Curtis Memorial Library Seeks Art Donations From Brunswick, Harpswell Artists

Art Librarian Mary Kate Kwasnik is leading a new effort at Curtis Memorial Library to reshape its permanent collection around Brunswick and Harpswell voices, with a rolling submission window now open through May 17 and private funding already secured to purchase select works outright.

The library launched its Call for Art on March 25, inviting artists, donors, and collectors with ties to the two communities to submit up to ten images of original work for consideration. Final decisions will be announced by June 19.

"Curtis Memorial Library has a uniquely rich art collection that dates back to our beginnings and has continued to grow through today," Executive Director Liz Doucett said. "We are so excited to open this call for art so we can better mirror our community and tell their story for years to come."

The initiative is driven by a newly formed art committee that Kwasnik co-leads with Doucett. Its members bring a range of institutional and creative perspectives: Curtis board chair Tahnthawan Coffin, board chair alum Lisa Botshon, board members Candace Kanes, Karin Hoppenbrouwers, and Kristin Jhamb, along with art advisor and Erin Hutton Projects founder Erin Hutton, artist Nina Jerome, and Roberta Schwartz, an art collector and retired Bowdoin College librarian.

The committee has secured private funding to purchase submitted works or accept them as gifts. Selected pieces will be woven into the library's day-to-day operations through long-term displays, rotating and temporary exhibits, and hands-on programming for adults and children. The committee is prioritizing work from artists with strong local connections; the stated aim is for additions to "articulate a vision of what community means today in Brunswick and Harpswell, considering the people who live and have lived here; the sense of place; the goals that residents have for the future; and residents' interactions with each other as citizens."

Evaluative criteria include artistic quality, durability, and suitability for a public library environment. The expanded collection is expected to support partnerships with Brunswick Public Art and the Union of Maine Visual Artists.

Full submission guidelines are at curtislibrary.com/callforart/; questions can go directly to Kwasnik at mkkwasnik@curtislibrary.com.