Creative Community
The energy of Portland is generated by creative friction. Maine has a strong tradition of industriousness and self-sufficiency. Mix that culture of independence with the reach of the global economy, the empowerment of personal technology and an ongoing influx of new ideas and you have a very kinetic situation.
Portland is a community of sociable self-starters. We have all come here, or chosen to stay here, to develop our crafts, find able collaborators and build enduring businesses and discerning audiences for our work. The creative economy sets its sights beyond Portland, but it works for Portland as well, turning a very livable city into a very exciting place to work.
In Portland, it’s easy to meet people whose talents challenge and compliment your own. There are professional affinity groups of all kinds, from entrepreneurs to environmentalists, writers, web developers, performers and photographers. The city’s cafés are filled with laptop toting thought workers, casual client conferences and klatches of like-minded programmers, all fueled by really good coffee.
Here are some groups and resources to get you started finding your niche in Portland:
Arts Organizations
Maine Arts Commission has a fairly definitive artists and organization directory. For more information please email, MaineArts.info@maine.gov or call (207) 287-2724.
Portland Arts and Cultural Alliance hosts Portland’s First Friday Art Walks and the Creative Conversations discussion series.
Society of East End Arts is a Munjoy Hill Based artists Organization that hosts 2 annual events, the Open Studios Tour in July & The MECA/SEA Holiday Sale in December as well as social gatherings and networking opportunities.
Arts Institutions
Maine College of Art (MECA) offers both degree and continuing education programs in the Arts.
The Portland Museum of Art showcases fine and decorative arts from the 18th century to the present. The museum hosts special traveling exhibitions and its own Biennial. Its permanent collection includes the work of artists from Pierre-Auguste Renoir to Pablo Picasso, from Wassily Kandinsky to Winslow Homer.
Portland Symphony Orchestra is the largest performing arts organization in Maine, and is regarded as one of the top symphony orchestras of its size in the country.
Portland Ovations features a variety of performances including classical music, jazz, opera, dance, theater, and Broadway.
Portland Ballet houses both a ballet school and a professional dance company, performing both classical and contemporary works.
Portland Stage, a top-notch professional theater with recent productions ranging from David Sedaris’ The SantaLand Diaries to Julius Caesar.
Space Gallery is a nonprofit contemporary art space in Portland.
Local Independent Media
Community Television Network is Portland’s public access television service.
WPMG Radio features incredibly varied community radio programming from Russian rock to Cambodian pop to old-time country.
The Portland Press Herald is Portland’s daily paper. It’s part of the MaineToday Media chain which publishes Portland’s Sunday paper, the Maine Sunday Telegraph.
Portland Monthly is Portland’s long-standing city magazine.
Maine Home + Design is a shelter magazine that focuses on Maine interiors, architecture, arts and crafts..
The Maine Magazine is a lifestyle magazine about the people, places and things that make life in Maine unique and wonderful.
Portland Magazine is our glossy “city” magazine featuring personality profiles, arts news, food and local flavor, reviews, events listings, and original fiction.
The Portland Phoenix has its finger on the cultural pulse of Portland, with articles, reviews, and editorials about the latest news, music, movies, art, and places to eat and drink in Portland. Be sure to check out their Arts & Entertainment Best of 2010 list.
The Bollard is a monthly independent news and arts publication, featuring news, reviews, and music and theater listings.
Exception Magazine is a nonpartisan online news magazine that covers the business, politics and culture of Maine.
Mainebiz is a twice-monthly publication that covers statewide business issues.
Arts Resources
Maine Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts assists artists and creative organizations with intellectual property rights and other legal issues.
Technology User Groups
Tech Maine host user groups for a wide variety of special interest and user groups on information technology, programming and web development topics. They also have a very definitive directory of technology related companies in Portland and in all of Maine.
