Learning Together: New Abbe Museum Tours

Just in time for the upcoming school year, the Abbe Museum is excited to announce that we have developed two new guided tours – Living in Harmony: Caring for Land & Waters and What is Sovereignty?  An Introduction to Wabanaki Self-Governance – to accompany our Visiting the Abbe tour option.

 Living in Harmony complements environmental and earth science learning, and can be tailored to suit all grade levels.  At the heart of this tour is a focus on environmental responsibility through Wabanaki world views of inter-relatedness. Through place-based knowledge, traditional stories, and examining contemporary efforts, visiting groups will learn how, throughout time, Wabanaki peoples’ environmental stewardship practices sustain the land and waters for future generations. 

What is Sovereignty? brings you on a civics lesson over 12,000 years in the making – a story actively featured in today's news. This tour invites participants to learn about the concept of sovereignty, as well as  Wabanaki Nations’ self-determination and intergovernmental relations over time. It will touch on pre-contact diplomacy, relationships with the US federal government, and how state and federal policy affect the Nations today. This tour complements social studies classroom learning about civics, government, and history and is suggested for 6th-12th grade.

We can accommodate a maximum of 50 people at one time. Larger groups can be arranged with staggered start times. For student groups, we require at least 1 chaperone for every 10 students. Visit our website at abbemuseum.org/programs to learn more and schedule your tour today. If you have any questions, reach out to our Curator of Education, Christiana Becker, at educator@abbemuseum.org. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Abbe Executive Director Appointed to Interior Department Indian Arts & Crafts Board

The Abbe Museum is excited to announce the appointment of Executive Director and Senior Partner with Wabanaki Nations Betsy Richards as a Commissioner of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Indian Arts and Crafts Board (IACB). The Indian Arts and Crafts Board was created by Congress to promote the economic development of federally recognized Native American and Alaska Natives through the expansion of the Indian arts and crafts market. A top priority of the IACB is the implementation and enforcement of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act (IACA), a “truth-in-advertising” law that prohibits misrepresentation in the promotion and commerce of Native American art and craft products with the United states. Other activities overseen by this role include providing information on the IACA and Intellectual Property Rights Protections, and supporting opportunities to Native American artists and cultural organizations.

For over 25 years, Richards, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, has been dedicated to building cultural and narrative power for Indigenous peoples and other BIPOC communities. She brings to her role a wealth of experience in museums, philanthropy, social justice, and the performing arts. In addition to her leadership of the Abbe Museum, she currently serves as the Board Chair of the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation and serves on the Maine Arts Commission.

“I'm deeply grateful to Secretary Haaland and the Department of the Interior for this appointment,” says Richards. “ I hope to work with my fellow commissioners to uplift and protect Native artists and in particular, advocate for further visibility of Native art east of the Mississippi.” 

Richards is joined on the IACB Board of Commissioners this year by Robert Kinneen, Jr., an Alaska born and raised chef who promotes Alaska “indigenized” cuisine. This 4-year term began in June of 2024.

23rd Annual Waponahki Student Art Show

This Monday, May 6th, 2024, the Abbe Museum hosted the opening reception of the 23rd annual Waponahki Student Art Show. The thirty-eight participating students – representing all of the federally recognized Tribal Nations in what we currently call Maine: Maliseet, Mi’kmaq, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot – and their families joined us in celebration of the beautiful works submitted to the show and the strong collaborative spirit of institutions devoted to promoting art education and Wabanaki culture in the homeland. Watercolor, crayon, pastel, and even clay and leather were employed to bring their visions to life, coloring the walls of the Abbe and welcoming the arrival of spring and summer.

Alongside valued partnerships with Maine Indian Education and the Boys and Girls Club of Border Towns,  the Abbe Museum received a Youth Empowerment Mini-Award from the Maine Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous & Tribal Populations. These funds allowed us to create systems of support for the Maliseet and Mi'kmaq Nation participants, who are regionally the farthest away from the Museum and not part of the Maine Indian Education School System (our 23-year partner on the event). In order to receive student art from these groups, the Abbe Museum has been partnering with the Boys and Girls Club of Border Towns since 2018, and support from the Permanent Commission went a long way in helping us further their involvement.

Abbe Curator of Education, Christiana Becker (Penobscot Descent) as a child with her piece for the Waponahki Student Art Show in 2007 (Left) and Giving Welcoming Remarks at the 2024 Student Art Show Opening Reception (right).

As an alumni of the Waponahki Student Art Show, I, Christiana Becker (Abbe Curator of Education), was thrilled to give a speech recognizing the young Wabanaki students, their families, and our partners. The student's artwork is inspiring, delightful, and an important part of making sure that the next generation of Wabanaki artists get to share their voices and visions with our visitors. This is a twenty-three year tradition that we hope continues for decades to come and inspires young people to pursue the arts.

We invite you to digitally view the exhibit now through the button below, and in-person when the Abbe reopens to the public on Tuesday, May 28th from 10 am - 5 pm!

