Creative Portland Corporation — Portland, ME
Date: 2026-04-01
Time: 15:30

84 Free Street | Portland, ME | 04101 | 207-370-4784


 Board of Directors Meeting
 Wednesday, April 1, 2026
 3:30 PM
 Via Google Meet
 https://meet.google.com/xaz-upox-svr

 AGENDA


1. Welcome and President's Comments (Herb Ivy)
 A. Consent Agenda: February financials & February minutes
 VOTE: to accept consent agenda
 B. City Council Workshop (March 9) Update (Clare Hannan - VP)
2. Executive Director Update (Dinah)
 A. First Friday Art Walk - March update - next FFAW is April 3
 B. Monday Morning Drop By - April 6
 C. CP Gallery - Resistance Exhibition Update/jury review process
 D. Artist Activation Program Update

 i. Open Call
 ii. Downtown Biz - FFAW engagement
 iii. Summer Stage reactivation

 E. Grant Update - NEA/MAC/ONION applications
 F. Outreach Update
 G. City Council Workshop: Feedback & next steps - Growth & Metrics doc with hyperlink
 (attached) added to website and sent to City Councilors
 H. Discussion to prepare FY27 Work Plan & Budget Draft
3. Board Business
 A. Board Share
4. FY26 Board Meeting Dates: May 6, and June 3, 2026 (in-person).

84 Free Street | Portland, ME | 04101 | 207-370-4784


 Board of Directors Meeting
 Wednesday, April 1, 2026
 3:30 PM
 Via Google Meet
 https://meet.google.com/xaz-upox-svr

 AGENDA


1. Welcome and President's Comments (Herb Ivy)
 A. Consent Agenda: February financials & February minutes
 VOTE: to accept consent agenda
 B. City Council Workshop (March 9) Update (Clare Hannan - VP)
2. Executive Director Update (Dinah)
 A. First Friday Art Walk - March update - next FFAW is April 3
 B. Monday Morning Drop By - April 6
 C. CP Gallery - Resistance Exhibition Update/jury review process
 D. Artist Activation Program Update

 i. Open Call
 ii. Downtown Biz - FFAW engagement
 iii. Summer Stage reactivation

 E. Grant Update - NEA/MAC/ONION applications
 F. Outreach Update
 G. City Council Workshop: Feedback & next steps - Growth & Metrics doc with hyperlink
 (attached) added to website and sent to City Councilors
 H. Discussion to prepare FY27 Work Plan & Budget Draft
3. Board Business
 A. Board Share
4. FY26 Board Meeting Dates: May 6, and June 3, 2026 (in-person).



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Accrual Basis Creative Portland
 Statement of Activity
 Profit & Loss
 Budget vs. Actual
 July through February 2025

 Jul '25 - Feb $ Over
 Budget % of Budget
 26 Budget
 Ordinary Income/Expense
 Income
 4100 · Operations (unrestricted) 124,385 133,533 -9,149 93.15%
 4200 · Programs 14,628 94,333 -79,705 15.51%
 Total Income 139,013 227,867 -88,854 61.01%
 Cost of Goods Sold
 5000 · Cost of Programs 42,730 100,750 -58,020 42.41%
 Total COGS 42,730 100,750 -58,020 42.41%
 Gross Profit 96,283 127,117 -30,834 75.74%
 Expense
 6000 · Marketing 2,566 4,833 -2,267 53.09%
 6100 · Personnel 118,735 117,267 1,469 101.25%
 6200 · Occupancy Expenses 5,732 5,533 199 103.6%
 6300 · Travel 140 2,000 -1,860 7.0%
 6500 · Professional Services 14,422 23,500 -9,078 61.37%
 6600 · Operating Expenses 9,174 10,160 -986 90.3%
 Total Expense 150,770 163,293 -12,523 92.33%
 Net Ordinary Income (54,487) (36,177) -18,310 150.61%
 Other Income/Expense
 Other Income
 7000 · Other Income-Expense 63 40 23 157.8%
 Total Other Income 63 40 23 157.8%
 Net Other Income 63 40 23 157.8%
 Net Income (54,424) (36,137) -18,287 150.61%