MaineBytes .NET Developers Group holds monthly meetings with guest speakers for web developers and system architects who use Microsofts .NET platform. Meetings are held at Uunun (Home Office 3 building at 2211 Congress Street.)
Film Resources
The Maine Film Office is a government agency that facilitates the shooting of film and video projects in Maine locations. The Film Office is aided and advised by the Maine Film & Video Association, the state’s trade group for the media production industry.
The Maine Studios is one of the largest film studios in the Northeast, with over 43,000 square feet of production and office space. The principals of the studio also manage the non-profit Maine Film Collaborative and the Maine Film Fund.
Maine Film Festivals is an umbrella site that covers six individual film festivals and screening series in Maine, which they describes as “exactly 180 degrees from Hollywood.”
The Maine African Film Festival is programmed by the African Cultural Foundation, to promote cross-cultural understanding by presenting contemporary African films.
Every year, Portland also hosts the Maine Jewish Film Festival, in March, which aims to share the “reel” Jewish experience.
The 48 Hour Film Project this year, teams of filmmakers from Portland will compete against each other, and then against teams from 86 other cities and countries to make the best film in just 48 hours.
Maine Media Workshops in Rockport has week-long intensive workshops on cinematography, editing, photography, and other media-production related subjects, as well as a semester program.
Writer’s Groups
Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance supports writers and local publishers with regular meetings and workshops and hosts the the Maine Literary Awards.
The Telling Room is a non-profit community writing center for young writers ages six to eighteen.
ThinkTank co-working space on Exchange Street strives to be a literary hub in Portland, and encourages qualified individuals to be in touch about opportunities to host writing workshops, readings, and literary events as part of their Writer’s Exchange.
Design Groups
Maine AIGA is the local chapter of the leading national professional association for graphic designers.
Architalx hosts periodic lectures and discussions about architectural topics.
Marketing Groups
Ad Club of Maine offers its members professional development, networking opportunities, and recognition of creative excellence. The club hosts monthly meetings the bi-annual Broderson Awards.
Maine Marketing Association provides marketing-related education and support to its members and to the region’s business community including networking, seminars and periodic Lunch & Learn programs on marketing, advertising and technology topics.
Maine Public Relations Council is a professional association of Maine public relations practitioners dedicated to the professional development of its members and to increased awareness of the value of public relations.
Sustainable and Green Business Groups
Maine Businesses For Sustainability promotes sustainable business practices and offers workshops, assessments and green event certification for businesses in Maine. They also have an affiliated Maine Social Enterprise Linkedin group.
Portland Greendrinks is the Portland outpost of the international social networking Greendrinks group started in London in 1989. The informal, volunteer-managed gatherings bring together a wide variety of people with a common interest in the natural environment. Greendrinks happen on the second Tuesday of every month, starting around 5:30 pm. and are followed by randomly assigned Greenlunches that Thursday.
Reverb is a non-profit organization founded by environmentalist Lauren Sullivan and her musician husband, Adam Gardner (of the band Guster). Reverb provides greening programs and educational outreach for music tours.
Food Community
Slow Food Portland is the local chapter of the Italian Slow Food movement that encourages the greater enjoyment and understanding of food.
Cultivating Community promotes local and sustainable farming and food awareness with work and food programs for local disadvantaged communities.
Portland Food Co-Op is a fairly new and growing organization that aims to provide local, healthy and affordable food and household goods to its member-owners.
Rabelais Books is a one of the better-known food and cookbook stores in the country,sponsors many food-related events including a FoodFilms series and book signings.
Table Art Media is the Portland-based publisher of “Fresh from Maine” and its companion website that talk about the farm to table restaurant movement in Maine.
Creative Economy Conferences
The Juice Conference in Camden, Maine, is sponsored by Midcoast Magnet as part of the State’s creative economy development efforts.
The PopTech Conference in Camden, Maine, is the annual gathering of global innovators exploring the social impact of new technologies and a source of support and funding for cutting-edge solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.
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