WATERVILLE, MAINE—For several years the arts scene in Waterville has been growing and expanding, cementing the city’s burgeoning reputation as a destination for concerts, festivals, creative workshops, and more. As a more central location than Portland or Bangor, Waterville is not just attracting more artists and audiences, but art teachers as well, who travel from across the state to learn new skills and share their own expertise with each other, expanding the arts experience available to Maine students.
Reflecting the city’s growing profile as a major destination for arts, the annual spring conference of the Maine Art Education Association (MAEA) will be held in Waterville April 4–6. This year’s event is organized by Waterville Creates and held in partnership with the Colby College Museum of Art and Colby Arts. This year’s spring conference has already attracted record numbers of art educators from across Maine and throughout New England.
“Attending the MAEA conference in Waterville—a community that truly values the arts—feels especially meaningful,” said Holly Hubbard, a teacher at Waterville’s George J. Mitchell School. “In Waterville Public Schools, where we strive to engage, empower, and inspire, we often see teaching itself as an art form—one that invites curiosity, creativity, and deep engagement in any subject. This gathering isn’t just for art educators; it’s for anyone who believes in the artistry of teaching. It brings together educators, artists, and community partners, sparking new collaborations and keeping creativity at the heart of our work.”
The MAEA promotes visual arts education throughout Maine, encouraging best practices in classrooms, supporting professional development for its members, and recognizing and celebrating outstanding educators. Annual conferences provide an opportunity for educators from across the state to meet, develop new skills, share ideas, and expand curricular offerings.
For Waterville Creates—a community arts nonprofit and home to the Waterville Opera House, Maine Film Center, and Ticonic Gallery + Studios—working with MAEA and supporting arts education gets to the heart of the organization’s mission.
“At Waterville Creates, our mission is ‘Arts Experiences for All,’ and that begins with supporting the educators who ignite creativity in students,” said Serena Sanborn, manager of outreach + community partnerships at Waterville Creates. “When you invest in one arts educator, you empower hundreds of students—fostering imagination, confidence, and innovation.”
The Colby College Museum of Art and Colby Arts Office have been investing beyond the borders of the school’s campus, as well. “As a teaching museum first and foremost, we center the work of both academic and K–12 educators as core to our mission,” said Christian Adame, Mirken director of learning and engagement at the Colby Museum. “Teaching is a creative practice, and we hope the MAEA convening in Waterville invites art educators to invest in that practice, to learn with others, and to discover new ways to center the visual arts in their classrooms.”
In a time of budget cuts, standardized testing, and a curricular shift towards STEM fields, groups like Waterville Creates, Colby, the MAEA, and others demonstrate just how crucial it is to work together to provide extra support for art educators and their students. Waterville is emerging as a hub for conversations across the state about the right of youth access to the arts.
“Nourishing creativity for all children through the arts is why art programs are essential to a well-rounded education,” said Jessica Hamilton Jones, art teacher at the Waterville Alternative School. “The MAEA supports the arts, art students, and art teachers and has been pivotal to my success as an art teacher. I am thrilled that Waterville and Waterville Creates are hosting our spring conference this year.”
“By bringing together arts educators, creatives, and cultural organizations, this conference is a catalyst for inspiration, collaboration, and lasting impact in our communities,” Sanborn added.
Art educators from across Maine and beyond can register for the MAEA conference in Waterville before March 25. This year, the Colby Museum and Colby Arts are sponsoring major scholarships to cover registration fees for Maine teachers. Visit aeforme.org/2025-spring-conference to learn more and register.
“We are thrilled to welcome art educators from around the state into the vibrant art spaces in downtown Waterville and on Colby College’s campus,” said Tyler French, associate director of artistic planning and community engagement at Colby. “We hope they will return and engage, to see the arts ecosystem in Waterville as rich in resources to support their professional development and their students.”
“The MAEA is so thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Waterville Creates, Colby College, and the greater Waterville community for our spring conference this year! It is sure to be an epic event,” said Matt Johnson, MAEA’s president-elect.
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About MAEA
The Maine Art Education Association (MAEA) is a professional organization that promotes visual arts education in Maine. The MAEA’s goals include encouraging best practices in visual arts classrooms, supporting professional development for its members, and recognizing and celebrating outstanding educators. Annual conferences provide an opportunity for educators from across the state to meet, develop new skills, share ideas, and expand curricular offerings.
About Waterville Creates
The mission of Waterville Creates is arts experiences for all. Offering diverse programming for all ages, Waterville Creates is building a thriving, connected, and equitable community through shared experiences in the arts. By presenting arts programming by, with, and for our community, we promote growth and well-being.