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Accrual Basis Creative Portland
 Statement of Financial Position
 As of February 28, 2025

 Feb 28, 26 Jan 31, 26 $ Change % Change
 ASSETS
 Current Assets
 Checking/Savings
 1010 · Creative Portland Checking 71,297 24,186 47,111 194.8%
 1011 · GSB Savings 5265 73,647 73,641 6 0.0%
 1015 · Petty Cash 1,858 1,858 - 0.0%
 Total Checking/Savings 146,802 99,685 47,117 47.3%
 Total Current Assets 146,802 99,685 47,117 47.3%
 1220 · Other Receivable - - - 0.0%
 Total Other Current Assets - - - 0.0%
 Total Current Assets 146,802 99,685 47,117 47.3%
 Fixed Assets
 1400 · Fixed Assets 31,952 32,191 (238) -0.7%
 Total Fixed Assets 31,952 32,191 (238) -0.7%

 TOTAL ASSETS 178,754 131,875 46,879 35.5%
 LIABILITIES & EQUITY
 Liabilities
 Current Liabilities
 Accounts Payable
 2000 · Accounts Payable - - - 0.0%
 Total Accounts Payable - - - 0.0%
 Other Current Liabilities
 2100 · Payroll Liabilities 5,674 5,674 - 0.0%
 2500 · Fiscal Sponsorship Liability 77,967 74,642 3,325 4.5%
 Total Other Current Liabilities 83,640 80,315 3,325 4.1%
 Total Current Liabilities 83,640 80,315 3,325 4.1%
 Total Liabilities 83,640 80,315 3,325 4.1%
 Equity
 3100 · Unrest'd Net Assets 149,538 149,538 - 0.0%
 Net Income -54,424 -97,978 43,554 44.5%
 Total Equity 95,114 51,560 43,554 84.5%

 TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY 178,754 131,875 46,879 35.5%




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 Creative Portland Board Meeting Minutes
 Wednesday, February 4, 2026 (google meet)

Attendance:
Board Members:
Kate Anker (Immediate Past President), Mike Bove, David Brenerman (for last hour) , Haj Carr,
Tae Chong (for last hour), Heidi Dikeman, Gib Foltz (Treasurer), Elyse Grams, Lindsay Hancock
(first half hour only) Sam Hamilton, Clare E. Hannan (Vice President), Lee Hartman, Herb Ivy
(President), Zsofia McMullin, Dinah Minot (Assistant Secretary), Dave Page, Matt Schwach
(Secretary), and Greg Watson (ex officio)​
Absent: Daniel Minter, Councilor Regina Phillips
Staff: Dinah Minot, Walks Tall Keith


Board Meeting Summary

1. Welcome & President’s Comments (3:31pm)

Herb Ivy called the meeting to order and welcomed attendees.

2. Consent Agenda (3:33pm)
November Minutes, December Financials

Action: Vote to approve the Consent Agenda:

Motion first by Clare Hannan and seconded by Kate Anker.​
Unanimously approved.​


3. Executive Director Update (3:33pm – 4:18pm)

 ●​ Asked new Board members to send bio & headshot.
 ●​ Committee and jury opportunities for board members. Ronnie Wilson (Creative Portland
 volunteer) sits on the PPAC. Update at April mtg.
 ●​ Staff Update: Jackie Weik is our PT outreach coordinator, promoting our app, soliciting
 engagement with hotels, delivering QR code stickers and “tents”.
 ●​ Sports (Athletic Arts) category added to app.
 ○​ Mariners & Hearts of Pine committed so far as sponsors: $2,500
 ○​ Portland semi-pro teams will highlight their home game schedule each season.
 ●​ Bret Woodard spearheading social media posts.
 ○​ 10K followers on Instagram
 ○​ Other platforms growing too; 65%+ open rate for our newsletter (4500
 subscribers)
 ○​ Goal is to hire a full-time development & outreach person next year (2027) -
 Seeking modest but additional city investment.




