Wintergreen’s long history of successful community partnerships has created a solid base of support for our mission to stimulate creativity and curiosity through the arts in Aroostook County.
Aroostook Partners in the Arts
Aroostook Partners in the Arts (APA) has been an essential community partner since Wintergreen’s inception in 2006. APA provides support through volunteerism and collaboration. Wintergreen students also benefit through APA’s scholarship program for local youth.
Aroostook Regional Gifted and Talented
Wintergreen values our long relationship with the Aroostook Regional Gifted and Talented (ARGT) program. Our teachers and local guest artists serve ARGT and local school programs with high-quality arts education workshops and field trips. It is a joy and inspiration to have these students at Wintergreen.
Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce
The Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce is a driving force in Presque Isle’s First Friday Art Walk. Wintergreen participates in the Art Walk by featuring local artists and gallery exhibitions. Wintergreen has been a member of the Chamber since our inception in 2006.
City of Presque Isle, Maine
Since 2010, Wintergreen has partnered with the City of Presque Isle to provide arts education in collaboration with the Presque Isle Recreation & Parks Department. This relationship runs deep and speaks volumes when applying for foundation grant funding.
Kiwanis Club of Presque Isle
Wintergreen takes great pleasure in partnering with the Kiwanis Club of Presque Isle to make our Family Gingerbread Festival a part of the Club’s Reindeer Games event. This holiday event is held in collaboration with the Presque Isle Recreation & Parks Department and the Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce. We look forward to teaming up for more community events in the future.
Maine Arts Commission
In 2023, Wintergreen entered into a unique partnership with the Maine Arts Commission to establish the Aroostook Creative Network Micro-Grant Program to provide micro-grants to artists who live and work in Aroostook County. Funding for the Aroostook Creative Network Micro-Grant Program is made possible from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. The micro-grant program is administered by Wintergreen. Applications are reviewed by a panel of community-based artists and arts/cultural advocates from across Aroostook County.
MSAD#1: Presque Isle Tech Center
Wintergreen enjoys a solid partnership with the Presque Isle Tech Center at MSAD#1. Select high school students enrolled in the center’s Early Childhood Education program receive year-long field placement opportunities within our creative preschool, Under the Willow Tree. These students are valuable assistants for our preschool teaching team.
Northern Maine Community College
Wintergreen’s After School Arts program offers early childhood education students at the Northern Maine Community College (NMCC) field placement hours needed to complete their studies. Wintergreen has also provided classroom experiences for medical students affiliated with NMCC who travel to the area to participate in clinicals and rural experiences.
Presque Isle Historical Society
Since 2012, Wintergreen has partnered with the Presque Isle Historical Society on our largest and most popular holiday event, THE WINTERGREEN EXPRESS. Each year, the historical society’s Molly the Trolley is transformed into a magic train taking families on a memorable ride to the North Pole. Wintergreen collaborates with the historical society on other projects from time to time throughout the year as well.
Presque Isle Housing Authority
In 2017, Wintergreen formed a partnership with the Presque Isle Housing Authority to create ART with HeART, a unique relationship-based program that pairs teenage mentors with young children, often creating life-changing relationships. This summer program is based in the Birch Street Neighborhood and is free for all youth.
University of Maine at Presque Isle
Wintergreen’s After School Arts program offers first-year elementary education students at the University of Maine at Presque Isle (UMPI) field placement hours needed to complete their studies. Wintergreen has also had the pleasure of hosting UMPI students who are in the Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) program. These students bring great value to the arts center and our students.