FARMINGTON – University of Maine at Farmington will officially break ground on an innovative new 15,000 square foot arts center at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 10, on the lawn next to UMF’s Merrill Hall. Emery Community Arts Center, named in honor of local arts enthusiasts Ted and Marguerite Emery, is designed by designLAB Architects of Boston and is made possible through a $5 million gift by a generous benefactor.
Ceremonial speakers include Theodora J. Kalikow, UMF president; Janet Mills, Maine attorney general; Alison Hagerstrom, executive director of Greater Franklin Development Corporation and members of the planning committee. Following the ceremony, a reception is planned in UMF’s Nordica Auditorium featuring live entertainment, refreshments and a chance to see the building plans. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place rain or shine.
Emery Community Arts Center, which is expected to debut mid 2011, will offer dynamic opportunities for expression in the arts and is designed to complement UMF’s Nordica Auditorium and Alumni Theater, creating a cultural center for the region and a welcoming doorway to the UMF campus.
According to President Kalikow, ECAC will offer opportunities to the region’s arts groups to present a lively range of arts programming to attract diverse audiences. “Emery will be a place that creates a sense of welcome where artists, near and far, can collaborate and create,” said Kalikow. “What’s most exciting is the philosophy behind it. It will bring together all forms of art in the same building, giving artists the chance to work together and create something new.”
Flexible performance spaces will offer opportunities for community and campus arts groups in settings designed for maximum versatility. Like the University’s new Education Center, ECAC will be constructed using advanced climate control systems and other environmentally-responsible technology. The state-of-the-art facility will include an array of new lighting, sound, and computer technology to support today’s multimedia interdisciplinary art forms. The flexible spaces will also support more traditional art forms such as student art exhibitions, film workshops, dance recitals and chamber music concerts.
