Artists of all persuasions, from painters and sculptors to musicians and dancers to writers and actors, have long been attracted to the Camden-Rockland Region. Inspired by its beauty and encouraged by its laidback, open-minded culture, they make art — and in the process, they enrich our community with their imagination, inventiveness, and passion. The Farnsworth Art Museum, renowned for its incredible collection of Wyeth family artworks, and the striking new facility for the Center for Maine Contemporary Art solidify the area’s reputation as the creative furnace of Maine’s visual arts scene. A growing number of galleries showcase art and crafts in many mediums and styles — paintings, sculptures, glass, pottery, photography, you name it.
Many artists also welcome visitors to their studios, which you’ll find scattered along the coast and among the hills and valleys.
The performing arts scene is equally vibrant. Blues, folk, and rock bands perform year-round at area pubs. A resident professional company, community theater groups, choruses, and chamber ensembles enliven our stages throughout the year. Some of the venues are as inspiring as the presentations. These include immaculately restored Victorian opera houses in Camden and Rockport; the Strand, an unusual Egyptian Revival movie theater in Rockland; and Camden’s outdoor harborside amphitheater, which looks like a Greek ruin transported to Maine’s Center Coast.