umAINE aRTS iNITIATIVE

A transformative and coordinated community of researchers and educators that in partnership with community collaborators and other stakeholders are dedicated to societal wellbeing and its advancement in Maine and beyond, through all forms of the arts and creative activity, from visual and fine arts, to music, creative writing, and performing art.

image of dancers on the CCA stage

UMAI Seed Grant Funding Available

New seed grant opportunity. Applications due December 15, 2025. Additional information is available online.

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About

The University of Maine Arts Initiative is a collaborative of faculty, administrators, staff, and students committed to the principle that the arts play an integral role in public research institutions. We seek to increase resources and support for the arts in order to reinforce their significance and enhance their visibility on campus and beyond. Through innovative and interdisciplinary collaborations we seek to build a diverse, inclusive, sustainable, and equitable community of art researchers, practitioners, supporters, and promoters.

Our steering committee is made up of representatives from the visual, literary, and performing arts and University of Maine’s museums, galleries, and performing arts venues.

Mission

The University of Maine Arts Initiative advances the integral role of the arts in enriching the lives of individuals and communities through the creation, experience, research, and enjoyment of the arts.

Vision

To make the University of Maine a leader in promoting and supporting the arts and arts research.

Goals

To communicate that the arts and arts research are central to the mission of the University of Maine.

To promote the many ways that the arts at the University of Maine can serve, enrich, and empower the people of the State of Maine.

To fund innovative and collaborative arts programming and research initiatives.

To provide students with hands-on experience in art-making, a deeper understanding of arts research, and opportunities to learn from exhibitions, performances, programs, and events.

To promote and enhance a diverse, inclusive, and equitable arts community.

To create collaborations across multiple departments and units to address the grand social and ecological challenges facing our world.

To identify resources to support the UMaine Arts Initiative mission.

Arts in the News

Questions?

Email research@maine.edu.