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 ●​ Board meetings are mostly virtual except for two in-person meetings:
 ○​ June board meeting at CP HQ to vote on FY27 budget and workplan.
 ○​ November in-person annual board meeting/vote officer slate
 ●​ Digital Board Handbook available to all board members.
 ●​ Signature program overview for new board members:
 ○​ First Friday Art Walk
 ○​ Creative Bus Shelter Initiative
 ○​ Monday Morning Drop By
 ○​ Biennial Arts & Culture Summit (September 22, 2026)

City Council Workshop

 ●​ Date: Monday, March 9, 2026. Agenda due the week before (March 2).
 ○​ Dinah Minot, Herb Ivy, Kate Anker will attend. (note: Clare Hannan attended in
 Herb’s absence)
 ○​ Sam Hamilton, Tae Chong, and Greg Watson also to participate and attend.

Creative Portland Gallery

 ●​ On Friday, February 6, 2026 from 6–7pm, we will host an Artist Salon at Creative
 Portland to discuss the artists’ art work and process
 ●​ Resistance Open Call is published. Applications are submitted through a Google form
 link on our Creative Portland Gallery page.
 ●​ Resistance exhibition:
 ○​ April 30th, Resistance Artist Opening Reception
 ○​ May 1, Resistance Public reception.

Newsletter

 ●​ “Look Who’s Talking” a new feature proposed for the Community News section of our
 newsletter to highlight testimonials from the community.

Artist Activation

 ●​ Artist Activation pilot program is underway.
 ●​ Artist Activation curatorial team met on Jan 26 and selected 7 initial art concepts.
 ●​ In discussion with real estate brokers, property owners, and managers in the Arts District
 to secure locations.
 ●​ Some potential locations:
 ○​ Soakology and Chinese restaurant
 ○​ Public Market in Monument Square
 ○​ Reny’s
 ○​ Free Street window (underneath Man & Oak)
 ●​ We hope to secure spaces by end of March, beginning of April
 ●​ Window “shadow box” artist sample shared .




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 ●​ HEDD is implementing an art project as part of the approved vacancy ordinance (repro
 cling art on windows)
 ○​ Different from Creative Portland’s Art Activation project which will include
 “shadow boxes” and possible live music and performing artists to activate
 spaces. CP to meet with downtown businesses in March to discuss potential
 ideas for arts activation.

Fundraising

 ●​ NEA & NEH funds secured by Congress (207 Million).
 ●​ Grant applications for FY27:
 ○​ NEA - Grants for Arts Projects (Part I submitted)
 ○​ Maine Arts Commission - Creative Communities grant
 ○​ Onion Foundation Grant - Arts Program Grant (Deadline March 11)
 ○​ Maine Office of Tourism (MOT) - grant cycle to open soon.
 ●​ Target corporate sponsors vs smaller non-profits and artists. ​


4. Meet & Greet - Board Member Introductions (4:18pm – 4:52pm)

5. Board Business & Board Share (4:52pm – 5:02pm)

 ●​ EXCOM met to discuss a letter of opposition to the City of Portland’s Finance Committee
 to oppose the PILOT program. (Payment In Lieu of Taxes).
 ●​ On February 23, City Council will be discussing Agenda Item 223.
 ●​ No CP board meeting on March 4, 2026​


Next Board Meeting: April 1, 2026 at 3:30pm.​
Motion to Adjourn: Lee Hartman​
Seconded by: Sam Hamilton​
Unanimously approved.​


Meeting Adjourned: 5:02pm​
Meeting minutes submitted by Walks Tall Keith.




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 Growth & Metrics
Creative Portland: A Decade Overview of Civic Cultural Impact (2016–2026)

Creative Portland, a 501(c)3 nonprofit & quasi-municipal organization, and civic economic partner,
operates as a nurturing hub for the arts community by promoting artists and highlighting
opportunities, spotlighting cultural events on our social platforms, website & app, and by
supporting creatives with fiscal sponsorships. Creative Portland’s promotional deck features our
mission, Board of Directors, signature program snapshots, and economic impact summaries.


