History
Our story began with the first Schoodic Arts Festival in 1999.
Schoodic Arts for All is located in Winter Harbor, Maine, a small fishing village with a population of 500 people.
The closing of the United States Naval Base (Naval Security Group Activity, Winter Harbor) caused many changes to the area, including cutting the population by half. This left only 23 students in the school and 100 empty buildings in town.
A grassroots citizens’ group was formed to address the dire economic impact on the town. Their task was to bring back life and vitality through increased visitation and economic opportunity.
An arts festival was planned, hoping to bring some traffic through Winter Harbor.
And so, with a small grant of $500, Schoodic Arts for All was born.
The first Schoodic Arts Festival was a resounding success!
More than 20 years later…
Schoodic Arts for All has grown to offer year-round workshops and performances, After School Art Club for area schools and homeschool groups, Summer Art Camp, and hosts several art-related community groups.
Many of our other programs and community groups have come about because someone asked, “What if?”.
This has resulted in hosting many Community Programs in the musical arts (Singing Circle, Variable Winds Recorder Group, Ukulele Club), visual arts (Painting Group, Connect & Create), as well as Creative Aging Museum Trips, both in person and virtually.
2002
Hammond Hall was slated for fire practice!
Instead, we began renting Hammond Hall full-time and based our offices there.
2004
We launched a major restoration of the Hall.
2007
Schoodic Arts for All was awarded the Dirigo Award for NonProfit Excellence by the Maine Association of Nonprofits.
2012
We were gifted a two-story art studio that we have fully equipped with pottery wheels and kilns. The building began its life as an ice cream shop. Now known as the Combs Studio, after Doris Combs, one of our first supporters and former owner of the building, it is located on Main Street in Prospect Harbor, across from the elementary school. It is used for After School Art Club, as well as for workshops during the Festival and year-round.
2013
The citizens of Winter Harbor, as well as the municipality, asked us to fill the former town office with creative activity to further enhance the economic activity of the downtown. The Schoodic Arts Schoolhouse is our Community Arts Space, as well as our administrative building. Every day of the week, artists, musicians, and other creative people meet here to practice their art together and become nourished by the creative synergy of the group.
2018
Schoodic Arts for All celebrated its 20th anniversary. Schoodic Arts for All was named the Best Community Organization in the inaugural Maine Arts Awards. The Maine Arts Commission gave the awards in partnership with ArtsEngageME at the Maine International Conference on the Arts on September 28, 2018, in Portland.
2020
We began offering virtual workshops and outdoor performances in response to the pandemic.
They became very popular.
2021
All performances were held outside at Prospect Harbor Park. Most year-round classes were held virtually online and Festival workshops and Art Camp were held in a large tent outside our Schoolhouse location.
We also bid farewell to Mary Laury, who retired after 20 years of leadership as Executive Director, and welcomed new Executive Director Colt Neidhardt.
2023
Schoodic Arts for All announced a new leadership team: Artistic Director Anna Woolf, and Managing Director Lisa Salsbury. Each have worked for the organization for nearly a decade. Anna was most recently Education Director and Lisa was Communications Manager. We also welcomed Administrative Assistant Leanne Mead.
Our Timeline
The character of a town is in its village.
Its historic buildings are landmarks that are its memory.
We inhabit three historic buildings that would likely be razed or empty were it not for our occupancy. Beginning in 1999, we have stewarded Hammond Hall, a historic landmark performance hall on Main Street.
The architecture includes a beautiful stage and a full balcony. When Hammond Hall was built over 100 years ago, it was the center of town government but had been mostly empty since the 1970s.
The Schoolhouse houses our administrative offices and artist space. It was formerly the Winter Harbor High School and then the town office and library.
Combs Studio in Prospect Harbor began its life as an ice cream and fruit store and was gifted to us by Doris Combs, original board member and artist. Combs Studio now houses pottery and fused glass studios and is home to many of our workshops.