Partnership Programs
Building collaborative, sustainable partnerships with schools and non profits to provide expanded access to music education in Maine. Read our semi-annual report here.
Reducing Barriers to Music Education
As a community music center, we know the power of arts education and its effectiveness in boosting student engagement and contributing to greater student achievement in other academic areas. Through our Partnership Program, we build collaborative relationships with schools and nonprofits to deliver hands-on, customized music enrichment opportunities to more than 800 participants a year, with no direct cost to the student.
We believe creative expression is an inherent right for all, and we strive to provide music-making opportunities for people to find their voices and tell their stories. Collaborative and sustainable partnerships help us combat inequity and narrow opportunity and achievement gaps by providing expanded access to music education in our state.
Our Partnership Programs aim to cultivate 21st century skills and social-emotional learning through creative expression, personal growth, and community connection. We also focus on building community bonds through teamwork, collaborative design, healthy risk-taking, peer critique, group performance and celebrations of achievement.
Partners in Student Development
317 Main Community Music Center collaborates with K-12 schools and other educational nonprofits across the state to co-design and implement music education programs that give young people opportunities to express themselves in creative, audible ways.
Each program collaborates with staff and teachers to integrate music concepts and activities that complement and strengthen their learning in the general music classroom.
High-quality, small group music instruction contributes to deeper student engagement and boosts overall academic achievement, so we strive to break down financial, geographic, cultural, and other barriers that might keep a student from finding their musical voice.
“I fell in love with the shape of the violin. I feel that it cries and laughs with you.”
— Portland High School Student
“The fiddle has taught Isaac how to work through problems. He’s learned that persistence pays off. It started with music and that understanding has bridged to other things in his life.”
— Principal of Casco Bay High School
Program Design for Long Term Sustainability
Through research and experience, we have found that the longer we have a relationship with a partnering organization, the more effective our collaborative programming becomes. We want to continually learn and improve, and to do so, we need lasting, sustainable partnerships.
Each program is designed with this goal of long-term viability in mind, creating ongoing learning spaces with our partner organizations where students can feel a sense of belonging and togetherness.
Explore the Programs:
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
STRIVE
“We are always grateful when we are able to find such fantastic community partners and 317 Main is absolutely one of them!”
- Maggie Bohrmann, STRIVE’s Community Support Manager
317 Main started work with STRIVE earlier this winter in response to a growing need for community-focused arts opportunities for adults with disabilities in their programs. STRIVE’s goal is to provide participants with the skills to be independent members of our Southern Maine community, which closely aligns with our pillars of personal growth and community connection.
We are fortunate to have a new resource in 317’s new board-certified music therapist and Teaching Artist, Robbie Neeb, who provides specialized support to all three weekly music classes with STRIVE. We look forward to continuing programming with STRIVE in the coming years, both at their space in Portland and onsite in 317 Main’s Founders Hall.
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Holy Cross School
One of the joys of 317 Main’s Partnership Program is the way news of our impactful programming spreads through word-of-mouth. Our new partnership with the Holy Cross School in South Portland was started in just this way, after parents and administrators at the school shared that they were struggling to provide enriching and accessible opportunities for students in their aftercare programs.
In response 317 Main provided a series of “instrument petting zoo” events to learn about the student population at Holy Cross, and gather information about student interest in music instruments and future programs. The events were a great success for the 36 students who attended, and the events have jump-started planning for more substantial collaborations with the school planned for the fall of 2022.
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Rowe School
As part of school restrictions lifting in Southern Maine, we were thrilled to return to Rowe School in our own backyard of Yarmouth, ME after two years away. Over the course of a week, all kindergarten and 1st grade students at Rowe School got to participate in contra dance/music workshops led by 317 Main Teaching Artist Maggie Robinson. In addition to learning traditional dances and steps characteristic of community contra dancing, students were also treated to the musical styling of some of 317 Main’s fabulous fiddlers - Pam Weeks, Ellen Gawler, and Mitch Reed. The visits were organized in collaboration with Rowe’s new music teacher Jessica Kenlan and supported by the Rowe PTO.
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Whilde - Whole Child Education
This year we started an exciting new partnership with Whilde - Whole Child Education, right down the road from us in Yarmouth, ME. Whilde works with students K-12 in an alternative format to public schooling, and together we created programs that met the students’ interest in creative arts, and addressed the gap in access to grade-specific music education that is often only available through public schools.
Together we created:
Weekly instrument exploration classes modeled after the Little Roots curriculum and general music concepts and skills
Digital music classes that promote creative expression and self-paced musical learning
Guitar classes that provide an ensemble experience and social emotional learning opportunities for middle school students
Our Partners Have Included:
Adaptive Outdoor Education Center
Biddeford Schools
Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine
Casco Bay High School
Center for Grieving Children
Denmark Arts
East End Community School
Fryeburg Schools
Independence Association
LearningWorks
Listen Up!
Lyman Moore Middle School
Patten Free Library
Portland Public Library
Portland Public Schools
Portland Recreation
Spindleworks
Wayfinder School
Whilde School
William H Rowe School
Support Our Work
These programs are generously supported by foundation grants and community donations as well as contributions from our partnering organizations. Our partnership programs rely on the support of foundations, grants and our community of donors to flourish.
Current funders include:
Anonimo Foundation
Margaret E. Burnham Charitable Trust
Sam L. Cohen Foundation
Crewe Foundation
Davis Family Foundation
David Nichols Charitable Trust
Irving Foundation
Maine Arts Commission
Rines Thompson Fund of the Maine Community Foundation
Virginia Hodgkins Somers Foundation Wind Point Foundation