Key Highlights and Growth of Organization
2016–2018: Leadership transition; arts center at 84 Free Street; 2018 Cultural Plan;
AEP5: $75 million in nonprofit arts and culture expenditures.
2019–2020: Hear Here launched (500 attendees, 30 artists); CP Gallery: All the Great Trees ;
Artist Relief Fund supporting 100 artists + dozens of cultural organizations; citywide arts
messaging during the pandemic.
2021–2023: Creative Bus Shelter Initiative (9 installations); Summer Stage Series; AEP6: $85M in
expenditures, 1,877 jobs, $2.6M in local tax revenues; Creative Portland App (5,000 downloads).
2024: Arts & Culture Summit (200 attendees); CP Gallery: Time & Temperature .
2025: Hear Here 3; Maine Music Weekend; CP Gallery: Acceptance ; Arts District Banner Refresh.
2026: Artist Activation Program; CP Gallery: Resistance ; Arts & Culture Summit (9/22).


Ongoing Impact
• $200K City investment → $400K program budget (includes in-kind contributions)
• App/Website adds a value of $500,000 equivalent in paid ads supporting $85M arts expenditures
• Community convener managing programs to promote public health, social and economic impact
• Monday Morning Drop By (~24 participants each month)
• Arts & Culture Summit (200 attendees)
• Public Art initiatives including Creative Bus Shelter installations and Armature Wall in Bayside
• First Friday Art Walk (4,000 attendees summer & winter months and 2,000 shoulder months)
• Self-guided tours on website & app (public mural tour)
• Free artist directory spotlighting 400 artists
• Fiscal sponsorships have included Maine Start-Up & Create Week, Portland Theater Festival,
Maine Music Alliance, Indigo Arts Alliance, Arts at Greenwood, Batimbo United, 82 Parris


Digital Impact & Reach
• 67% engagement/open rate (4,500 subscribers)
• 5,000+ app downloads (source: App Store Connect) | 180,000 website unique visitors/year
• 18,000 social media followers (10.5K Instagram + 8K Facebook) plus ~100K views/month
• 600+ visual artists | 200+ performing artists (hired and paid to showcase in public)


 Press Articles


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Partnerships
These private and nonprofit organizations partner with Creative Portland, allowing growth through cash and
in-kind contributions. We prioritize convening people and building relationships because connection drives
everything. By bringing together artists, partners, and community stakeholders, we create a network where
trust, collaboration, and opportunity can flourish.


3 Form Justin Alfond Portland Public Library
Akakpo & Co. Maine Academy of Modern Music Portland Sea Dogs
American Aluminum & Steel Maine Art Collective Portland Symphony Orchestra
Apohadion Theater Maine Arts Commission Press Hotel
Bayside Bowl Maine Association of Nonprofits Regional Chamber of Commerce

BPM Drum Festival Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition Resurgam Festival
Coffee By Design Maine Mariners Reveler Development
Cove Street Arts Maine Music Alliance Roy A. Hunt Foundation
Crewe Foundation Maine Public Running With Scissors
Curry Printing Maine Trust for Local News Side x Side
David E. Shaw Mayo Street Arts SPACE
Factory 3 MECA&D Speedwell Gallery
Fathom Companies Mechanics' Hall State Theatre
Friends of Kotzschmar Organ One Longfellow Square TempoART
Good Theater Onion Foundation The Canopy
GP METRO Palaver Strings The Francis
GPCOG Portland Downtown The Hill Arts
Greenhut Gallery Portland House of Music The Telling Room
Greg Boulos Portland Industrial Coating Townsquare Media
Headlight AV Portland Media Center Transformit
Hearts of Pine Portland Museum of Art USM Crewe Center
Hogfish Portland Ovations Visit Portland
Ikirenga Cy’Intore Portland Pie WMPG




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 Creative Portland's mission is to support the creative
economy through the arts by providing essential resources,
  fostering partnerships, and promoting our city's artistic
 talents and cultural assets.




