Blog and Newsletter

Last Friday the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development published revised operating guidelines for museums to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These guidelines incorporate many of the recommendations that Maine Archives and Museums released in May. Review the New State Guidelines Review MAM's Guidelines from May As we learn of new pandemic-related news that affect how museums and archives in Maine operate, we will continue to update www.MaineMuseums.org/COVID-19. Please help spread the word about the new guidelines!

The Trustees and staff of Yarmouth Historical Society are pleased to present The Wellcome Prize, a history competition open to high school students in Maine. Students are invited to undertake original historical research about a local history topic related to Cumberland County and write a research paper or create a film about their findings. Entries will be judged on the quality of research and effectiveness of communication. The three winners in each category will be asked to present their work to the public via Zoom in November 2020. First prize winners will receive $1000, second prize $500, and third prize $250.

Eligibility: Any high school student residing or attending school in Maine is eligible to enter. Entrants should be current high school students (grades 9-12) during the fall of 2020.

Timeline: Papers and films must be submitted via email (see below for further details) by 5:00 pm on Thursday, October 1, 2020. Winners will be announced on Thursday, October 15, 2020. Winning students will present a talk on Tuesday, November 17, 2020 at 7:00 pm via Zoom.

Topic: In order to maintain a strong connection to local history, please limit paper and film topics to subjects related to Cumberland County, Maine. Past winners have included papers on Brunswick sea captain John D. Pennell and a history of the Cumberland Fair. We encourage all entrants to consult their local historical societies and/or libraries for appropriate archival materials and resources. Papers and films must be the original work of the student entering the competition. Sources must be cited. Rights to music, archival footage, or copyrighted content in films must be cleared.

Film length and submission:  Films should be 8-10 minutes in length. Yarmouth Historical Society may choose to download and/or share any submitted film on our website or social media channels. Films must be submitted via email with a link to the film on YouTube or Vimeo by 5:00 pm on Thursday, October 1, 2020. Please email submissions to Katherine Worthing: kworthing@yarmouthmehistory.org

Paper length and submission: Written papers should be between 1500 and 2500 words and should include citations and a bibliography of sources consulted. Yarmouth Historical Society may choose to publish any submitted paper in a future newsletter or publication. Papers must be submitted via email by 5:00 pm on Thursday, October 1, 2020. Please email papers to Katherine Worthing: kworthing@yarmouthmehistory.org

Judging and Prizes: Papers and films will be judged by members of Yarmouth Historical Society’s Program Committee using the rubrics available on our website. Prize winners will be notified by email on Thursday, October 15, 2020. Winners will receive their prize money after their presentation on Tuesday, November 17, 2020.

Presentations: The three prize winners in each category will be asked to present their work via a Zoom webinar at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, November 17, 2020. Writers should present their research in a 10-15 minute talk; filmmakers should be prepared to present their films and speak for 5-10 minutes about their process. As this is part of our annual Lecture Series, the presentations will be open to the public. Students may use PowerPoint or other visual presentation tools during the talk.

Background: The Wellcome Prize is named after Elsie Wellcome (1893-1918). Elsie was raised in Yarmouth, attended local schools, and became an involved community member as a young person. She joined the Village Improvement Society, participating in town-wide beautification efforts, and spoke out in support of women’s suffrage. Sadly, Elsie died of Spanish flu at the age of 25 in 1918.

Questions: Please contact Katherine Worthing, Executive Director of Yarmouth Historical Society (kworthing@yarmouthmehistory.org) with questions.

Tate House is a survivor. Fires. Wars. Pandemics. Experience stories of hope and hardship in a new way this summer.  

Tate House Museum in historic Stroudwater has cancelled its indoor tours this season due to the COVID pandemic. Instead, we will provide visitors an alternative way to experience the history of our properties. Starting on July 10th, we will offer a limited number of register-in-advance-onlytours led by experienced docents from the safety of outdoor areas. These “Inside/Out Tours” will focus on the history of the Mast Trade, the Tate family, and the Tate’s 1755 home while viewing the historic Tate House and Means House from our beautiful surrounding riverfront properties. Tours will last 30-45 minutes, include up to 6 people, and will require face coverings and social distancing. Visitors will learn about our historic garden and enjoy views of the Fore and Stroudwater Rivers while imagining the surrounding Stroudwater Village two and half centuries earlier.

Tours will be offered on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through August at 11:00 AM, 12:30 PM and 2:00 PM. Registration and payment is required in advance by calling 774-6177 or by emailing info@tatehouse.org. Cost is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors/students, and $5 for children 12 and under. Tours may be extended through Sept and Oct so check our website www.tatehouse.org and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TateHouseMuseum/ for updates, more information, and future programming.

FMI:

Holly Hurd

Tate House Museum

1267 Westbrook Street

Portland ME 04102

207-774-6177 or info@tatehouse.org 

A STATEWIDE CONVERSATION WITH MAINE’S CULTURAL SECTOR

(Museums, Theaters, Festivals, Venues, Residency Programs, Historic Sites, Arts/Music Related Businesses) 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 9:00 - 10:00 am VIA ZOOM

REGISTER HERE:

https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUlcOisqj8pH9y_LtajwUZ0XMcw1WlGMPrG

MODERATED BY Stuart Kestenbaum

• What are the challenges your organization/business is facing during Covid-19?
• How best can Maine’s cultural community unify at this time?

