Creative Portland Corporation

84 Free Street | Portland, ME | 04101 | 207-370-4784 Board of Directors Meeting Wednesday, June 3, 2026 3:30 PM IN PERSON ONLY at CP HQ 84 Free Street, Portland ME AGENDA 1. Welcome and President's Comments (Herb Ivy) A. Consent Agenda: May minutes (April financials previously approved on 5/4/26) VOTE: to accept consent agenda 2. Executive Director Update (Dinah Minot) A. First Friday Art Walk - June 5 B. Monday Morning Drop By recap - June 1st C. 500 for the Arts - new pilot program - Third Wednesdays 4-7pm- art activation in Arts District D. July 17 - Road to Everywhere Screening at PMA to benefit CP E. September 22 Arts & Culture Summit (Board roles) F. Hear Here 4 - February 14 G. FY27 Work Plan & Budget Discussion VOTE: to approve Work Plan & Budget 3. Board Business A. Discuss Executive Committee slate for November ‘27 B. Discuss Sustainability & Fundraising strategies 1. Board Challenge 2. Board Recruitment/Governance 3. Board Retreat in January 2027 4. Advancement/Fundraising Committee C. Volunteer schedule Page 1  1. PPAC rep 2. FFAW host volunteers 3. Arts Summit on 9/22 D. Board Share 2026 Remaining Board Meeting Dates: (no meeting in August or December) July 1, 4. September 9 (note: 2nd wed), October 7, November 4 (in person annual meeting) Page 2  Creative Portland Board Meeting Minutes Wednesday, May 6, 2026 (google meet) Attendance: Board Members: Mike Bove, David Brenerman, Tae Chong, Heidi Dikeman, Gib Foltz, Elyse Grams, Lindsay Hancock, Sam Hamilton, Lee Hartman, Zsofia McMullin, Dinah Minot (Assistant Secretary), Dave Page, and Matt Schwach (Secretary)​ Absent: Kate Anker (Immediate Past President), Haj Carr, Clare E. Hannan (Vice President), Herb Ivy (President), Daniel Minter, Councilor Regina Phillips, Greg Watson (ex officio) Staff: Dinah Minot, Walks Tall Keith Guest: Ronnie Wilson, CP volunteer and PPAC rep 1. Welcome & President’s Comments (3:34pm) Secretary Matt Schwach called the meeting to order and welcomed attendees. 2. Consent Agenda (3:35pm) April Minutes, April Financials Action: Vote to approve the Consent Agenda: Motion first by Mike Bove and seconded by David Brenerman.​ Unanimously approved. 3. Executive Director Update (3:35pm - 4:51pm) ●​ Walks Tall is moving to California but will hopefully stay engaged as a remote contractor. ●​ We are looking for a part-time office coordinator to handle office management and customer service. ●​ Board members are invited to volunteer to “housesit” at the office during regular business hours, as well as First Friday Art Walk. ●​ June 10 is proposed for our next board meeting (in lieu of June 3), in-person.To be confirmed after a tally with seven absent board members. Programs ●​ Creative Portland Gallery ○​ We hosted the artists’ opening reception for our ninth juried art exhibition Resistance on April 30, 2026. The event was very well attended. A public opening was held the following day on First Friday, May 1. ○​ Monday Morning Drop By was held on May 4th. 2 ½ dozen participants attended, including artists and venue owners. Lots of connections made. Page 3  ●​ We will be collecting testimonies to show how our programs build capacity and strengthen the local arts ecosystem. ●​ Lee Hartman has offered to submit a Data Innovation Project (due June 5th), a year-long subsidized fellowship to collect the data that best serves our needs. ○​ All board members, please send any data suggestions to Lee Hartman. City Arts Issues and Amendments ●​ The City passed an order to correct the original .5% of CIP to PPAC, elevating the budget to $230,000 from 50K capped PPAC funding. Councilor Sykes proposed this amendment that was passed 5-4. ○​ This will be a significant increase for Portland public art if it manages to be approved in the FY27 budget. ●​ The City passed an amendment 5-4 to extend a buffer zone from 100 feet to 750 feet between music venues, thwarting the development of the Live Nation proposed Music Hall location across from Merrill Auditorium. ○​ The MMA advocacy against Live Nation got the attention of City Councilors and motivated their decision. ●​ Ronnie Wilson, PPAC rep for CP reported that the PPAC has commissioned a new sculpture at the base of India St. called Portland Harbor Commons. ○​ The vetting process in response to an open call - or RFP -has been narrowed down to three artists, Gabriel Frey, Celeste Roberge and Isabel Catherine Kelley. ○​ On May 20th, at 4pm at City Hall, the PPAC will hear presentations from the three contenders. This is a public meeting. ○​ CP is looking for a volunteer to be the PPAC rep for a two-year term. Meetings are on the third Wednesday at 4pm. Arts & Culture Summit ●​ September 22, 2026 at USM ●​ Reception location TBD - possibly outdoors on the patio by theCrewe Center, then move to McGoldrick Center with breakouts there and in Abramson Center. ●​ President Jacqueline Edmonson will provide the welcome and elected officials will be in attendance. ●​ May 11th, 2026 steering committee meeting. ●​ Possible Topics ○​ Policy Changes ○​ Public Art ○​ Cultural civic infrastructure; Arts Advocacy discussion Work PIan FY27 draft ●​ We added “Community Civic Outreach” as an initiative Page 4  ●​ Discussed our Arts Activation Program to add vibrancy in Arts District and to include lights, projections and performing artists to the 500 block. Other community news ●​ Dinah is the juror for the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust “Paint for Preservation” and the Boys & Girls Club show on May 29th. ●​ All Roads Music Festival May 15 & 16. ●​ SPACE has joined the UAW Local 2110 union. 4. Board Business & Board Share (4:51pm – 5:04pm) ●​ Lee Hartman shared growth in only one year at the USM Crewe Center ○​ Ticket sales - 18,000 last year, 42,000 this year (no increase in ticket price) ○​ Ticketed patrons - 1,900 last year vs 4,500 this year ​ Motion to Adjourn: David Brenerman​ Seconded by: Mike Bove​ Unanimously approved. Meeting Adjourned: 5:04pm​ Meeting minutes submitted by Walks Tall Keith. Page 5  FY27 Work Plan 500 for the Arts Annual Report to the City (November 2027) Arts Activation Partnerships (ie PMA Pavillion, vacancy storefronts) Arts & Culture Summit - Sept 22, 2026 (USM campus) Board Development & Governance CP Gallery - Resistance Show + new opening May 1, 2027 Community Civic Outreach / Government Affairs First Friday Art Walk Fiscal Sponsorship Program Fundraising/Advancement Projects Hear Here 4 - Feb 14th In-house Marketing, Public Relations & Outreach for CP programs Marketing Wheel (newsletter, website, CP app, socials) Monday Morning Drop By (Open house/convening) Page 6 Page 7