Portland activities not to be missed during the 2013 CCX!

Elysian smiles in front of a gray wall
Program Coordinator, Public Art & Creative Communities
NEFA

This CCX will immerse participants in Portland's vibrant Arts District, a downtown area that has experienced a remarkable story of revitalization through a focus on the arts, culture, education, and creative inspiration. 

Compiled by CreativePortland, here are a number of events and cultural sites to round out your visit to Portland. Read closely to discover discounts for CCX participants!

First Friday Art Walk, June 7, 5:00-8:00 pm
On the first Friday evening of every month, the city’s artists, galleries, and arts venues open up their doors for Portland’s thriving First Friday Art Walk. 

Maine College of Art Student Art Sale, June 7-9, Free Admission
MECA is pleased to announce our first ever four-day pop-up art sale, featuring up to five pieces per artist in any media, to benefit MECA's scholarship fund and participating artists.  Join us this summer by contributing your work to MECA's new fundraiser that replaces our former auction.  

SPACE Gallery, Gruesome Playground Injuries, June 6-8
"Unexpectedly and crazily watchable." - The Guardian.
From Pulitzer-prize-nominated playwright Rajiv Joseph, and Sean Mewshaw, the director of 2011's twisted Killer Joe, comes a sharp dark comedy of scarred bodies and souls longing for connection. 

The Portland Museum of Art is Maine's largest and oldest public art institution, founded in 1882 and is recognized as "one of the best medium-size museums in New England," by Boston Globe. Don’t miss two amazing exhibitions. CCX attendees receive FREE admission June 7-9 and 20% off in the museum store when they show their CCX nametag.

  • Shangaa: Art of Tanzania, June 8, 2013 - August 25, 2013
    Shangaa: Art of Tanzania is the first major exhibition in the United States to focus on the traditional arts of Tanzania. “Shangaa” means “to amaze” in Swahili, the primary shared language in East Africa.  
  • The William S. Paley Collection: A Taste for Modernism, Through September 8, 2013
    This spectacular exhibition of modern art showcases 62 works from the renowned William S. Paley Collection at The Museum of Modern Art, New York. 

The Maine Center for Creativity's Community Art Task Force is bringing the internationally acclaimed, interactive mural from Candy Chang, Before I Die… Wall to Flatbread Company on Commercial Street on Friday, June 7. 

St. Lawrence Arts, Jacob Augustine, June 7, 7:30 pm. Squidjiggers and the Half-Moon Jug Band, June 8, 7:00 pm. 

One Longfellow Square, an evening with Tom Chapin, June 7, 8:00 pm. Shelly King, June 8, 8:00 pm. 

The Museum of African Culture
The Museum of African Culture was founded by Oscar Mokeme and Art Aleshire on August 8, 1998, in Portland Maine. It is the only institution in northern New England devoted exclusively to sub-Saharan African arts and culture. There are over 1,500 pieces in the collection of the Museum, ranging from large-scale, elaborately carved wooden masks to smaller scale figures, cast copper alloy (bronze) figures, textiles, utilitarian objects, ceramic, bone, ivory and composite objects. 

Victoria Mansion (Morse-Libby House)
Victoria Mansion offers lavish interiors with 90% of its original collection dating to 1858. CCX attendees receive buy one get one ticket deal!

Wadsworth-Longfellow House
Wadsworth-Longfellow House is the boyhood home of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The Longfellow has been meticulously restored to the period of the 1850s and also features the Longfellow Gardens. CCX attendees receive buy one get one ticket deal!

The Portland Observatory
The Portland Observatory is the only remaining historic maritime signal tower in the United States.  As an intact survivor from the Golden Age of Sail, the Observatory was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, became a National Historic Monument in 2006, and was named a National Civil Engineering Landmark in 2006 by the American Society of Civil Engineers. 

Trolley Tours 
Get on board the "Discovery" trolley! Sit back, and enjoy a 90-minute fully narrated tour as our informative guides treat you to Portland's diverse history and architecture. 

40th Annual Old Port Festival, Sunday, June 9. Free Admission
Celebrate the beginning of summer in beautiful downtown Portland with multiple music stages, Maine-made arts and crafts, and food from local businesses, kid’s activities, and more! The festival begins at 11am with a foot powered parade down Exchange Street led by the Shoestring Theater. 

Kennebunkport Festival June 4-9.
A celebration of Food, Wine and Art! 

The Maine Brew Bus Brewery Tour: Driving You to Drink Local!
Welcome to The Maine Brew Bus proudly offering Brewery Tours in Portland, Maine and beyond! Maine, the way life should be… bursting with 39 breweries and over 100 different brands of quality handcrafted beer. 

Lighthouse Bike Tour 
Discounts to conference attendees: $10 off our 1/2 day

 

 

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