Meet Gretta Buckley!

Friends of Congress Square Park has hired a seasonal Volunteer Coordinator, Gretta Buckley. Gretta brings a wealth of experience working with people of all ages- from infants to elders. Gardening and writing, media management and dance — she’s as eclectic as our programming.

Gretta will be working with us to recruit, train and place volunteers this season. If you’re interested in being a park steward or team volunteer, reach out to Gretta at volunteer (at) congresssquarepark.org!

We asked Gretta what she was looking forward to in her new role. She said, “I am really excited to gain the perspectives of a wide range of people and work with them to find ways to make a beautiful place even more inviting for all! I love to create space that has arms wide open, and volunteers are a foundation of creating that space. I’m humbled to be a part of that.”

As to favorite experiences in parks, she cherishes memories of rolling down a big hill of a local park in her home town with her sister. “Oh the freedom! Oh the grass stains!” she recalled.

Sitting in a park in Burlington, Vermont where the Farmers Market was hosted was another memory. “In the center of the park there was a fountain still empty of water from the winter. I sat with a bouquet of flowers and some delicious sugar snap peas and watched the flow of hundreds of people making their way through the farmers market in t-shirts and shorts despite the fact that it was only 60 degrees. It felt like everyone had come out to dawn their “I survived winter, it is now officially spring” badges. It felt like a celebration! Being able to sit alone and enjoy personal silence while being surrounded by a lot of happy people, just glad to be outside and flowing around others makes me smile.”

Meet Gretta in the Square from May through September. Or reach out to her here now to volunteer!

Update: Open Call for 2018 Season Closed January 31, 2018!

Great thanks to everyone who submitted an event idea for the 2018 In the Square season! The Open Call submission period ended January 31, 2018. Our team will review the entries and be in touch with folks who expressed interest in February 2018. Expect to hear about this season’s schedule in April!

If you have questions or would like to host an event of your own in Congress Square Park, please get in touch with our Executive Director, Dela Murphy, at dela@congresssquarepark.org.

For details on how the 2018 Open Call process worked, see our post below.

If you’re a performer, artist, teacher, or organization who has an idea, we want to hear from you!

Music, art interactions or instruction, theater, puppetry, sing-a-longs, civic engagement, history and heritage, films… what are you up to? We welcome your idea!

This is an incredible and unique opportunity to bring your artistic vision and talents into the public realm. As a high quality arts venue and generous public space, we strive to present a variety of events that speak both to the diverse creative expression alive in our city and to what resonates with our community’s aspirations for our shared spaces. Contribute to the activation of Congress Square Park and the vitality of Portland, Maine’s public art scene!

Your event idea can be one-time only, weekly activities, or something in between.

In 2018, we’d love to see submissions from newcomers to In the Square, especially those who are offering programming that reveals types of art, music or cultural practices that are not often seen in free public venues. We also welcome daytime programming that fosters engagement with the arts for kids, families and elders, and civic engagement for everyone.

Submissions will be selected based on the following criteria:

• Event discipline: Our goal is to present lots of different types of events & activities during our season.
• Target audience & engagement: We strive to reach varied audiences, increase engagement with the arts, and provide opportunities for discovery, play, expression, and interaction with others.
• Professionalism and ability to expand park users: We appreciate programming partners who can introduce their communities to our community through their own promotional channels.
• Mix of emerging and established artists: From first time performer to seasoned performer, our goal is to foster and support local artists at all stages of their careers.
• Events that expand what’s offered: We’re specifically interested in weekly or monthly daytime events for children/families and seniors, as well as one-time or event series that highlight civic engagement and innovation, cultural expressions from Portland’s immigrant groups, improv/comedy, puppetry, theater and interactive arts, including arts instruction.

Here’s how it works:

• We will accept submissions until midnight on Wednesday, January 31, 2018.
• Complete the form below to apply. Be prepared to provide a high-quality image for promotional use and
• In early February, our Audience Engagement Committee will review the submissions and select the line-up. You’ll hear from us then!
• Should you be selected, we’ll confirm timing, stipend details, marketing, and logistical needs.
• In the Square programming will be hosted in the park from May through October 2018.