Abbe Museum’s Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas Kicks Off on July 12

The Abbe Museum is excited to announce the premiere of its Dawnland Festival of Arts and Ideas on July 12-14, 2024, at the College of the Atlantic (COA). This unique multi-day event is an evolution of our popular Abbe Museum Indian Market (AMIM) and Native American Festival that featured invitation-only Native arts markets and performances. The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas includes those elements but will also spotlight conversations by Wabanaki and other Indigenous leaders on some of the biggest questions of our time, including climate, democracy, and food systems.

“Native arts and cultures cannot be separated from Native ways of knowing. The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas continues to celebrate the Native creative economy on Wabanaki homelands while lifting up Indigenous thought leadership vital to the conversation on a healthy planet and society for us all.”

Betsy Richards (Cherokee), Executive Director & Senior Partner with Wabanaki Nations

The Festival will be free to the public and is being supported by the Henry Luce Foundation and the Maine Office of Tourism, along with a partnership with College of the Atlantic. Among the speakers will be attorney and author Sherri Mitchell (Penobscot), James Beard Award-winning Chef Sherry Pocknett (Mashpee Wampanoag), and Native rights attorney Michael-Corey F. Hinton (Passamaquoddy). Musician Firefly the Hybrid (Penobscot) will also take the stage for a one-of-a-kind performance during the weekend. More than 50 leading Native American artists from across the U.S. and Canada will share artwork ranging from ash baskets, beadwork, textiles, painting, fashion, and pottery representing the breadth and excellence of Indigenous art. 

Known for its stunning coastal beauty and vibrant cultural scene, Bar Harbor is a significant place to the Tribal Nations of the Wabanaki Confederacy (Maliseet, Mi'kmaq, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot): a site of exchange and waterways that connected all of the Nations together. For many visitors, this will be an opportunity to engage Wabanaki thought leaders and artists – alongside their national counterparts for a weekend of inquiry, creativity, and celebration.

Schedule of events, list of artists, speakers and performers at: https://www.dawnlandfestival.org

Join Us in Shaping the Future of the Abbe Museum

Dear Community Members,
Please join us in shaping the future of the Abbe Museum! Looking toward our 100th Anniversary in 2028, we have embarked on a six-month strategic planning process and would love your input on our future direction. Would you take a few minutes to help co-create this plan by filling out this brief anonymous survey?

Your input in this process is crucial to our Board, Staff, and Council as we seek to create new pathways toward a thriving and even more impactful institution. A bonus: Each respondent will be entered in for a chance to win a lovely Tracey Metallic (Mi'kmaq) gift set.

Thank you in advance for all your feedback and your time.

Wado,

Betsy Richards
Executive Director and Senior Partner with Wabanaki Nations

Abbe Museum Indian Market Returns to Bar Harbor June 2 - 4

Photo by HB Mertz

After a 3-year hiatus, the Abbe Museum Indian Market (AMIM) returns to Bar Harbor’s Village Green for the weekend of June 2 – 4, 2023. This multifaceted event will feature more than 50 Native artists working in forms ranging from baskets and pottery to jewelry and sculpture - along with performances, demonstrations, and educational programs. “We’re delighted that AMIM is re-emerging from the necessary closures of the past few years to once again illuminate Wabanaki artistic excellence and support tribal creative economies,” says Executive Director & Senior Partner with Wabanaki Nations Betsy Richards (Cherokee).

Almost a decade ago, the Abbe set out to produce a juried Indian Market developed with and for Wabanaki artists, responding to their desires for more accessible market opportunities than those in the Southwest. The inaugural AMIM in 2018 saw this dream realized, with more than 5,000 people heading to Mount Desert Island for a weekend celebrating Indigenous art and cultures.

The Abbe Museum plans to bring back some of its most popular events including the weekend’s kick-off AMIM Preview Party at the Museum on June 2nd from 5 to 7:30 pm. Guests will have the chance to meet exhibitors, preview the art, and vote on the People’s Choice competition. On Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm, visitors can walk the Village Green visiting exhibitor booths to discuss their work and make purchases. There will also be opportunities to further engage with Native art and cultures through performances from musicians and storytellers, as well as demonstrations and educational programs from participating artists. 

“Members of the Wabanaki art community have worked hard in the past several decades to revive and save our own endangered art forms, particularly the basketry,” Penobscot basketmaker and AMIM artist, Theresa Secord states, “Native artists appreciate and count on partnerships with museums like the Abbe to help maintain culture through research and exhibitions and to co-host markets that support long-standing, Indigenous entrepreneurship through sales of art.”

The Museum will communicate more details about the Market on its website and social media pages, including information about participating artists and special events.

Report Finds Issues with Enforcement of Wabanaki Studies Law

A new study finds that despite a 21-year-old law requiring all Maine K-12 schools to teach students about the Wabanaki Tribes school districts across the state, school districts have failed to include Wabanaki Studies consistently and appropriately in their curriculum and that the law is not being meaningfully enforced. 

