A Vibrant Center for the Arts in Downtown Waterville

Waterville is distinctively positioned to become a premier destination for the arts in northern New England. As home to the Colby College Museum of Art, Lunder Institute for American Art, Maine International Film Festival and the historic Waterville Opera House, the city offers a unique quality and breadth of arts and cultural programming.

Through the ambitious Dare Northward campaign, Colby has expanded its investment in downtown Waterville through the Paul J. Schupf Art Center, the Bill & Joan Alfond Main Street Commons, and the Lockwood Hotel. The Arts Collaborative, another exciting example, presents a unique opportunity to support and elevate the work of the Colby Museum and the Lunder Institute while also contributing to the growing economic prosperity of downtown Waterville.

The Arts Collaborative, housed in the historic Ticonic Row on Main Street, will provide a new space, entirely unique to Colby and central Maine that will foster a community of artists and scholars who stimulate the production of original art and new collaborations. Made possible by a $3-million gift from Peter H. Lunder ’56, D.F.A. ’98 and Paula Crane Lunder, D.F.A. ’98 through their Lunder Foundation, the facility will solidify the convening power of the Lunder Institute to attract artist residents and scholars from around the world to engage in cross-disciplinary dialogues and new scholarly research.

Together, the Arts Collaborative and Paul J. Schupf Art Center will create unparalleled opportunities in the arts for Colby students and the broader region with world-class exhibitions, performances, film, and facilities.

 Learn more about the project at artscollaborative.colby.edu.

Arts Collaborative in the News

Morning Sentinel, “Colby’s Arts Collaborative building project nears completion”