Our Mission & Vision
The mission of the Maine Alliance for Arts Education is to promote and encourage education in all of the arts for all Maine students.
History
The Maine Alliance for Arts Education (MAAE) was founded in 1973 and incorporated in 1980. Through a creative network of teachers, parents, artists, organizations, and community supporters, the Alliance works at the state level and in local communities to strengthen educational excellence in visual art, music, dance, drama, and creative writing. MAAE is a member of the national Kennedy Center Alliances for Arts Education Network, which has recognized the MAAE for its exemplary work on the local level and in advocacy.
Our Executive Director
Dana Wieluns Legawiec, Ed.M., Executive Director
Dana Wieluns Legawiec (she/her) is an active professional theatre artist, teaching artist, arts educator, and nonprofit arts leader based in Bowdoinham. Dana assumes the role of Executive Director for Maine Alliance for Arts Education alongside her work as a teaching artist with its core program, Building Community Through the Arts. Prior to joining MAAE, Dana served as Executive Director for Meetinghouse Arts, leading the organization’s emergence as a new visual art and performance hub in downtown Freeport.
Dana’s personal creative practice centers on Physical Theatre, Theatre of Place, and Ensemble-Devised works. She is an original founding member and co-Artistic Director of Ziggurat Theatre Ensemble and an Artistic Associate with the Camden Shakespeare Festival. In addition to performing with her own companies, Dana has worked with Celebration Barn Theater, Heartwood Theater Company, Figures of Speech Theater, the Holocaust and Human Rights Center, Mad Horse Theater Company, The Theater Project, and as a teaching artist with Portland Stage Company. She was honored to direct Balloonacy for Maddy’s Theatre at Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine, the first production in their new location on Thompson’s Point in Portland. Currently, Dana is collaborating with playwright Bess Welden and a team of visual and performing artists on The Death Wings Project, a touring, multimedia work containing art installation, community workshops and performance.
As a community-based teaching artist, Dana draws upon three decades’ experience in ensemble theatre to develop programs for children that celebrate individuality within collaboration while fostering deep connection to place. She was named a Creative Community Fellow by National Arts Strategies in recognition of her work making theatre with children. After witnessing the transformational potential of the elementary school play, Dana founded The School Play Project to design and implement extracurricular creative drama programs for elementary schools in the state and region, and to research and advocate for free, high-quality, participatory creative theatre-making for children.
Dana holds a BA in English Literature with a Certificate in Theatre & Dance from Princeton University. She obtained her Master of Education, Arts in Education, from Harvard, and completed the Executive Program in Arts & Culture Strategy at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also a graduate of Dell’Arte International. www.danacwlegawiec.com
Our Board of Directors
Board of Directors
Sandra Ruch, Board Chair, Belfast
Vicky Cherry, Kennebunk
Con Fullam, Windham
Representative Rebecca Millett, Cape Elizabeth
Jeri Pitcher, Readfield
Advisory
Rich Abramson, Arundel
John Rohman, Bangor
Jasmine Ireland, Bangor
Michael Edgecomb, Spruce Head
Elizabeth Watson, Portland
Emily Cain, Orono
Mazie Hough, Orono
Robin Brooks, Topsham
Want to Help Maine Students Get Involved with the Arts?
There are many ways you can get involved. We are always looking for teaching artists and for those who wish to fund programs which enrich curriculum and expand our students horizons. Reach out to us. We'd love to hear from you.
email: hello@maineartsed.org