Maine Humanities Council

Calendar of Events

Council-Sponsored Events in Maine

Experience the humanities in Maine! Attend a lecture series, see an exhibit or join a discussion group. The events listed here are either presented by the Council or by organizations that have been awarded Council grants. Please note that times and venues are subject to change. Please contact the sponsoring organization to confirm event details.

May 2, 2013

Grant Funded Program

L/A Film Forum presents Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Screening and Discussion

Location and Time: Lewiston Public Library, Lewiston, ME 6:00 p.m.
Contact: Lewiston Public Library

Jiro is the story of 85 year-old Jiro Ono, considered by many to be the world’s greatest sushi chef. He is the proprietor of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat, sushi-only restaurant inauspiciously located in a Tokyo subway station. Despite its humble appearances, it is the first restaurant of its kind to be awarded a prestigious 3 star Michelin review, and sushi lovers from around the globe make repeated pilgrimage, calling months in advance and shelling out top dollar for a coveted seat at Jiro’s sushi bar. Bates College Professor of Japanese Sarah Strong will lead a discussion following the film.

May 3, 2013

Grant Funded Program

John Haley's Civil War

Museum Exhibit Opening

Location and Time: Saco Museum, Saco, ME 5:30 p.m.
Contact: Saco Museum

Come and get the first peek of the Saco Museum's summer exhibition, curated and designed by students at the University of New England, and contribution to the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War being celebrated across Maine this year. Saco native John Haley served in the 17th Maine Regiment, from 1862 to 1865 and participated in battles such as Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Cold Harbor, and Appomattox. He documented his experiences in a journal after the war and commented on thirty mile marches, hazardous medical treatments, and life at camp. Many years after the war, John Haley became the Dyer Library's second librarian and a Saco historian. View the Civil War through the eyes of a self-described "mediocre but always present" soldier.

May 4, 2013

Grant Funded Program

Intro to Maine Historical: Library Catalog Instruction

Facilitator: Jamie Kingman Rice

Location and Time: Maine Historical Society, Portland, ME, 12 p.m.
Contact: Maine Historical Society

MHS Research Librarian Jamie Kingman Rice provides in-depth instruction of the MHS library catalog, Minerva, including how to search and access records, as well as other databases available for research. Program lasts about 45 minutes.

May 5, 2013

Grant Funded Program

Harriet Beecher Stowe: A Local History Performance

Performance and Discussion

Location and Time: First Parish Church, Brunswick, ME, 12 p.m.
Contact: First Parish Church

A one-woman performance by professional actress Elizabeth Davidson on Harriet Beecher Stowe and her influence on the abolitionist cause after the publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin. Followed by a moderated discussion.

May 7, 2013

Grant Funded Program

Maine Poetry Express: Camden

Poetry Reading

Location and Time: Camden Public Library, 7 p.m.
Contact: Camden Public Library

The Maine Poetry Express, an initiative of the Office of the Maine Poet Laureate, is a whistle-stop tour of community poetry readings conducted by Maine Poet Laureate Wesley McNair, who brings together Maine poets and townspeople for readings and discussions of poetry.

May 14, 2013

Grant Funded Program

Maine Poetry Express: Portland

Poetry Reading

Location and Time: SPACE Gallery, 7 p.m.
Contact: SPACE Gallery

The Maine Poetry Express, an initiative of the Office of the Maine Poet Laureate, is a whistle-stop tour of community poetry readings conducted by Maine Poet Laureate Wesley McNair, who brings together Maine poets and townspeople for readings and discussions of poetry.

May 15, 2013

Grant Funded Program

Intro to Maine Historical: Maine Memory Network Demonstration

Facilitator: Jamie Kingman Rice

Location and Time: Maine Historical Society, Portland, ME, 12 p.m.
Contact: Maine Historical Society

Director of Digital Projects, Kathy Amoroso, provides an in-depth review of content and search functions on Maine's premier statewide digital museum. Bring a laptop or tablet (optional) and search as you go.

May 20, 2013

Grant Funded Program

Yarmouth Historical Lecture Series

Speaker: Colin Sargent

Location and Time: Yarmouth History Center, Yarmouth, ME, 7 p.m.
Contact: Yarmouth Historical Society

Colin Sargent is a playwright, author, and the founder and Editor of Portland Magazine. His first novel, Museum of Human Beings, gathered acclaim for its "stylish look at the fate of Sacagawea's baby son, Jean Baptise Charbonneau." (Publishers Weekly)

May 23, 2013

Grant Funded Program

Images of Johnny Appleseed: Saint or Buffoon?

Author Talk: Russell Powell

Location and Time: Maine Historical Society, Portland, ME, 7 p.m.
Contact: Maine Historical Society

John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, is among America’s most widely misunderstood folk heroes. Chapman (1774-1845) is widely credited with spreading the apple gene in America. But while schoolchildren everywhere learn some variation of Appleseed's story, it is usually inflated by myth. It seems as if we cannot decide whether to revere Chapman or ridicule him, and many depictions do both. Author Russell Steven Powell will separate fact from fiction in describing Chapman’s peripatetic life and legacy, and show how many of the depictions of Chapman through the years reflect the values of the people portraying him rather than the man. Powell is executive director of the New England Apple Association. Powell discusses Chapman and his legacy at length in his new book about apple growing in the United States, America’s Apple (2012).

May 24, 2013

Grant Funded Program

For Those in Peril

Exhibit Opening

Location and Time: Penobscot Marine Museum, Searsport, ME, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Contact: Penobscot Marine Museum

Explore the shipwrecks and near misses; the perfect storms and sudden squalls; those lost at sea and the families left behind; and the brave lifesavers and brilliant marine equipment innovators. Through the Museum’s collection of marine art, portraits, photographs, lifesaving equipment, original manuscripts and logbooks, small watercraft, models, and navigational instruments, the stories of “those in peril” will come alive in the summer of 2013. Free admittance.

May 25, 2013

Grant Funded Program

I'm Your Neighbor, Portland

City Kickoff

Location and Time: Portland Public Library, Portland, ME, 3 to 6 p.m.
Contact: I'm Your Neighbor, Portland

I'm Your Neighbor, Portland is a citywide read that seeks to distribute, discuss and celebrate eight children's and adult books set in Maine's recent refugee and immigrant communities, facilitating a city-wide exchange of stories and discussion around universal themes. The kickoff event will introduce the nine immigration picture books, novels, and biography collections featured in the read with readings, music, and refreshments.