The newly formed Regional Creative Council has met three times since its inception. The group has begun an inventory of cultural assets for the area and is working on a grant proposal. They will continue their efforts by developing a mission statement.
The group is also looking for creative suggestions for a name for the group and their initiative, which will be reflective of the entire region and recognizable to those outside the area.
The next meeting of the group is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. at the Houlton Higher Education Center. The meeting will include a skype session with Saskia Reinholt, a representative of the High Peaks Creative Council. Reinholt will share some of the successes that their regional group has accomplished and provide tips in preparing for grant submission.
The RCC has reviewed projects done in other parts of the state. The efforts of the High Peaks Creative Council have been of particular interest because of their success with the grant program. They have created a brand for their area and established the High Peaks Arts & Heritage Loop with a map detailing the loop and the cultural attractions within. They have built on the name and map in their promotion of their region and have combined it with matching kiosks in each community, a web presence and carrying the brand throughout the region at area businesses.
The High Peaks Creative Council includes the communities of Kingfield, Eustis, Rangeley and Phillips. The local group’s goal is to create a similar effort for this area to promote the region as a cultural destination.
They plan to apply for a grant to develop a Cultural Plan in March of 2016. The recent meetings are steps in this process aimed at bringing in representatives from the entire region to assist in mapping the direction for the effort.
The group was started to bring people together from throughout southern Aroostook County as well as communities in northern Penobscot and northern Washington counties to work on this cultural initiative. The inventory they are compiling is designed to include cultural assets such as landmarks, museums, attractions, artisans, events, trails and historic venues. The group expanded on that somewhat by identifying some recreational, lodging and food related assets.
This effort was started following a program about grant opportunities with the Maine Arts Commission (MAC) that was held this past spring. The MAC has a program that involves a grant for developing a Cultural Plan and which then allows an area to apply for a grant in their Creative Communities = Economic Development (CCED) Program. The CCED is a $75,000 grant distributed over three years.
The initial groundwork for this initiative has involved the Southern Aroostook Cultural Arts Project, Cary Library, Houlton Community Art Center, the Houlton Higher Education Center and the town’s Community Development Department.
The group began listing assets for the region by town. With more than 30 towns in the target region the list is already quite long and varied, but the committee recognizes that there are more organizations and individuals to be identified.
The Regional Creative Council is reaching out to the municipalities in the region as wells as individuals and organizations. Anyone in the area interested in this effort is encouraged to attend the next meeting.
Further information is available by contacting Ketch at the email above or by phone at 532-7111, Linda Faucher at Cary Library at 532-1302 or faucherl@cary.lib.me.us or Tracy Rockwell at the Houlton Higher Education Center at 521-3100 or tracy.rockwell@maine.edu.
