Independence Association Marks 60 Years, Spindleworks Celebrates Half-Century at State House

Lawmakers at the State House recognized Independence Association as the Brunswick nonprofit marked 60 years of services that help adults and children with developmental disabilities stay connected to their communities instead of falling into more costly crisis systems.

The acknowledgment also marked 50 years for Spindleworks, the organization’s nationally recognized Brunswick art program. Founded in 1976 by artist, weaver, writer and educator Nan Ross with Maine Arts Commission grant funds, Spindleworks began with six people learning fiber arts. Many of those first artists had spent their lives isolated at Pineland Center, the large state institution that closed in 1996.

Today, Independence Association says Spindleworks has grown into two studios with more than 60 artists, and its reach now includes Spindleworks Gardiner at 221 Water Street in Gardiner. The Bowdoin College Art Museum has described the Brunswick studio as a nationally recognized progressive art studio, with work that spans painting, sculpture, poetry, dance, weaving and new media art. That history matters because it shows the program is more than an art space. It is part of the disability-services network that lets people build daily routines, make creative work and remain visible in community life.

Independence Association says it was founded in 1966 to support adults and children with developmental disabilities in Maine. Executive Director Brett Bulmer said the recognition belonged to the people and families the organization supports, the staff who make the work possible and the broader community that shares its goals. Rep. Poppy Arford of Brunswick said she was grateful for the organization’s six decades of service and continued commitment to individuals with disabilities, their families and the broader Midcoast community. Reps. Dan Ankeles of Brunswick and Allison Hepler of Woolwich also took part in the recognition, reflecting how widely the organization’s work reaches across the Midcoast and into Augusta.

The anniversary is not only about looking back. Independence Association is planning celebration events this spring, starting with its annual Run for Independence on Saturday, May 16, 2026. For Midcoast families, the stakes are immediate: strong community-based support helps keep people at home, eases pressure on schools, hospitals and state agencies, and gives employers a better chance of keeping workers on the job instead of losing them to a care crisis.