UMVA was founded in 1975 by a ragtag group of midcoast Maine artists to advocate for artists’ interests, rights and mutual support. It included Carlo Pittore, Stephen Petroff, Mark Petroff, Natasha Mayers, Abby Shahn, Kathy Bradford, Maury Colton, David Brooks, Pam Smith, and Pat Owen.
We initiated and saw enacted into state law the Maine Percent for Art Program requiring 1% of funds for new state buildings to include art, and the Artist’s Estate Tax Law allowing art work to be used to pay artists’ estate taxes. We built a coalition with labor and academia to oppose Governor LePage’s removal of Judy Taylor’s Labor Mural from the Maine Department of Labor. We continue to oppose entry fees for exhibitions and support requirements for organizations holding art auctions to give artists a percentage of the sale of their work. In recent years we operated a gallery in Portland but vacated it as unsustainable in 2023 and now are exploring alternatives.
We have developed several prominent projects that connect and enhance Maine arts and artists:
- Maine Arts Journal – a quality online magazine published free each quarter
- Maine Masters film series of artist profiles often seen on PBS Television
- Artists’ Rapid Response Team! (ARRT!) banners, placards & posters for public causes
- LumenARRT! projections on public buildings for awareness of public injustice.
- Sponsorship of art projects in the public interest
Most recently we have reinvigorated our organization with updated by-laws, vision and mission; a strategic plan with seven major goals and enabling, measurable actions; and an emphasis on artists’ interconnections for the common good.