THIS VIRTUAL GATHERING IS HOSTED BY: 

MAINE CULTURAL NETWORK STEERING COMMITTEE

Mark Bessire, Portland Museum of Art

Steve Bromage, Maine Historical Society

Shoshona Currier, Bates Dance Festival

Hugh French, Tides Institute and Museum of Art

Ben Fowlie, Camden International Film Festival and Points North Institute

David Greenham, Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine

Sarah Hansen, Portland Landmarks

Sheila Jans, CultureWorth

Monica Kelly, Bay Chamber Concerts

Stuart Kestenbaum, Monson Arts

Abbe Levin, Cultural Development Consultant

Nat May, Onion Foundation

Daniel Minter, Indigo Arts

Linda Nelson, Portland Ovations

Christopher Newell, Abbe Museum

Bari Newport, Penobscot Theater Company

You can learn more about this opportunity and apply online here. Applications are due on July 8^th by 4 pm. Please contact Nelle Hanig, Business Programs Manager, Economic Development Department, at nrh@portlandmaine.gov with any questions.

Over the past few months, Perch Design Studio has been compiling a free pandemic toolkit for small museums, galleries, visitor centers, and other public spaces.

It contains guidelines, inspiration, and resources for engaging audiences, building community, and creating digital experiences in the era of COVID-19 and beyond. We hope that our friends in the Maine museum community find it helpful!

Check it out here: https://toolkit.perchmade.com

The Executive Committee of the Association of Maine Archives and Museums (MAM) Board of Directors is outraged by the murder of George Floyd of Minneapolis. Many of us in Maine's community of collecting institutions, being keepers and teachers of history, want to make clear that this crime is no isolated incident but part of a generations-long pattern of American systemic racism that has resulted in Black Americans being disproportionately targeted by police, victimized by police violence, and imprisoned by the criminal justice system. The list of victims in recent public memory is frighteningly long: Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Oscar Grant, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Timothy Thomas, and names we do not even know.

Collections held by members of MAM reveal Maine's role in creating the structures of systemic racism that persist today, but they also reveal stories of meaningful change that have originated here. 

In partnership with these and other anti-racist efforts, MAM is seeking and prioritizing professional development programming offerings for our members that focus on decolonization and race. Please get in touch if you are aware of professionals in our field who may be able to lead workshops and presentations along these lines.  

Museums and archives have a role in bringing to light and fostering dialogue about the persistent violence and economic inequalities within communities of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, in our state, nation, and globally. We are grateful to the leadership of our colleagues at Museum & Race, Society of American Archivists, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture for compiling resources to help us uncover, grapple with, and begin the discussion about the race-related collections we hold in our institutions; please take a look at them: 

• Reading List from Museums and Race
• Social Justice Resources List from the Society of American Archivists
• Talking About Race Web Portal from the National Museum of African American History and Culture

And to better understand race-relevant history of Maine and the United States:

• Portland Freedom Trail
• Maine's Visible Black History
• Malaga Island, Fragmented Lives, an online exhibit from the Maine State Museum
• Black History in Maine, a podcast from Maine Public Radio
• University of Southern Maine African American Collections
• The Atlantic Black Box Project: New England's Role in the Slave Trade
• The 1619 Project: A History of American Slavery

Thank you in advance if you have any contacts to share for expanding MAM's programming, as described above, and for any other actions you are taking toward social justice.

Hello,

The Maine State Archives is pleased to announce the New Century Community Grant Program for the preservation of archival collections. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many organizations are finding their resources strained. With limited in-person interaction, this can be a great time for archival projects. The New Century Community Grant program aims to support and provide needed resources to care for and improve access to the archival collections held in Maine. Funding for the grant program comes from the Maine State Cultural Affairs Council and the Maine State Archives.

More information and the grant application can be found on the Maine State Archives website here: https://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/organizations/grants.html

June 26 is the application deadline; we expect to announce grant awards around July 15.

For more information or questions about your specific project, please contact Kate McBrien, Deputy Secretary of State for Archives, at 207-287-5790 or by sending an email to katherine.mcbrien@maine.gov.

A new book by Seashore Trolley Museum's Phil Morse and Jean Flahive, Teddy Roosevelt, Millie, and the Elegant Ride, won The Eric Hoffer Award for Excellence in Independent Publishing!

Read more here: https://narcissus1912.blogspot.com/2020/05/gold-winner-book-award-teddy-roosevelt.html

The COVID-19 global pandemic has left many archival workers financially vulnerable as institutions shut their doors and contract work disappears. In response, an ad hoc group of concerned archivists, in partnership with the SAA Foundation, established the AWE Fund to provide immediate support to archival workers in the United States, particularly those in contingent positions, who are disproportionately affected by this crisis and its financial impact.

The fund has already raised over $80,000 thanks to a generous seed grant from the SAA Foundation and momentum from over 450 individual donors. This has allowed the fund to provide financial support to 77 archival workers with a concrete message that the archival community has one another’s backs. They want to ensure news about this fund reaches all corners of the profession.

To learn more about the fund, please visit the SAA site here: https://www2.archivists.org/groups/saa-foundation-board-of-directors/archival-workers-emergency-fund.