New Senior Arts Program Coming to Museum L-A

            Museum L-A is thrilled to invite you to participate in its first senior arts workshop program! For the first installment of a three part workshop series, the museum will be hosting a free poetry workshop called “Seeing with the Heart’s Ear” lead by guest teaching artist Martin Steingesser. Martin is Portland Maine’ first Poet Laureate, an accomplished author, a performance poet, and a teacher. He will be guiding our workshop members on their poetry journey over the course of an 8 week session.

            This poetry workshop offers inspiration and opportunity for participants to learn new writing tools to serve their consciousness in expressive ways. The aim is to encourage and nurture stronger, clearer, and more expressive writing and poetry. The museum is looking for 12 willing participants over the age of 50 to join us on this poetry journey from April 13 to June 1, 2019. The workshops will happen at Museum L-A every Saturday from 10:30 am – 12:30 pm. After the 8 week session has ended, the poets, their friends and family, and the general public will be invited to attend a poetry reading event on June 7 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm to celebrate the amazing work they have accomplished.

            In addition to “Seeing with the Heart’s Ear”, Museum L-A will be hosting two more senior arts programs over the next year through a grant program called Seeding Vitality Arts in Museum. This initiative is funded by Aroha Philanthropies and was designed to support the development and expansion of successful creative aging programs. The goal is to inspire and enable older adults to learn, make, and share the arts in ways that are novel, complex, and socially engaging. This work is driven by teaching artists whose creative process and understanding of older adults bring joy, connection, improved health and well-being, and a renewed sense of purpose to older adults. Museum L-A was chosen as one of only 20 museums throughout the United States to receive this grant and although this is one of Museum L-A’s first dedicated senior arts programs, they are looking towards being able to continue this practice for many years to come.

            If you’re interested in registering for this poetry workshop, please call Museum L-A at 207-333-3881. Emma Sieh, Museum L-A’s Collection and Exhibits Coordinator, will be fielding all registration queries. For more information about the program, please visit www.museumla.org.