By submitting an idea through this open call, you’re applying to be part of the regular In the Square programming through Friends of Congress Square Park. This means that, should you be selected, you would be eligible to receive a stipend, be part of FoCSP’s event promotions, and be covered under FoCSP’s permit and insurance. Should your event require amplified sound or other AV, note that FoCSP provides a technician, sound system, projector, and screen.

Congress Square Park is a public space. If you prefer not to be sponsored by FoCSP, you’re always welcome to apply for a permit directly from the City of Portland Event office at TVM@portlandmaine.gov.

The 2018 submission period ended January 31, 2018. Thanks for creating an inspired place with us!

Thank you for a great 2017 season!

Friends of Congress Square Park is dedicated to the preservation, enhancement and use of this important public space at the heart of Portland’s Arts District. We fulfill our mission through community-led creative placemaking, striving to meet our neighbor’s needs, aspirations and vision for the park.

In 2017, our In the Square season saw over 96 free public evening and weekend events hosted from May through October featuring live music, films, dance, theatre, yoga, circus, art interactions, and more. Plus, our weekly daytime activities happened again in 2017, featuring Tai Chi Chih/Qigong, Knitting, Crafternoons, and Games & Fun. Checkmates! chess brightened Saturday mornings, too.

We’re grateful to our many collaborators, including series partners like Portland Summer Films, West End Neighborhood Association, Portland Swing Project, and Portland Intown Contra Dance, and the many organizations and performers who brought their skills and diverse offerings to the Square. We have great appreciation for PM Salsa with Primo Cubano, Robin’s Zodiac Yoga, Portland Ovations, Pickwick Independent Press, Theater Ensemble of Color, Fenix Theatre Co., Make Music Portland, Waking Windows, Maine Academy of Music, Cast Aside Productions, Sparks Artist Collective, and the many, many others who brought us together with their art last season.

In addition to our programming, our colorful amenities and free Wi-Fi attracted visitors during other times of the day to read, eat, create, meet with friends, or relax in an urban oasis. Since its inception, FoCSP’s creative placemaking has drawn well over 80,000 estimated visitors to the park.

Our park stewards and volunteers generously gave their time and effort to ensure that the park stayed beautiful, safe, and lively throughout the whole season. More than 3,646 hours of volunteer time was invested last season.

Your generous contributions enabled us to present these free arts events & activities, as well as offer free WiFi, provide colorful public amenities, improve the plantings, and create a welcoming and beloved gathering place.

Funding for our 2017 season was also provided in part by critical investments by Diversified Communications, the Horizon Foundation, The Westin Portland Harborview Hotel, the Fisher Charitable Foundation, the Davis Family Foundation, the Maine Arts Commission, Old Bug Light Foundation, Davis Family Foundation, Elimina B. Sewall Foundation.

We couldn’t have had such a successful season without generous commitment from our performers and partners, stewards,  funders and sponsors, donors, audience members, and YOU – in all the ways you gave. We are so very appreciative to all of you!

See you in our 2018 season, which starts in May!

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From May through October 2017, FoCSP presented 196 free arts events & activities in collaboration with local artists and arts and educational organizations, drawing an estimated 14,500 people! Our diverse programming included a wide range of live music, such as salsa, swing, contemporary chamber, bluegrass, folk, Klezmer, hip hop, and African drumming, as well as theater, contra dances, Tai Chi Chih classes, classic films, an international calligraphy event, zodiac yoga, literary readings, a printmaking fair, knitting and coloring groups, chess and other games, a pumpkin carving event, and more.

So… how did we do?

We want to plan our 2018 event season with YOU in mind. What events and activities did you like the most?  What would you like to see more of? Less of? How did you hear about events?

Complete the quick, 3 minute survey below now to share your thoughts!

Thank you for sharing your voice and ensuring Congress Square Park continues to meet the needs of our community!

Our Board of Directors is happy to announce that Dela Taylor Murphy has been hired as the new Executive Director of Friends of Congress Square Park. Dela joined the organization mid-July.

