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| PHOTO © SOPHIE GIBBINGS |
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| PHOTO © MEG WESTON |
The gift was 14 acres of land that will connect the campus to Rt. 1.
Read the president's letter below:
Dear Friends,
Maine Media Workshops + College announced today the receipt of a major gift that will serve as the cornerstone of our future growth plans, and reflects a trend of growing, positive momentum for this beloved center of visual storytelling education.
Through a generous matching gift from HomeFed Corporation, Maine Media now owns an additional 14 acres of land adjacent to the current campus and connecting the campus directly to Route 1. It includes properties that we have previously been leasing from HomeFed such as the Campus Residence, the Windjammer Motel, and Kate's cottage. The donation portion of the property transfer to the college is valued at over $1 million. HomeFed's largest shareholder is Leucadia National Corporation which has a long history of providing financial support toward Maine Media's mission.
The receipt of this land is integral to fulfilling a campus master plan that was completed at the direction of the Board of Directors in 2014 in alignment with the strategic plan for growth. The campus plan was developed with input from faculty, staff, the board, and with assistance and support from Elliott & Elliott Architects of Blue Hill, Maine. The goal of the plan is to upgrade existing infrastructure and seamlessly integrate new facilities. The plan is flexible, will accommodate changing needs or objectives, and will be implemented over time as resources allow.
The plan calls for those resources to go toward what will ultimately be a new home for the Young Artist programs, new housing for Young Artists on the campus, a new Media Arts and Technology Center that incorporates the existing sound stage and expands our facilities for production, post-production and large classroom space, and a handicapped-accessible Student Welcome Center, among other things. It is an ambitious vision that will be made possible, in part, by the acquisition of this contiguous property that more than doubles the size of the existing campus to approximately 25 acres in the heart of Rockport.
Some of our exciting growth began in 2014 as a result of generous support from donors. Last year, Maine Media renovated the ground floor of the Ernst Haas Building and created the new Book Arts Studio and Alternative Process Darkroom, paired with an inviting outdoor teaching space. Additional gifts will allow us to host the first Book Artist in Residence in the fall of 2015.
Maine Media sees the new studio - and this new gift of land - as emblematic of a series of positive trends that showcase Maine Media's renewed growth. Maine Media has enjoyed increasing enrollment for the last three years. The number of donors to the school nearly doubled last year. And thanks to some of those generous donors, in 2014 we were able to grant more scholarships than ever before: 42 individuals received more than $60,000 in scholarships.
This latest gift of 14 valuable acres will be a linchpin for further growth, as this world-renowned visual storytelling center turns the page into a new chapter dedicated to serving talented students from Maine, across the country and around the world in new and exciting ways. We appreciate your support for our efforts, and look forward to seeing you "under the tent" here this year!
With gratitude for your support,
Meg Weston
President
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