For immediate release: May 30, 2024
Contact: David Warren
Administrative and Communications Manager
Telephone: 207-992-4204
Email: david.warren@bangormaine.gov
Bangor arts programs get a boost with City Council approval of grants
BANGOR, Maine – The City Council on Wednesday, May 29, gave its approval to four separate grants by the City's Commission on Cultural Development to benefit a variety of arts programs in Bangor.
One grant of nearly $2,300 will go to Bangor Beautiful Inc. to commission a colorful multistory mural at 116 Hammond St., across from the Penobscot County Sheriff's Office. The mural by a Maine-based artist named Jared Goulette will depict the Maine woods in springtime.
Another grant of the same amount will go to Bangor Ballet to help cover administrative costs at the Thomas School of Dance on Union Street and also venue costs at Gracie Theatre at Husson University.
A third grant, also of the same amount, will be used by the Maine Academy of Modern Music to support its Amplify Bangor program. This program offers extracurricular music instruction during the school year, rock camps in July and August, and also will include two community performances.
The final grant is for $300 and will be used for the reimbursement of materials and supplies that were purchased for a one-night pop-up art exhibit at the site of the former YMCA building on Hammond Street.
The mural at 116 Hammond St. is one of three new murals coming to downtown Bangor, all of which will serve to elevate the city's public art. The others are a Hammond Street ground mural organized by Bangor Beautiful and Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness, and storm drain art on Main Street -- a mural that incorporates a storm drain in front of the Maine Discovery Museum.
"Bangor has an incredible breadth of cultural organizations for a city of this size, and it's truly a pleasure to play a small part in supporting the great work they do," said Nina Earley, the chair of the Commission on Cultural Development. "Between new public art, and music and dance opportunities for our young people, we hope both residents and visitors to Bangor will continue to enjoy all that our city has to offer."
Earley noted that the next round of grant applications begins Sept. 1, and any applications must be submitted by Oct. 1.
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The City of Bangor, Maine, is a service center community of 31,753 residents and is the county seat of Penobscot County. Bangor is the major commercial and cultural center for much of northern and eastern Maine. The City is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. For information on City projects and news, see www.bangormaine.gov.