NEA Chair to Join Maine Leaders for Statewide Conversation on Arts, Health and Well-Being
National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Mary Anne Carter to Join Maine Leaders for Statewide Conversation on Arts, Health and Well-Being
Free August 26 event at USM’s Crewe Center for the Arts will bring together national, state and community leaders to explore how creativity builds stronger, healthier communities
PORTLAND, Maine — The Maine Arts Commission will welcome National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Mary Anne Carter to Maine for Creativity Builds Connection: Arts, Health and Well-Being in Maine, a statewide conversation on Wednesday, August 26, at the Crewe Center for the Arts at the University of Southern Maine in Portland.
Chairman Carter will be joined by Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, Maine Arts Commission leadership, and voices from Maine’s creative sector for an afternoon exploring the role creativity plays in building healthier, more connected communities.
“I am delighted to be traveling to Maine to meet with artists, educators, cultural and community leaders whose work brings creativity to life across the state,” said Chairman Carter.
Carter was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in December 2025 to once again lead the National Endowment for the Arts, having previously served as chairman of the agency. Her leadership has emphasized expanding access to the arts, strengthening their role in health and healing, and reaching communities across the country. Her previous tenure included the expansion of Creative Forces, the Arts Endowment’s creative arts therapy initiative serving military and veteran populations, as well as national programs including Poetry Out Loud, NEA Big Read, and Shakespeare in American Communities.
The program at the Crewe Center for the Arts will feature perspectives from Maine artists and organizations and a statewide conversation examining the intersections of the arts, health, community well-being, and the creative life of Maine. A moderated audience Q&A will provide participants with an opportunity to join the conversation.
National Endowment for the Arts and Maine Arts Commission staff will also present a grant workshop exploring funding opportunities, resources, and support available to Maine artists, arts organizations, and creative communities.
“Chairman Carter’s visit provides an opportunity to highlight the breadth of Maine’s creative sector and the ways artists, cultural organizations, community partners, educators, and others are using creativity to strengthen communities across the state,” said Maine Arts Commission Executive Director Amy Hausmann. “The Maine Arts Commission is expanding its work at the intersection of arts and health, including statewide Arts in Health programming and Creative Aging Maine.”
Creativity Builds Connection: Arts, Health and Well-Being in Maine is free and open to the public, with opportunities to participate both in person and virtually. Advance registration is required.
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Crewe Center for the Arts, University of Southern Maine
Portland, Maine + Online
Cover art: Robin Brooks’ Autumn Fields Abstraction, 2024
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