St. Rep. Anne Haskell, Artist Daniel Minter, Mayor Nick Mavadones and Marty Pottenger

By Carol McCracken  (Post # 833)

The Art at Work program here in Portland was chosen recently  as one of 51 recipients across the country to participate in  the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) inaugural “Our Town” program which is slated to begin later this summer.  The program is designed to foster public-private partnerships that strengthen the arts while shaping the social, physical and economic characters of neighborhoods. The announcement of the receipt of the $100,000 grant was announced this afternoon by Mayor Nick Mavodones at a press conference at 90 Anderson Street.

Art at Work founder and its director, Marty Pottenger, founded the non-profit in 2007.  She has worked tirelessly with the City of Portland to develop strategic art projects that address issues and challenges the city faces by engaging city workers and the public.  City employees’ works have hung in galleries, city parking garages, lunchrooms, recycling centers, libraries and the Portland Police Station. 

The one year grant, is more specifically intended to strengthen 5 of Portland’s neighborhoods and their associations.  The five neighborhoods will be  identified by October 1st. They will be selected on their so far inability to define the neighborhood as to whom they are and what they are about.

For more information, please visit www.artatworkproject.us