UNE presents third Student Art Exhibition at Biddeford North Dam Mills with opening reception on April 29th

The University of New England will be holding its third Student Art Exhibition in the North Dam Mills in Biddeford with an opening reception on Friday, April 29, 2011 from 5:30-8 p.m.

The reception will feature music by the Mescalitos from 6-8 p.m.

"As a partner in the Creative Economy Economic Development Grant, the UNE Department of Creative and Fine Arts is committed to building a strong presence of the arts in downtown Biddeford," said Stephen Burt, department chair and associate professor. "This is a great opportunity for the students involved in studio courses to give back to the community and see their efforts in a larger context."

Student artwork will include drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and animation taught by Burt, Sascha Braunig, Corliss Chastain, Bethany Heaseler, Sarah Gorham, and Oran Suta.

The Biddeford City Theater, Engine, Heart of Biddeford (HoB), and University of New England (UNE) are partners in the Creative Economy = Economic Development (CC=ED), an initiative funded in part by a grant from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

The grant will be used to expand existing events and initiatives, create a plan to secure and develop a downtown property that will be converted into multi-use live/work housing and exhibition space, and work toward several ambitious, long-term objectives, from the establishment of a downtown arts district to the execution of a comprehensive, collaborative effort to promote affordable live/work opportunities for artists and creative entrepreneurs in downtown Biddeford.