Maine: Agricultural Exhibition Partnership

Field-scape, by mixed-media fiber artist Jill Snyder Wallace

In summer 2024, the Maine Arts Commission mounted a special exhibition in partnership with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry‘s Bureau of Agriculture, Food & Rural Resources offices. The agencies collaborated to use the bureau’s Deering Building as an exhibit space to promote the work of Maine artists and lend a creative spark to the state’s rural development and natural resources work.

This partnership highlights the intersection of the state’s natural and cultural assets. The Deering Building is an active hub for supporting Maine farmers, strengthening food systems and empowering rural communities across the state. Its offices include Animal and Plant Health, the Maine Milk Commission and the Department of Education’s Childhood Nutrition program. It also serves as a hub for state services that facilitate land use, access to natural resources and conservation practices.

The Deering Building offered an exciting opportunity to bring the arts to a nontraditional venue and introduce Maine artists to new audiences. In consultation with the Maine Arts Commission, the bureau opened three floors of wall space to showcase exhibits. The Arts Commission conducted a call for artists and curated the exhibition, which displayed original artworks featuring agricultural and environmental themes. Fifty-three Maine artists were selected for the show, which includes a virtual exhibition component. A wide range of creative mediums and materials are available for public viewing and for sale through June 1, 2025.

This program is one of several exhibition programs that the Maine Arts Commission uses to enliven public spaces, furnish career opportunities for artists and elevate the visibility of the state’s creative talent. For instance, an ongoing Art in the Capitol program features work throughout the capitol complex. Excellence in Arts Education is an annual student art exhibit. Veterans exhibits and related programming honor Mainers who have served in the armed forces and celebrate their resilience, stories and creative skills.

For more information about the agency’s exhibition programs, contact Maine Arts Commission Program Director Khristina Kurasz.