Four Maine groups to share $54,500 from National Endowment for the Arts

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins have announced that four recipients in Maine will share $54,500 in National Endowment for the Arts funding to support cultural projects throughout the state.

Slated to receive funding are:

. Portland Symphony Orchestra will receive $12,500 to support residencies in rural Maine, a consortium project with the University of Maine at Presque Isle and the University of Maine at Machias.

. Portland Stage Company will receive $22,000 to support the development and co-production of “Leaving Queens,” with book and lyrics by Kate Moira Ryan and music by Kim D. Sherman.

. Bates College will receive $15,000 to support commissioning, presentation, outreach and educational activities for the Bates Dance Festival 2001.

. Alice James Poetry Cooperative Inc. at the University of Maine at Farmington will receive $5,000 to support publication and promotion of five books of poetry selected from the cooperative’s two annual competitions, the Beatrice Hawley Award and the New York-New England Award.