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Creative Portland's Board of Directors
Kate Anker (Immediate Past President) - Running with Scissors
Mike Bove - Southern Maine Community College
David Brenerman - Former Mayor and Retired City Councilor
Haj Carr - Trueline
Tae Chong - Furniture Friends, Former Portland City Councilor
Heidi Dikeman - Portland Museum of Art
Gib Foltz (Treasurer) - One River CPA
Elyse Grams - Maine College of Art & Design
Sampson Hamilton - Verrill Dana
Lindsay Hancock - Artist & Grant Writer
Clare E. Hannan (Vice President) - Former CFO at Maine Public
Lee Hartman - University of Southern Maine
Herb Ivy (President) - Townsquare Media
Zsofia McMullin - Writer
Dinah Minot (Assistant Secretary) - Creative Portland
Daniel Minter - Artist, Indigo Arts Alliance
Dave Page - Visit Portland
Councilor Regina Phillips (Ex Officio) - Portland City Councilor
Matt Schwach (Secretary) - Retired Marketing Executive
Greg Watson (Ex Officio) - Housing & Economic Development Department Director
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5,200 Downloads (March ‘26)




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Voted 2022 BEST BUS STOP IN THE USA by Ebenezer Akakpo
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 Hope & Friendship at Mechanics’ Hall (519 Congress St)
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Portland’s Local Economy Report for FY2025 (July 1, 2024–June 30, 2025)

Overview
Portland, the most populous city in the state of Maine and the seat of Cumberland County,
features a diversity of economic sectors. It is the major center in Northern New England for
commerce, finance, arts and entertainment, food and beverage, life sciences, information
technology, higher education, and tourism. Portland’s working waterfront supports a vibrant and
active marine economy. Mixed use office, retail, residential and commercial districts as well as
marine and industrial areas provide wide-ranging development opportunities and remain ongoing
priorities for the future. The City’s taxable valuation breakdown shows that Portland has a
healthy real estate tax base ratio at 37% commercial/industrial and 63% residential. For FY25,
the total value of taxable property in Portland is $15.1 billion, which generates $227 million in
property tax revenue. Small businesses are the backbone of the City’s economy and employment:
more than three-quarters of Portland’s businesses have less than ten employees, while less than
10% have 50 or more.

Population Demographics
With a population of just over 68,000, Portland is the hub of a Metropolitan Statistical Area of
about 550,000 people. A city of growing diversity, more than 10% of the population was born in
a country other than the United States. Of the population aged 25 and older, 61% have obtained a
Bachelor’s degree or higher. While Maine’s median age of 45 is the highest in the country,
Portland’s median age is 37. (U.S. Census data)

Unemployment: Portland has a labor force of approximately 43,000 people, with an
unemployment rate of 2.5%




 (Source: Maine Department of Labor)

New Residents: Traditionally, the City has attracted new residents from all over the country and
around the world, including entrepreneurs. The impact of the pandemic on remote work has led
to an even larger influx of new residents. This past year, Portland was ranked as the fifth best city
in the US to find a job, according to WalletHub. Portland’s continued integration of immigrants
is crucial for maintaining and diversifying the labor pool, especially given the state of Maine’s
broader demographic challenge of an aging population.


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Downtown
Portland’s dense, walkable downtown and urban core greatly contribute to the City’s reputation
as a livable, vibrant center for innovation, arts and culture, dining, shopping, and entertainment
which attracts visitors and residents alike.

 The commercial real estate market
 continues to see a strong post-pandemic
 recovery. The Boulos Company provides
 an annual overview of the commercial
 real estate market, and in its 2025 office
 market outlook observed that unlike
 suburban markets, downtown Portland did
 not face substantial unoccupied spaces to
 backfill over the past year.