The report, prepared by the Abbe Museum, ACLU of Maine, Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission and the Wabanaki Alliance, was released today. 

“Accurate and inclusive education is a necessary part of overcoming centuries of efforts to eradicate the Wabanaki people, stereotyping about Indigenous people and the erasure of contemporary Wabanaki people and their tribal communities,” said Betsy Richards, Executive Director of the Abbe Museum and Senior Partner with Wabanaki Nations. “We urge state and local educators to dedicate themselves to implementing the Wabanaki Studies Law fully and as it was intended.” 

The report reviews the goals of the original legislation, as well as efforts by state and local educators to implement the law over the past 21 years. Central conclusions of the report include local school districts have inadequately implemented the Wabanaki Studies law, when they have implemented it at all, and the Department of Education has not provided sufficient support and enforcement to realize the intent of the legislation. 

“The relationship between the Wabanaki Nations and the state of Maine is frayed, and one way to repair that relationship is for the state to invest in proper implementation of the Wabanaki Studies Law. That means engaging Wabanaki people to help oversee and enforce implementation. Guided by citizens of Wabanaki Nations, Maine can fulfill the promise of this law and be a leader in decolonizing our education system,” said Maulian Dana, Penobscot Nation Ambassador and President of the Wabanaki Alliance.  

“Teaching Wabanaki Studies is not optional. It is required by law. State and local entities, including the Legislature, the Department of Education, and individual school districts have a duty to implement the law,” said Michael Kebede, policy counsel at the ACLU of Maine. “Additionally, citizens of the Wabanaki Nations must be included and compensated for the real work enforcement and implementation will require.” 

The report found: 

• The Wabanaki Studies Law is not meaningfully enforced across the state. While the Maine Department of Education has made some progress toward this goal, and many of its staff care deeply about the Wababaki Studies Law, the Department has failed to use available tools to enforce the law or enough specificity in the Maine Learning Results Standards to guide schools properly.

• Despite some successes, as a whole, school districts have failed to include Wabanaki Studies consistently and appropriately in their curriculum. The authors sent public records requests to 10 school districts across Maine and most schools failed to cover all areas required by statute—including Wabanaki history, economic systems, political systems, and culture.

• Teacher training and professional development are insufficient to equip educators to teach Wabanaki Studies. While Wabanaki educators and other experts have offered many high-quality trainings, the lack of any mandatory pre-certification or continuing education requirements means that too many teachers lack the knowledge and skills necessary to teach Wabanaki Studies.

“As the body that has advocated for better implementation of the Wabanaki Studies Law from the beginning, we are intimately aware of the progress and pitfalls over the past 21 years,” said Rachel Bell, Projects Coordinator of the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission. “The Wabanaki Studies Law was visionary when it was passed, and we are committed to working with State partners to ensure that the promises of the law become a reality.” 

Indigenous 2022 Returns to a Bar Harbor Stage

Firefly the Hybrid and Humble G tha Fiddla will light up the Abbe Museum’s backyard on October 8th.

Penobscot artist Firefly the Hybrid returns for the second annual Indigenous 2022 on October 8th from 7:30 to 9:30 pm. Joined by Cleveland-based Humble G tha Fiddla, the two are set to perform in the Abbe Museum's backyard for a one-of-a-kind, immersive experience to mark Maine's fourth Indigenous Peoples' Day. This event is proudly sponsored by Healthy Acadia, College of the Atlantic, the Jackson Laboratory, and the Abbe Museum.

"I'm so excited to build on what we started last year," Firefly said of the performance. "To me, it's important to mark a day like this with song and celebration, that's what my ancestors would have done."

Arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, Firefly is a multimedia artist who channels their Penobscot roots to create music that is a melding of the traditional and contemporary. After prolific careers in both jewelry-making and fashion design, the pivot to music has proved equally successful. Firefly has quickly expanded from streaming performances from their home to the Kennedy Center and, most recently, an in-person performance at the SWAIA Indigenous Fashion Show. 

With a similarly storied career, Humble G brings a unique integration of electric violin & vocals fused with rhythms and sounds of Hip-Hop, Reggaeton, EDM, and world fusions. They have graced stages from Caesars Palace to the Grammy's Museum and were the first musical act to perform during President Obama's campaign.

"What I love about our music is it brings all kinds of people together," Firefly says. "We come together in the spirit of openness and connection." This spirit is especially important in the lead-up to Indigenous Peoples Day, which was initially a counter to Columbus Day and has grown to become a nationwide celebration of Native history, culture, and resilience. Maine formally adopted Indigenous Peoples' Day in 2019. 

Indigenous 2022 with Firefly the Hybrid and Humble G tha Fiddla invites attendees to enjoy creative and authentic visual and audio performances while learning about Maine Indigenous peoples and supporting inclusiveness in Downeast Maine. The evening is free and open to the public. Coordinators are currently determining whether a live streaming option will be available for remote viewing. Visit Firefly’s website: www.fireflythehybrid.com, to learn more.

