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.

UMAI Seed Grant Funding Available
New seed grant opportunity. Applications due December 15, 2025. Additional information is available online.
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
Arts in the News
- The University of Maine will host its annual International Dance Festival on Valentine’s Day at the Collins Center for the Arts. The show times are […]
- The 2026 Faculty Exhibition at the University of Maine’s Lord Hall Gallery is now on display through March 20. Students, faculty, staff and the community […]
- News Center Maine and WABI (Channel 5 in Bangor) reported on a more than $3.5 million estate gift from Linda Zillman, including a record-breaking investment […]
- Jordan Ramos first stepped into a wild blueberry field the summer before her sophomore year at the University of Maine. What started as environmental research […]
- Timothy Simons, a 2001 graduate of the University of Maine, is hoping to hear his name called Sunday, Jan. 4, when the Critics Choice Awards […]
- University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy and University of Maine Foundation President Jeff Mills announced a more than $3.5 million estate gift from Linda Zillman, […]
Questions?
Email research@maine.edu.
