Waterville, Maine — Waterville Creates!, one of Maine’s leading arts and cultural organizations and a key driver in making the city a vibrant destination in central Maine, has named Shannon Haines president and CEO of Waterville Creates! starting October 1. As president and CEO, Shannon will lead the organization as it continues to evolve as a center for the arts and to build a brighter future for greater Waterville. Shannon replaces Patricia King, interim executive director of Waterville Creates! and associate director of the Colby College Museum of Art , appointed in July to help guide the organization during its search for new leadership.
Shannon Haines currently serves as the executive director of the Maine Film Center, a non-profit organization whose mission is to enrich, educate and entertain the community through film and art. She has been employed with planning and cultural institutions in Maine for more than eighteen years, working as executive director of Waterville Main Street for ten years and the Maine Film Center for four years, while concurrently operating as festival director for the Maine International Film Festival for fourteen years. A recipient of the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce’s Rising Star Award and the Maine Downtown Center’s Downtown Visionary Award, Shannon currently serves on the board of directors for Waterville Creates! and its programmatic arm, Common Street Arts. She is a graduate from Middlebury College and attended Leadership Maine, a program of the Maine Development Foundation.
“With her long record of success at the helm of both creative and economic-development focused non-profits in Waterville, Shannon was an obvious choice for Waterville Creates! as we prepare to expand and strengthen Waterville’s arts and cultural anchors as never before,” said board chair Larry Sterrs. “As we continue to grow our organization to the next level, Shannon has the experience, knowledge, skills and relationships needed to build on the foundation Patricia has helped continue to reinforce. To say we were delighted she accepted our offer is to put it lightly – we could not be more pleased to welcome Shannon in her new role.”
“I am thrilled to have this opportunity to draw upon my past experience in the arts and community development to advance the mission of Waterville Creates! and to support the incredible arts institutions and creative businesses in our community,” said Shannon Haines. “These are very exciting times for Waterville, and I feel privileged to be able to play an active role in shaping the future of our city.”
“This is a natural progression of Shannon’s career,” said Uri Lessing, board president of the Maine Film Center. “With every position she’s held, she’s worked to better Waterville and this new role gives her an even broader platform to continue her trajectory. We are excited by her new position and look forward to a continued and strengthening partnership between the Maine Film Center and Waterville Creates!”
About Waterville Creates!
Waterville Creates! is a non-profit on a mission to promote, support, and grow greater Waterville’s arts and cultural scene. Collaborating with regional arts and culture institutions and their supporters, together we are strengthening our community as a vibrant creative center, increasing access to creative opportunities. For more information visit www.WatervilleCreates.org