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Bowdoin International Music Festival Receives National Endowment for the Arts Grant to Support 52nd Season

December 9, 2015

BRUNSWICK, ME — In its first 50 years, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) awarded more than $5 billion in grants to recipients in every state and U.S. jurisdiction, the only arts funder in the nation to do so. Today, the NEA announced awards totaling more than $27.6 million in its first funding round of fiscal year 2016, including an Art Works award to Bowdoin International Music Festival to support the 2016 season.

The Art Works category supports the creation of work and presentation of both new and existing work, lifelong learning in the arts, and public engagement with the arts through 13 arts disciplines or fields.

We are thrilled to share that this year the Festival’s theme will be ‘Re-Invention: Timeless Music and New Visions’. “In musical terms, re-invention happens in many ways. As a starting point, we think of works that break new ground in style, compositional technique, instrumentation, instrumental technique, form, harmonic language, concept of sound, etc. Re-invention can also happen through new arrangements or new use of previous material,” said Artistic Co-Director’s David and Phillip Ying. “With the theme of “Re-invention” we move forward toward the future. Re-invention is a critical and continual process that characterizes any living, growing entity, and is certainly true right now of the Festival in many ways. We hope that this idea can be represented in our full range of programming from beloved standards to vibrant, new work that has always been an essential part of BIMF.” 2016 will mark over half a century of the Festival working with a vast array of musicians and more than 5,000 students from across the globe.

As the Midcoast region continues to build on new developments at Brunswick Landing and elsewhere, it is only fitting that this year’s Bowdoin International Music Festival will focus on how artists expand their craft through reinvention and innovation,” said U.S. Senator Angus King, who narrated Aaron Copland’s A Lincoln Portrait for the Festival in 2013. “Artists, like the places we call home, are always changing and our communities are fortunate to be the beneficiaries of their work. I’m pleased the National Endowment for the Arts continues to support this valuable endeavor, and I look forward to enjoying the festival again this coming summer.”

First District Congresswoman Chellie Pingree also commented, “Artists continually reinvent themselves, pushing boundaries as they do so. Bringing in world-class artists to speak to your students about this concept, and perform their work for the entire community will provide a rare opportunity to understand the creative process. For more than 50 years, the Bowdoin International Music Festival has made incredible contributions to Maine's artistic culture and creative economy. We've been honored to have this festival not only bring the world's best performers to Maine audiences, but also thousands of students who experience some of the most influential moments of their careers right here in our state.”

NEA Chairman Jane Chu said, “The arts are part of our everyday lives – no matter who you are or where you live – they have the power to transform individuals, spark economic vibrancy in communities, and transcend the boundaries across diverse sectors of society. Supporting projects like the one from Bowdoin International Music Festival offers more opportunities to engage in the arts every day.”

“We are so grateful for the NEA’s continued support of the Festival,” said Director of Development Kippy Rudy. “As a small nonprofit we rely greatly on the generosity of donors and organizations like the NEA. Receiving this particular grant is a great assurance of the work we are all doing at the Festival. We are in the best shape we have ever been in, and it shows. With this support we can continue to bring world class music to coastal Maine.”

Bowdoin International Music Festival

Receives National Endowment for the Arts

Grant to Support 52^nd Season