmpmgala2019.eventbrite.com. Only 80 event tickets will be sold, due to limited seating, so reserve your spot early. Museum memberships will be available for purchase at the event and also on the newly redesigned website, which will soon be available to the public.