Murphy’s work has been focused on cultivating leadership and developing organizations in service of community engagement and high quality of life. She sits on the board of several arts and community focused nonprofits, including serving as Board President for Portland Intown Contra Dance, Board Secretary for Mayo Street Arts, and as an at-large member of the DownEast Friends of the Folk Arts. She is a founding Partner with Nuf Sed, a Portland-based consulting firm.

Dela’s background includes directing programs designed to develop leadership capacity and drive economic development for the state of Maine, collaborating on projects that have furthered Maine’s work in food security, cultural assets, and capacity for entrepreneurship, and working with both for- and non-profit organizations in management or consulting roles, leading communications efforts, coaching and facilitating, managing human resources, and enhancing organizational capacity.

She is trained in coaching through the Coaches Training Institute, studied Leadership and Organizational Studies through the University of Southern Maine, and studied experiential training and social change processes through various organizations including the Presencing Institute and Training for Change.

“Over the last several years, Friends of Congress Square Park has built a hub alive with neighborly connection, civic engagement, and diverse cultural expressions,” Murphy stated. “Their work has been an inspiration to many – and the park a beacon. As the organization looks toward an exciting future, I intend to focus on FoCSP’s mission, deepening our vital role as an inventive and generous public space through which the arts may be experienced by everyone and the citizens of Portland may meet and express themselves meaningfully.”

Murphy succeeds founding Executive Director Bree LaCasse, who remains on the board. LaCasse recently joined Community Housing of Maine to work for expanded affordable housing across Maine. Bree’s significant contributions to the organization were numerous. In the past 3 years, Bree organized nearly 200 events in 3 seasons, bringing over 30,000 participants to the park. She has played a pivotal role in the redesign process, including significant leadership as an advocate for the project. Additionally, she raised significant funds from foundations and spearheaded major corporate sponsorships and individual gifts, which resulted in strong reserves and a solid financial foundation. Through her leadership, FoCSP has fostered strong partnerships, a dedicated board and volunteer base, and become a well established and respected community non-profit. The board thanks Bree for her formidable contributions and wishes her the best!

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As we move into our 4th season, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate the remarkable people who supported and contributed to making the park such a vibrant and welcoming community gathering place – our volunteers, programming partners, donors, funders and program sponsors. We LOVE our park family! THANK YOU!

Read the full report here!

We are thrilled to welcome two new members extraordinaire to our Board of Directors — Alison Hildreth and Charlton Ames. Both Alison and Charlton have been at the heart of our success from the beginning and it’s a pleasure to finally make it official!

Charlton Ames is a former board president of The Maine Olmsted Alliance for Parks and Landscapes, The Portland Museum of Art, and the United Midcoast Charities. He is currently chairman of the board for Sea Run Holdings Inc., a Maine based biotechnology company that commercializes salmon proteins from the blood of farm raised salmon.

Alison Hildreth is an artist with a studio in the Congress Square neighborhood where she manages an artist studio building with 23 spaces. She has worked with students as a non-resident advisor in several different MFA programs and also Continuing Education courses. She currently serves on the Portland Public Art Committee. See her work @alisonhildreth.com.

We’re also thrilled to announce the uber talented Nat May and Addy Smith-Reiman have joined our Advisory Board to lend their talents as curators, community builders, and placemakers.

Nat May is an arts and non-profit consultant who served as the Executive Director of SPACE Gallery for over 13 years. He was also a founding member of the Bakery Photo Collective and has served on the board of Creative Portland and the Portland Arts and Culture Alliance. He has served as a founding member of Common Field, a nationwide network of contemporary, experimental and noncommercial visual art spaces, and as a founding board member at the Hewnoaks Artist Colony in Lovell. Nat was recently selected to curate the 2018 biennial exhibition of contemporary art at the Portland Museum of Art.

Addy Smith-Reiman holds a Master’s Degree in Regional Planning and a Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture from Cornell University. She is a certified planner, accredited organic land care professional, and Master Gardener. For over 15 years Addy has successfully engaged people with projects that celebrate local identity, shared histories and future use. She currently works as an independent consultant for transportation, open space and preservation planning projects, integrating research, design, civic engagement and long-term stewardship planning for successful projects that activate PLACE.

Welcome to the team Charlton, Alison, Nat and Addy!