Abbe Museum Announces New Leader

The trustees of the Abbe Museum are pleased to announce the selection of Betsy Richards as our new Executive Director and Senior Partner with Wabanaki Nations.

For over 25 years, Betsy Richards has been dedicated to building cultural and narrative power for Indigenous peoples and other BIPOC communities. A citizen of the Cherokee Nation, she brings to her role a wealth of experience in museums, philanthropy, social justice, and the performing arts.  

For the last decade, Richards has led The Opportunity Agenda’s national cultural strategy initiatives with artists, influencers, and advocates to shift narrative, culture, and policy towards greater economic and racial justice.  Before that, she spent seven years as a program officer at the Ford Foundation, leading a $30M grantmaking effort for Native American and place-based cultural communities. While at Ford, she initiated the creation of the unprecedented Native Arts and Cultures Foundation.  Starting in 1997, she spent five years as the inaugural Director of Public Programs at the Mashantucket Pequot Museum, the country's largest tribal museum and research center.  Richards has also consulted for the Eiteljorg Museum, the Montclair Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, The Natural History Museum and served on the team for the groundbreaking narrative change research project Reclaiming Native Truth.  In addition, she has run two theater companies, served as a Fellow at the New York Shakespeare Festival/Public Theater and has developed and directed plays by Native playwrights on stages in New York, Los Angeles, and Canada. Richards holds degrees from NYU and Yale University.

Board of Trustees co-chair Margo Lukens says “it is so important for us to have Betsy’s leadership at this time; the Abbe is poised for growth, and Betsy brings the skills and experience needed to realize our potential.”  Lukens notes that with the hire of Richards, unlike most non-tribal museums focused on Indigenous cultures and histories nationwide, the Abbe Museum will be one of the few that has an Indigenous woman in the role of CEO. With the appointment of Richards, Board co-chair James Francis looks forward to “elevating Wabanaki arts and culture in Indian Country and becoming a model for decolonizing cultural institutions worldwide.”

Of her new position, Richards says “I am thrilled to be joining the Abbe and looking forward to the opportunity to work in partnership with tribal representatives, continuing to build pathways to uplift the voices, histories, and visions of Wabanaki people.”

Betsy Richards’ first day will be October 1, 2022.

The Abbe Seeks Next Executive Director & Senior Partner with Wabanaki Nations

The Abbe Museum is hiring! We are very excited to be launching the search for our next Executive Director and Senior Partner with Wabanaki Nations. In partnership with the Board of Trustees and the tribally-appointed Wabanaki Council, this critical role supports the Abbe’s vision to review, revise, and implement ongoing strategies that facilitate the mission and goals of decolonizing.

Find the full description and application instructions through the button below. Review of applications will begin on January 18, 2022.

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Executive Director & Senior Partner with Wabanaki Nations

Full-time position
Required Education: Master’s degree or equivalent experience
Salary: $82K-$87K, plus benefits
Salary negotiable based on experience and proven record of success

The Executive Director and Senior Partner with Wabanaki Nations supports the Abbe’s vision to review, revise, and implement ongoing strategies that facilitate our decolonizing mission. They work in partnership with the Board of Trustees and the tribally-appointed Wabanaki Council to establish operational objectives that support the strategic planning. The primary responsibilities of the Executive Director and Senior Partner with Wabanaki Nations are to: 

• Manage the Abbe’s staff, operations, business, and facilities 
• Lead development efforts for the Museum, including ongoing fundraising, capital campaigns, and grant-seeking programs that meet goals established by the Board 
• Lead development of relationships with Indigenous/First Nations/Native communities, pursuing new opportunities for collaboration and partnerships 
• Serve as an ambassador for the Abbe, sustaining active involvement in regional and national museum organizations. 

The Executive Director and Senior Partner with Wabanaki Nations is based at the Abbe’s Bar Harbor location. Some travel is required within our region and beyond. The Executive Director and Senior Partner with Wabanaki Nations reports to the Board of Trustees; they engage the Board, the committees of the Board, and the Wabanaki Council in planning the overall direction and key initiatives of the Museum. We seek a capable manager with experience, preferably at a museum. Candidates should be able to demonstrate: history of success working with non-profit organizations; a strong record in fundraising and cultivation of programs; a minimum of five years’ experience working with Native communities; engagement in decolonizing practices; a graduate degree or equivalent experience in Indigenous/Native American Studies, Anthropology, Museum Studies, Management, or an associated field; knowledge of and/or experience in Wabanaki cultural traditions. Indigenous heritage is advantageous but not required. TO APPLY, please email a cover letter indicating previous relevant work, a resume or CV, and contact information for three references to: Search Committee search@abbemuseum.org

 View the full job description and application instructions through the button below.

Lyle Cairdeas Joins the Abbe Museum

The Abbe Museum is pleased to announce the selection of Lyle Cairdeas as its new Director of Collections and Exhibits.

