Creative Portland Launches Arts District Banner Revitalization Project, Art is the Heart
Creative Portland Launches Arts District Banner Revitalization Project, Art is the Heart
Developed with the support of the Portland Museum of Art, in collaboration with Portland Downtown and the City of Portland
Portland, ME – August 1, 2025 – This summer, Portland’s Arts District will come alive with a vibrant new infusion of creativity and color through the Arts District Banner Revitalization Project, proudly sponsored by the Portland Museum of Art (PMA) and co-presented by Creative Portland, the City’s official arts agency, in collaboration with Portland Downtown and the City of Portland.
Beginning in mid-August, newly designed banners will be installed along Congress Street – the cultural spine of the district. Created by the PMA and inspired by works from their world-class collection, the banners will feature artwork by renowned Maine artists such as Winslow Homer, Andrew Wyeth, Daniel Minter, Alex Katz, Marguerite Thompson Zorach, Dahlov Ipcar, Rodney Smith and Katherine Bradford, as well as celebrated international figures including Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Auguste Rodin.
To amplify Portland’s diverse cultural identity, the banner refresh will also feature logos of local arts and cultural organizations displayed at their locations along Congress Street - from nonprofit incubators like SPACE to independent music venues like the State Theatre. This highly visible display is part of Creative Portland’s broader mission to promote the creative economy and expand access to the city’s cultural assets.
Mayor Mark Dion shared his enthusiasm:
“We applaud Creative Portland and Portland Downtown’s revitalization efforts, and we are grateful to the Portland Museum of Art for supporting this festive and artful initiative that spotlights our city’s inspiring artistic and cultural assets.”
Additional community partners located in the Arts District include The Art Department, Aura, Blue, Friends of Congress Square Park, Greater Portland Landmarks, Little Chair Printing, Maine College of Art & Design, Maine Historical Society, Mechanics’ Hall, One Longfellow Square, Portland Media Center, Portland Public Library, Portland Ovations, Portland Stage, SPACE, and State Theatre.
Although 60 new banners will be printed and installed as part of this ART IS THE HEART initiative in the Arts District, a dozen plus banners that celebrate important milestones and institutions including the Portland Symphony Orchestra’s 100th anniversary, The Roux Institute, and the Longfellow Garden anniversary will continue to adorn the streetscape.
This “Art is the Heart” banner project is a shining example of what’s possible when Portland’s cultural leaders and institutions come together with a shared purpose,” said Dinah Minot, Executive Director of Creative Portland. “We’re not just celebrating great art - we’re elevating the visibility of the local organizations that fuel our creative economy and enrich life in our city every day. The arts community is a bright light that we collectively need to nurture and sustain.”
The banner initiative is part of a larger public storytelling and cultural tourism strategy led by Creative Portland, which will include the installation of scannable building markers across the Arts District. These markers will connect residents and visitors to historical and cultural information through the Creative Portland app - a free, 24/7 digital art walk available on the App Store.
Portland Downtown and Mechanics’ Hall have been convening a collaborative working group of Arts District stakeholders for the past year focused on clean streets, safety, and district vibrancy. The group is addressing urgent issues for businesses, including drug use deterrence and revitalization strategies, in response to over 20 vacant storefronts along the Congress Street corridor.
“New downtown banners bring color, pride, and a sense of place to our streets,” affirmed Cary Tyson, Executive Director of Portland Downtown, “welcoming visitors, supporting local identity, and showing that we care about the vibrancy of our city core.”
Mark Bessire, Director of the Portland Museum of Art, added:
"This project reflects the spirit of the neighborhood - collaborative, colorful, creative, and people-focused. These banners are about creating a sense of place and encouraging exploration."
In the fall of 2025, additional public art engagement will unfold through separate but complementary artist activation initiatives from Creative Portland and TempoArt. As the City’s official nonprofit arts agency, Creative Portland is managing an artist activation fund to hire buskers, musicians, and mural artists, while also continuing to produce year-round visual and performing arts programming that supports the creative economy and strengthens the local arts ecosystem. TempoArt, known for commissioning temporary site-specific sculptures that spark dialogue and public engagement, has issued an open call to artists for new art installations, and is currently exhibiting Winged Kelp by Gillian Christy, a commissioned piece on view in front of City Hall.
The City of Portland’s Department of Public Works (DPW) will oversee the installation of the new banners as part of its ongoing public space activation strategy, helping ensure that the Arts District remains a welcoming and inspiring environment for Art Walks, cultural tourists, local businesses, and residents alike.
As Portland navigates a period of transition, the Arts District Banner Revitalization Project stands as a joyful, colorful reminder of the city’s creative spirit - and a bold, collective step toward a more vibrant, inclusive, and artistically engaged future.
AUGUST 1, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact:
Walks Tall Keith, Program Assistant and Dinah Minot, Executive Director, Creative Portland (207) 370-4784; info@creativeportland.com and dinah@creativeportland.com