Central Maine Motors makes gift to art center

Paul J. Schupf Art Center in Waterville, ME. (photo credit: Colby College)

Waterville Creates!, a nonprofit supporting and promoting high-quality, accessible arts and cultural programs and institutions in Waterville, Maine, announces a gift in the amount of $25,000 from Central Maine Motors Auto Group in support of the community capital campaign for the Paul J. Schupf Art Center.

Designed to bring together under one roof some of Waterville’s most beloved arts institutions, including the Maine Film Center, Common Street Arts, and a new gallery of the Colby Museum of Art, the Paul J. Schupf Art Center will be constructed on the current site of The Center building at 93 Main Street, directly adjacent to the Waterville Opera House and City Hall building and downtown’s central green space, Castonguay Square. Waterville Creates! and Colby College are partnering on this transformative project, which will create a distinctive hub for visual arts, performing arts, arts education, and film for children and adults. In addition to enhancing Waterville’s reputation as a destination for arts and culture, this new facility will add vitality to downtown Waterville during both the daytime and evening hours and serve as an economic driver for the region.

“Central Maine Motors Auto Group is dedicated to supporting the community of Waterville because we are Waterville – this is where we live, work and play,” says Chris Gaunce, president of Central Maine Motors. “Supporting our community means supporting the arts, especially this new art center, which will create accessible arts opportunities for people of all ages and have a huge economic impact on the city.” Central Maine Motors’ gift was pledged in support of the $2 million community capital campaign being led by Waterville Creates! as part of the overall fundraising goal of $18 million for the project.

“The impact Central Maine Motors Auto Group has on Waterville cannot be overstated – they generously fund so many community events, like our free summer concert series, Waterville Rocks!, and support programs and organizations that bring a high level of visibility to Waterville, including the Maine International Film Festival and the Waterville Opera House.”