"The Director of Collections and Exhibits is a unique and important position," says Chris Newell, the Abbe's Executive Director and Senior Partner to Wabanaki Nations. "With the Abbe Museum’s commitment to our Decolonization Initiative, this position required expertise in collections, exhibits, and research, as well as a track record of work with Native communities that implements the power-sharing necessary for equitable relationships.  Lyle is ready and eager to continue this decolonization work, strengthening the Abbe's bonds to the Wabanaki communities, creating equitable partnerships, and looking ahead to training the next cohort of up-and-coming Wabanaki museum professionals.  He was a standout candidate for a position with very specific needs, and we look forward to welcoming him to our team."

Lyle Cairdeas joins the Abbe with an MS in Folklore and an MFA in Fine Arts from the University of Oregon. While in Oregon, Lyle worked for over seven years at both the Oregon Folklife Network (OFN) and the Museum of Natural and Cultural History (MNCH) as a Folklorist and Exhibit Developer. He co-authored the 2nd edition of Exhibit Makeovers and, along with his colleagues at MNCH, received the 2020 Oregon Heritage Excellence Award for the exhibit Racing to Change: Oregon’s Civil Rights Years—The Eugene Story. Most recently Lyle taught art, art history and managed gallery internships at James Madison University.

“I believe the arts, exhibits, and public programming can have a beneficial impact on our society,” Cairdeas said of his new appointment. “I strive to serve as a bridge, connecting individuals with information, creativity, and one another to foster healthy communities. I acknowledge the systemic issues inherent in the colonial roots of collecting institutions — issues centered around representation and authority. I am honored and humbled to join the talented staff at the Abbe Museum in dismantling the harmful legacies of colonization, enacting shared historical authority, and lifting up the voices of the Wabanaki people represented in the Abbe’s collections."

Calling for Justice for George Floyd and Systemic Change to Move Toward Equity

Wolankeyawolotultiq (wool-an-kay-ow-lod-ool-tiqw) - "take good care of each other"

Wolankeyawolotultiq is a Passamaquoddy/Maliseet imperative term that is the basis for community/kinship/family. In order for our communities to work, we must live by taking good care of each other — wolankeyawolotultiq. In this historic moment, taking care of each other means listening to black voices and confronting systemic racism. 

American history has a deep intersection between the establishment of settler-colonial society, white supremacy, and the continued violence against black communities. The thousands protesting the killing of George Floyd are a reminder that systemic racism and white supremacy put black and brown lives at risk every day. Equality is a human right, yet it does not exist in America today. Blinding ourselves from that fact led to the violence that ended George Floyd's life, and the lives of countless others. As a nation, we must confront this ongoing violence.

The Abbe Museum believes that museums are not neutral. When museums choose not to speak out on issues of race and inequity, they are supporting the status quo. As a museum in a field created by and for white settler-colonists, the Abbe is working hard to shift power back into the hands of those we serve. Through our Decolonization Initiative, we are taking a serious look at our practices, admitting hard truths, and making meaningful changes. We will continue working towards the goal of equity and equality in the spaces we influence. We call on other museums to engage in antiracist and decolonizing practices. To this end, we will be sharing resources in the coming days and weeks. As museums and as a society, we must engage in a shift of power, or we will continue to cause harm.

The Abbe Museum is in solidarity with those speaking against violence. We support and believe that Black Lives Matter. We believe in the amplification of black voices at this time and in the future to continue the shift to dismantle systems that cause harm. We believe we can only truly achieve equality and end oppression when we embrace the notion that our collective communities' survival depends upon our ability as human beings to take good care of each other. 

Wolankeyawolotultiq. Now and every day forward.

Abbe Museum Team

Come volunteer at the 2019 Native American Festival

On July 6th, from 10 am to 3 pm the Native American Festival and Basketmakers Market will celebrate its 26th year! The festival is an opportunity to meet and mingle with local Native artists and see their amazing work, all while learning about contemporary Wabanaki art and culture. And in order to make it happen, we could use your help! Read on to see this year’s needs – just a few hours of your time will have a big impact.

If you are interested in lending a hand, please contact Jill Sawyer at 207-288-3519 or jill@abbemuseum.org. We can't wait to work with you!

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SPECIFIC TIME COMMITMENT

SET UP & BREAKDOWN (7 AM & 3 PM)
Volunteers assisting with Set Up and Breakdown will be on hand to transform the backyard into the Native American Festival...and back again. There are 2 opportunities to help -- set up will be taking place on Saturday, July 6 before the event opens at 7 am and breakdown will be directly after the festival closes at 3 pm.

ARTIST SET UP ASSISTANTS (8 AM)
Once the event is set up it is time for the artists to come in and make it come alive. We could use a handful of people to help artists get settled and assist in their booth set up. Set up will begin at 8 am on Saturday, July 6 and end at 10 am.

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HALF/FULL DAY OPPORTUNITIES

GREETERS (TWO SHIFTS: 10 AM – 12:30 PM; 12:30 – 3 PM)
Stationed at an entrance to the backyard, greeters will be responsible for orienting visitors, answering questions, and taking donations. It’s a fun and easy way to help out, all while enjoying the beautiful July weather.
**Must be comfortable handling cash.

