International Heritage Music Series: Based on the idea that music is inherent to strengthening community in cultures around the world, the series will celebrate regional music and dance traditions. Performances will showcase leading artists in Afro-Carribean percussion and song, Bulgarian women’s vocal music, and Manouche Gypsy Jazz.
The Children’s Puppet Workshop: Local youths design and build their own puppets, learn music, dance, and script writing; create and present their own performances; and attend regular weekend puppet shows. Puppet classes are taught by a professional puppeteers and puppet theater shows are offered to the public on a regular basis.
Club M.I.S. (My International Sisters): Girls in the community ages 11-14 meet at MSA on a regular basis with a youth outreach officers from Portland Policing to work on community arts and service initiatives. The girls recently partnered with student educators from Maine College of Art to paint a series of murals.
Club Hip Hop: A hip hop dance class for boys and girls ages 7 to 14 taught by student instructors and mentors from Portland Youth Dance. A great physical activity very popular with neighborhood kids.
Neighborhood Crime Watch Meetings: held monthly at Mayo Street Arts, are attended by neighbors and Portland Police officers, and offer neighbors and new citizens ways they can help each other by cooperating and communicating with police and city officials on issues like crime reporting and lighting.
National Night Out: A national crime-awareness event; MSA and East Bayside bring its own brand of music, solidarity, and fun featuring a parade and outdoor BBQ that is a very popular with families in the neighborhood. A showcase of the dance, music, costumes, and puppetry youths and artists have been working on throughout the year.
Community Arts Residency: This summer MSA will serve as the hub for a sculpture garden project in East Bayside in partnership with the Indoor Plant Kingdom and the Muslim Community Center that will serve as a pilot for a future community arts residency program.