Creative Economy
Sustaining the arts community and promoting the cultural life of Portland are key economic
development initiatives. Portland has over 150 arts and cultural organizations that contribute to
the City’s creative lifestyle and vibrancy. The arts are an economic engine powering the creative
economy, and are pivotal for workforce recruitment and retention. The American Economic
Prosperity Study concluded in October 2023, finding that Portland’s nonprofit arts and culture
industry generated $86 million in economic activity in 2022. That economic activity – $58.2
million in spending by nonprofit arts and culture organizations and $27.8 million in event-related
spending by their audiences – supported 1,872 jobs and generated $20.7 million in local, state,
and federal government revenue.

Creative Portland supports the cultural life of the City with projects, programs and resources
including showcases such as Hear Here at Merrill Auditorium to highlight, nurture and support
local artists and the local arts ecosystem, a robust website listing opportunities and resources, a
Monthly Arts Update newsletter, a cultural app, called the Creative Portland app, that offers 24/7
listings designed to increase access to the arts, the First Friday Art Walk, a biennial arts & culture
summit, a fiscal sponsorship program, a Creative Portland Gallery annual art exhibition, a
community open house called Monday Morning Drop By, and public art installations on bus
shelters. Attendance at Merrill Auditorium in FY25 saw 130 events with 148,000 in attendance.

Hospitality Industry

Food and Beverage
Over the years, Portland's reputation as a culinary destination has continued to grow and bring
the City extraordinary accolades. In 2025, the Portland food and drink sector is thriving with
many restaurants offering outdoor dining, a trend which began as a pandemic adaptation and


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proved immensely popular. In addition to its booming restaurant industry, the City is home to a
robust craft beer, distilling and wine-making industry. Each year, establishments located in
Portland feature prominently in the James Beard Award nominations. Portland semifinalists in
2025 were Gross Confection Bar, Coffee By Design, The Jewel Box, Mr. Tuna, and Leeward. In
August of 2025, Travel and Leisure Magazine declared, “Portland, Maine, Is One of the Best
Food Cities In the U.S.,” highlighting how the city “went from being a great little food town to
one of America’s finest places to eat.”

Tourism and Hotel Development
The number of visitors to the State of Maine fell for the third year in a row in 2024, a trend
recently exacerbated by tariffs and a steep drop in Canadian tourists. Despite the drop, spending
by tourists in Maine increased, especially in and around Portland. The 2024 Economic Impact
and Visitor Tracking Study completed by Downs & St. Germain Research for the period
December 2023 through November 2024 indicates that the Greater Portland and Casco Bay
region attracted 2.8 million visitors in 2024, down 3.8% from 2023. These visitors spent more
than $1.7 billion in direct spending on accommodations, transportation, groceries, restaurants,
shopping, entertainment, and other expenses. The economic impact of that direct spending
generated approximately $2.9 billion
in economic impact to Greater
Portland and Casco Bay’s economy,
an increase of 5.2% from the
previous year.

The tourism and hospitality sector,
while vibrant, faces some
challenges. Hotel development in
Portland is projected to slow down,
partly due to a six-month
moratorium, which may redirect
developers to neighboring cities. The
148-room hotel at Thompson’s Point
is expected to open in 2026. The
former M&T Bank building at 465
Congress Street will be developed
by Fathom Companies into a hotel
with a speakeasy in the vault, adding
vibrancy and activity to the Monument Square area. Fathom Companies has developed several
other hotels in historic buildings in Portland, such as the Press Hotel.

In 2023, the Portland City Council approved the establishment of Maine’s first Tourism
Development District under the Maine State Development District Law. Modeled after the
Portland Downtown District, the Portland Tourism Development District (PTDD) allows the City
to levy an assessment on non-seasonal lodging properties within the City with more than 40
rooms. The district recently completed its first full year of operations, generating total
assessments of $1,432,052 for the district. The city retains 10% and the remaining revenue is
sent to Visit Portland to focus on marketing the city for continued growth and development of
Portland's Tourism sector.

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