REFRESHMENTS TABLE (TWO SHIFTS: 10 AM – 12:30 PM; 12:30 – 3 PM)
Help visitors maintain their energy as they visit with and buy from the artists by helping out at our refreshments table. The table will be stocked with an assortment of goodies for you to sell and is sure to be a great way to mingle with everyone at the event.
**Must be comfortable handling cash.

Join us at the 2019 Abbe Museum Indian Market!

This May the Abbe Museum Indian Market (AMIM) is all set to take over Bar Harbor’s Village Green once again for a weekend long celebration of Native art and artists. And we could use your help!

As a volunteer you will experience AMIM in a way the average visitor will not. You'll meet interesting people, be inspired by amazing artists, and learn about different Indigenous cultures from across North America. All while supporting a great cause and giving back to your community!

Volunteer opportunities are listed below. If something catches your eye contact Jill Sawyer at jill@abbemuseum.org or 207-288-3519 to sign-up or learn more.

Thank you in advance for your support, we are excited to work with you!

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Half/Full Day Opportunities

Saturday - 10 am to 1:30 pm, 1:30 to 5 pm / Sunday - 10 am to 1 pm, 1 to 4 pm

GREETERS

Stationed at an entrance to the event, greeters will be responsible for orienting visitors and will take turns doing walking the Village Green to make sure everyone is having a great time. It’s a fun and easy way to help out, all while meeting new people and enjoying the beautiful May weather. 

ABBE BOOTH

Like greeters, volunteers stationed at the Abbe Booth will be on hand to address visitor needs. This involves answering questions, chatting about other Abbe Museum initiatives, or selling AMIM merchandise. If you get excited about giving directions or have a lot of opinions on where to get the best food in town, this may be a good fit for you!

ARTIST LIAISON

Assigned to a specific section of the event, this role will be responsible for making sure that the artists attending the Market are taken care of. This encompasses anything from handing out snacks, giving them breaks, or just chatting with them about their experience - a little bit of your time will have a big impact!

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Specific Time Commitment 

SET UP or BREAKDOWN
Saturday, May 18 from 7 to 9 am / Sunday, May 19 from 4 to 6 pm

Volunteers assisting with Set Up and Breakdown will be on hand to transform the Village Green into the Abbe Museum Indian Market...and back again. Kind of like a fairy godmother, but with tools instead of a magic wand! Set up will be taking place on Saturday morning, with breakdown occurring on Sunday evening.

FASHION DESIGNER ASSISTANTS
Saturday, May 18 from 1 to 8 pm

See some amazing Native designed clothing up close and get to meet the artists behind the looks, by volunteering as a designer’s assistant at this year’s Abbe Museum Indian Market Fashion Show. In this role you will be assigned to help one designer in the hours leading up to the show, this could involve anything from fitting models to steaming garments and beyond. Assistants will need to be on hand from 1 pm on Saturday to the close of the show.

FASHION SHOW MODELS
Saturday, May 18 from 1 to 8 pm

We’re looking for volunteer models to walk the runway in the Abbe Museum Indian Market Fashion Show on Saturday, May 18. Here’s your chance to strut your stuff in some fabulous Native designed clothing representing everything from couture looks to street wear. Models will need to be available on Saturday at 1 pm, with the show being from 6 - 7.

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Enter to win a Gabriel Frey Basket

To celebrate the 25th year of the Native American Festival, we will be raffling off this beautiful Gabriel Frey Market Basket. 

Gabriel Frey is a Passamaquoddy artist who learned to make brown ash baskets from his grandfather. His baskets can be seen in museums and galleries across Maine, and his work was recently featured in museum exhibits in Maine and Connecticut. Gabe was a recipient of a Native Arts New England grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts in 2008, and he teaches basketmaking to apprentice Wabanaki basketmakers.

If you have always wanted to own a Gabriel Frey piece, now is your chance! We will be raffling off this basket from now until July 8, 2018. Tickets are available in the shop, online, and at the Native American Festival on July 7 – 1 for $2.00, 3 for $5.00, 7 for $10.00. You won’t want to miss out on adding this piece to your personal collection. The winner will be announced on July 8, so grab your tickets today and support the Abbe as we change lives through learning!

THE RAFFLE IS NOW CLOSED. Thank you to everyone who participated!

Volunteer News: Hello 2018!

MIDSUMMER PHOTOS © BY ROGIER VAN BAKEL, EAGEREYEPHOTO.COM

Hello, Volunteers! As we kick-off a new year, I would like to take the time to thank you all for an amazing 2017. This has been a particularly busy year for us here at the Abbe Museum  –  with exhibits going up, new & annual events to plan and produce, and tons of great new programs  –  we have definitely been living up to the term “busy season”.

And through it all, you have been right there!

Whether it’s strutting your stuff on the runway at the Abbe Midsummer or doing your best bear impression to entertain the kids at the Native American Festival and Basketmakers Market– you always go above & beyond our expectations and we could not do the amazing work that we do without you. So, THANK YOU again (and again and again) for your dedicated work and support!

