Workshops Through the Jack Pine Project

Information from the Jack Pine Project Website

Why the Jack Pine Project?

The COVID-19 pandemic and related economic shutdown has affected many aspects of life in Maine. People have experienced everything from isolation to food insecurity to anxiety and depression. Some groups have been even more deeply affected, including those in health care, eldercare, education, and essential services, among others. There are also many vulnerable and at-risk populations, from the elderly and those with chronic illnesses to those living in institutions that are prone to outbreaks.

The Jack Pine Project responds to this crisis by connecting artists, art educators, and art therapists with residents from around Maine. Through a series of individual workshops, Maine artists, musicians, writers and others work with different groups to help them express their thoughts, feelings, concerns, and hopes for the future. Community arts can empower people to express their feelings and tell their stories, helping them to cope with and heal from traumas, including our current state of crisis. They document life in a community at a particular moment, leaving a shared record for future generations that goes beyond news accounts and government reports.

The title of the project is drawn from the Jack Pine, a species native to Maine that thrives in areas burnt by wildfire, needing the heat of fire to release its seeds. The image of a seedling emerging from burnt ground is emblematic of Maine’s reemergence from the COVID-19 pandemic and state of social crisis that we find ourselves in, and the role of the arts in this process.

Workshops

The Jack Pine Project workshops are free to participants, with minimal costs for materials. Pre-registration is required, and workshops are limited in terms of capacity. Some are also directed to specific target groups, and participation may be restricted to individuals meeting certain criteria—please make sure to read the fine print.

Project staff and workshop instructors will review applications and select participants to make up the cohorts for each workshop. You’ll then be contacted in regards to acceptance, starting dates and other information.