As trustees of the Portland Museum of Art, we stand united with our dedicated staff and museum leadership, confident in their ability to lead the museum in the next phase of growth with integrity and heart.

Guided by the museum’s mission, Art for All, and informed by community input, we trustees, a broadly representative board reflecting diverse constituencies and regions across
Maine, are committed to fostering inclusivity, civic leadership and cultural enrichment.

With careful and thorough consideration, we have made the decision to request that 142 Free Street be reclassified. The decision to go down this path was informed by years of planning and research. We believe that 142 Free Street, as it stands today, should never have been classified as contributing to the Congress Street Historic District.

In 1982, the PMA’s I.M. Pei-designed Charles Shipman Payson wing revitalized Maine and Congress Square, sparking economic growth in a distressed area and making Portland the cultural capital of Northern New England. We draw inspiration from the museum’s past leaders who made the bold vision of the Payson Wing possible. As we continue to watch businesses close in our neighborhood, the museum’s commitment is an investment in the city we all love and is essential for the revitalization of the Congress Square Arts District.

Is expansion necessary? Yes. We have outgrown our footprint both in audience and in our ability to expand the museum’s collection. Just recently, the PMA has added hundreds of works to its collection, including works by an incredibly diverse array of artists, including Margaret Foley, Jeremy Frey, Philip Guston, Reggie Burrows Hodges, Auguste Rodin and Carrie Mae Weems.

The museum has received major gifts from esteemed artists and philanthropists Judy Glickman Lauder and the Alex Katz Foundation, who share our commitment to strengthening the arts ecosystem in Maine. This investment in our museum has transformed the experiences available to communities in Portland and beyond. The museum’s summer exhibition, Jeremy Frey: Woven (opening May 24), was recently highlighted in the New York Times and will travel to the Art Institute of Chicago this fall and the Bruce Museum in Connecticut in 2025. The PMA is now mentioned in the same breath as some of the most prominent institutions in the country.

Our commitment to caring for the collection and supporting artists is steadfast, and the new wing will allow even more visitors to make art a part of their everyday lives here in Maine. With the expansion, we will increase special exhibition galleries, create spaces to make art and offer welcoming visitor amenities.

Through an intensive process of listening and gathering feedback, we have learned that our facilities no longer support the programs and experiences for which our communities are asking. The new wing’s design will bring people together and will allow us to meet the expectations of a new generation who demand more of their public institutions.
The values and economic impact of the PMA’s expansion carefully and thoughtfully aligns with the goals outlined in the City of Portland’s comprehensive plan, fostering a supportive relationship with its vision.

With a prominent entrance oriented toward Congress Square, the new wing will be a landmark building, one that reflects the values of the communities we serve and of the communities we need to serve better. We place our trust in the process and the guidance of our City Council. Portland has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the impact a museum can have when it is built from the ground up through an inclusive lens and purpose-built for sustainability, flexibility and belonging.

Copy the Story Link

« Previous

Opinion: College protests make me hopeful

Next »

Our View: On gun safety, Gov. Mills fell short