So far, 2018 is shaping up to be another great year for the Museum, and I'm excited to share one event in particular with you: The Abbe Museum Indian Market (AMIM)! If you have been following us this past year you know that the Abbe Museum is set to launch its inaugural Indian Market this spring, from May 18th to 20th (mark your calendars). We want to shine a light on Wabanaki artists, working together to create a platform from which they can present their beautiful work to the world. It's bound to be one of our biggest endeavors to date and we will definitely need all hands on deck to pull it off! 

In the next couple of months keep an eye on our social media platforms where we will be highlighting roles for AMIM – let us know if a particular job catches your eye and be sure to like and share with your followers as well (the more the merrier). This is your chance to gain insight into an exciting new venture for the Abbe Museum, all while supporting an amazing group of artists. We can’t wait for you to join us!

Want to know more right now? Contact me at jill@abbemuseum.org or 207-288-3519 for a sneak peek at all the ways you can lend a hand.

Jill Sawyer is the Abbe Museum's Associate Director of Advancement. She provides advancement support for the income generating activities and daily operations of the Abbe Museum and is also responsible for building and strengthening relationships with Native artists. In 2013 she spent 3 months in Manila, Philippines, evaluating the Museo Pambata’s Mobile Library Program. This experience became the foundation for her master’s thesis, which discusses the importance of advocacy and community outreach in museums.

Enter for a Chance to Win a Fred Tomah Basket

This fall the Abbe Museum Shop is celebrating baskets! And we couldn’t talk about baskets without mentioning a longtime friend of the Abbe’s: Fred Tomah. 

Fred Tomah is a Master Basketmaker and one of the only Maliseet basketmakers in Maine. He has been making brown ash baskets for nearly 35 years, an artform that was passed down to him by his ancestors (who learned it from their ancestors). Interwoven into this long-standing history is a distinct style that makes each Fred Tomah basket uniquely his. You will definitely know a Fred basket when you see it! 

If you have always wanted to own a Fred Tomah basket, now is your chance! We are raffling off this beautiful black and white Mt. Katahdin weave basket. Tickets are available both in the shop and online – 1 for $2.00, 3 for $5.00, 7 for $10.00 – and you won’t want to miss out on adding this to your personal collection. The winner will be announced on November 1st, so grab your tickets today and support the Abbe as we change lives through learning!

This raffle has closed. The winner is Kathryn MacLeod from Falmouth, Maine! 

Jill Sawyer is the Abbe Museum's Advancement & Gallery Associate. She provides advancement support for the income generating activities and daily operations of the Abbe Museum and is also responsible for building and strengthening relationships with Native artists. In 2013 she spent 3 months in Manila, Philippines, evaluating the Museo Pambata’s Mobile Library Program. This experience became the foundation for her master’s thesis, which discusses the importance of advocacy and community outreach in museums.

Have fun and lend a hand at the Abbe Midsummer!

Photo courtesy of rogier van bakel, eager eye photography

Come celebrate with us at the inaugural Abbe Midsummer on Thursday, August 3rd. The Midsummer is our biggest fundraising event of the year and your help will play a huge part in its success. Alongside directly supporting the mission of the Abbe Museum, volunteers also get to meet and hang out with fun people, see beautiful artwork, and be part of an event that is unlike any other this summer. Below is the list of tasks, each an important element in making the Midsummer AMAZING – there's definitely something on here that you would be perfect for, and we will do our best to make sure that you are assigned roles that fit your strengths and interests!

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PARKING ATTENDANTS

Stationed at Conners-Emerson School, the parking attendants will help direct guests to an Oli’s Trolley pick up area. Taking turns one attendant will ride back to the museum with guests to help them get oriented, before riding back to the school. Volunteers in this role will have good energy and be able to keep guests excited about the Midsummer as they are making their way to the event.

SILENT AUCTION CREW
Working at an assigned table, Silent Auction volunteers will manage a variety of responsibilities. This includes chatting with and encouraging bidders and providing information about items and artists. You will also monitor bids and keep bid sheets organized, as well as handle any absentee bids at your station. This is a great way to interact with and have fun with our guests!

LIVE AUCTION CREW
For the Live Auction, we will need a couple volunteers to point out raised paddles and record winning bids. During the paddle raise this team will collect and organize paddles in preparation for check-out. This is your chance to get caught up in the excitement of the live auction and paddle raise!

WRAP & PACK CREW
The Wrap and Pack Crew will make sure that auction items are appropriately packaged and tagged in anticipation of the end of the evening. At check-out, this team will be responsible for monitoring the pick-up table and making sure guests get their items in a timely fashion. 

CHECK-OUT CREW
Once the event ends the Check-Out Crew will be on hand to assist guests in paying for their items/donations before they head home for the night. Check out will be divided into two sections with volunteers assisting with both regular and express check-out. Be sure to have good energy and keep guests excited until the very end of the evening.

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If you're available on August 3rd from 4:00 to 10:00 pm and would like to lend a hand, contact Jill at 207-288-3519 or volunteer@abbemuseum.org. From there you will be sent a packet with more information about the Midsummer, your assignments, and the specific requirements of each task. Leading up to the Midsummer, we will be hosting an orientation/pizza night -- there you will get a sneak peek of the event, meet some of your fellow volunteers, and get to chow down on free pizza!

For a fun way to give back to your community, consider signing up to volunteer at the Abbe Midsummer today! We can't wait to work with you -- and, as always, THANK YOU for your support!

Jill Sawyer is the Abbe Museum's Advancement & Gallery Associate. She provides advancement support for the income generating activities and daily operations of the Abbe Museum and is also responsible for building and strengthening relationships with Native artists. In 2013 she spent 3 months in Manila, Philippines, evaluating the Museo Pambata’s Mobile Library Program. This experience became the foundation for her master’s thesis, which discusses the importance of advocacy and community outreach in museums.

We could use your help at the Native American Festival!

On July 8th, from 10 am to 4 pm at College of the Atlantic, the Native American Festival and Basketmakers Market will celebrate its 24th year! The Festival is a rare opportunity to meet local artists and see their amazing work, all while learning about contemporary Wabanaki art and culture. But in order to make it happen, we need your help.

Below are the volunteer needs for this year's Festival - there's sure to be something that you would be a great fit for!

PARKING ATTENDANTS (TWO SHIFTS: 9 AM - 12:30 PM; 12:30 - 4 PM)
Armed with walkie-talkies and fluorescent vests, the parking team will direct people to appropriate parking areas and keep an eye out for open spots. It’s like a live-action game of Tetris!

ABBE INFORMATION BOOTH ATTENDANT (TWO SHIFTS: 10 AM - 1 PM; 1 - 4 PM)
At the Abbe Museum's information booth you will get to talk about all of the amazing things that are happening at the Museum: from the Abbe Midsummer to the Abbe Museum Indian Market. It's a front row seat to the festival and a great way to meet interesting people.

ACTIVITY TABLE ATTENDANT (TWO SHIFTS: 10 AM - 1 PM; 1 - 4 PM)
Also at the Abbe Museum booth is an activity table that is a hit with our younger visitors. Here you will be in charge of touch-tables, crafts, or storytelling sessions. Tap into your inner child and have a great time!

Your support directly affects the mission of the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance to save the ancient ash and sweetgrass basketry traditions among the Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot Tribes in Maine. Just a few hours of your time can have a huge impact.

If you are interested in lending a hand, please contact Jill Sawyer at 207-288-3519 or jill@abbemuseum.org. We can't wait to work with you!

Jill Sawyer is the Abbe Museum's Advancement & Gallery Associate. She provides advancement support for the income generating activities and daily operations of the Abbe Museum and is also responsible for building and strengthening relationships with Native artists. In 2013 she spent 3 months in Manila, Philippines, evaluating the Museo Pambata’s Mobile Library Program. This experience became the foundation for her master’s thesis, which discusses the importance of advocacy and community outreach in museums.

The Abbe Underground is Back!

We launched the Abbe Underground in 2012 and, since then, it has undergone a couple of different iterations. Like with any new initiative, what we originally envisioned needed some tweaking and revision, some testing and surveying, and now we're happy to announce that the Underground is back!

The Abbe Underground is a group of young friends of the Abbe Museum who exemplify the future leadership of the Museum, as well as the cultural and artistic vitality of Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island. The Underground offers the unique opportunity for young professionals and residents of the greater MDI area to experience culture, art, history, and merriment in support of the Abbe's mission. A diverse and active group full of changemakers, they are setting the course for the Abbe Museum's future.

The Abbe Underground presents A Twisted Path Unveiled, which invites guests to dive into our new exhibit, Twisted Path IV: Vital Signs. Alongside featured Wabanaki artists Jason and Donna Brown, of Decontie & Brown, you'll explore the relationship between art, fashion, and social commentary. Then, jump into a designer's shoes and create your own life inspired look - you might even win some prizes! Enjoy all of this while hanging out with friends, old and new, and eating good food - what's not to love! 

Join us at the Abbe Museum on May 4th from 7 to 9 pm. Tickets are $10 per person, and a group of five or more is just $7 per person. There is no pre-ticketing for this event, but please RSVP. 

And don't forget to dress your finest! Leave some room in your fancy pants for your I.D. because we'll be checking at the door. 

Interested in joining? Contact us at underground@abbemuseum.org or follow us on Facebook.

Jill Sawyer is the Abbe Museum's Advancement & Gallery Associate. She provides advancement support for the income generating activities and daily operations of the Abbe Museum and is also responsible for building and strengthening relationships with Native artists. In 2013 she spent 3 months in Manila, Philippines, evaluating the Museo Pambata’s Mobile Library Program. This experience became the foundation for her master’s thesis, which discusses the importance of advocacy and community outreach in museums.