For groups larger than six or if you need special dietary options. Please contact Dylan Abbott with those needs.

w/ Arrested Development

Buy Michael Franti Concert Tickets 
  

Micheal Franti & SPEARHEAD

Arrested Development ~ Opening Act

July 1, 2022 • 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm

DOORS OPEN 5:30 pm  •  ALL AGES

The parking lot opens at 4:30 pm

Michael Franti is a globally recognized musician, humanitarian, activist, and award-winning filmmaker revered for his high-energy live shows, inspiring music, devotion to health and wellness, worldwide philanthropic efforts and the power of optimism. Throughout his multidecade career, Franti has earned three Billboard No. 1’s with triumphantly hopeful hits “Sound of Sunshine,” “Say Hey (I Love You)” and “I Got You,” as well as six Top 30 Hot AC singles, nine Top 25 AAA Singles and three Billboard Top 5 Rock Albums. “I Got You,” lead single from his latest album Work Hard And Be Nice, marked Franti’s first No. 1 in nearly 10 years and landed on NPR’s “Most Popular Songs of 2020,” while the music video boasts over 1.3 million views since its release. Michael Franti & Spearhead’s latest single “Good Day For A Good Day” is available everywhere, with plans to release his 12th studio album in the Summer of 2022.

Michael Franti & Spearhead embarked on the inaugural five-day Soulshine at Sea cruise Nov. 3- 7, 2021 sailing from Miami, Fla. to Stirrup Cay, Bahamas. Soulshine At Sea included two Michael Franti & Spearhead shows, over 20 live band and DJ sets, 10+ yoga and fitness classes, inspiring speakers, live “Stay Human” podcast tapings, and uniquely curated activities hosted by Michael himself and other special guests. Guests also had access to healthy menu options including vegan offerings around the clock, an on-board juice bar, cooking demos and more. Soulshine At Sea is returning for Year 2, Nov. 4-8, 2023 setting sail from Miami to Costa Maya, Mexico!

With sustainability and the environment top of mind, in 2021 Franti announced a pledge to join partner REVERB’s Music Climate Revolution, to offset the carbon footprint of all their tours moving forward. This began on the road in Colorado with Franti & Spearhead’s Good Day For A Good Day Weekend from June 4-6th, including one show in Vail, CO followed by three shows at Red Rocks Amphitheater. To keep the good times rolling, Spearhead’s Good Day For A Good Day Tour, kicked off August 2021 and included 20 summer shows in the U.S with co-headline dates from Trombone Shorty, The Revivalists, and Young The Giant plus several sold-out shows and support from Of Good Nature. Alongside the release of his new album, the band will be going on a coast-to-coast tour through the Spring and Summer of 2022, followed by 13 EU/UK shows at the top of 2023. Tickets are on sale now at MichaelFranti.com.

In January 2019, Franti released his self-directed documentary Stay Human, which won an array of awards at film festivals worldwide and influenced his writing for his album Stay Human Vol. II (Thirty Tigers), which debuted at No. 1 on both the Americana and Independent Album charts and received critical acclaim from USA Today, Billboard, Associated Press and Paste. Influenced by the film, Franti’s Stay Human podcast presented by Gibson features creatives from all walks of life, with new episodes available each week.

Franti continues to foster community both on and off stage with a wish granting non-profit, Do It For The Love, founded by Franti and his wife, Sara. Do It For The Love brings those with life threatening illnesses, veterans, and children with severe challenges to concerts worldwide, fulfilling over 3,300 wishes and touching the lives of over 12,000 people. Franti also owns Soulshine Bali, a 32-room yoga retreat hotel in Ubud, Bali. Phase 2 of the hotel, including 16 new suites, a new restaurant, 90 mat yoga studio, infinity pool, spa, gym, opens in 2022!

Buy Michael Franti Concert Tickets 

David Bromberg QuintetOpening Act Roger Street Friedman

Buy David Bromberg Quintet Concert Tickets

March 26, 2022

Doors Open at 6:30 pm

Show 7:30 pm

With his 1971 self-titled Columbia Records release, multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter David Bromberg emerged as a wunderkind of American roots music. The disc’s blend of traditional and original material, virtuosic musicianship and iconic cover art trumpeted the arrival of a new artist of audacious vision. Over the course of seven more albums for Columbia & Fantasy Records and through associations with Bob Dylan, Jerry Jeff Walker, John Hartford, George Harrison, the Grateful Dead, Emmylou Harris and Bonnie Raitt, Bromberg’s reputation and following grew exponentially. However, the incessant demands of touring finally brought the recordings and shows to an end in the early 1980s. 

A twenty-two-year drought ended in 2006 with the release of the Grammy-nominated solo effort Try Me One More Time. In 2011 David followed up with Use Me, a typically unorthodox Bromberg-ian effort, partnering him with Linda Ronstadt, Vince Gill, Los Lobos, Dr. John, Keb’ Mo, John Hiatt, Levon Helm and others as David asked them to either write or choose songs and then produce him performing them. 

Two more albums emerged from 2013 to 2017, Only Slightly Mad and The Blues the Whole Blues and Nothing But the Blues, both produced by 3 x Grammy winner Larry Campbell. Recorded at Levon Helm’s Barn, Only Slightly Mad brought the band back to David’s eclectic ‘kitchen sink’ musical philosophy, while The Whole Blues  proved Texas fiddler Johnny Gimbel’s theory that: “There are only two songs—‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ and the blues.” The band skipped the ‘Banner’ and headed straight for the blues, winning the 2017 Downbeat Critic’s Poll for Best Blues Album. 

With David’s band settling into its current lineup: Mark Cosgrove (guitar, mandolin, vocals), Nate Grower (fiddle, mandolin, guitar, vocals), Josh Kanusky (drums, vocals) and newest member, Suavek Zaniesienko (bass, vocals), they entered the studio in mid-2019 for a different approach to record-making. The resulting album, Big Road, gives Bromberg fans the most intimate portrait to date of David and his band, musically and visually. Featuring twelve new recordings, five hi-def performance videos and a mini-documentary detailing the album’s creation, the content rich album was released on Compass/Red House Records as a CD/DVD combo pack and gatefold vinyl album. Unfortunately COVID put an end to all live shows until fall 2021, which is where David is poised to write his next chapter.

Roger Street Friedman

Roger Street Friedman is a singer, songwriter and activist based in Sea Cliff, New York. The New York native was bitten by the music bug early, learning to write songs and developing his studio engineering skills. It was an avocation, however, as he worked his uncle’s retail display business for about 25 years. But a combination of events during the mid-’00s -- the deaths of his father and mother, marriage and, later, the births of his two children -- steered Friedman back to music, leading to the acclaimed 2014 debut THE WAITING SKY and 2017’s SHOOT THE MOON. “Those life events really kind of opened the floodgates for me to start writing again,” he notes.

Recalling the pop-rock singer-songwriter tradition of Jackson Browne, Marc Cohn, Randy Newman, Colin Hay, Bruce Hornsby, and Mark Knopfler, Friedman released “Sun Never Sets” in 2019 - a song and video dedicated to immigrants and immigration reform.  Collaborating on the project were Peter Yarrow, Tom Chapin, Joel Rafael and Guy Davis.  His third-full length album, RISE, produced by Larry Campbell was released in 2020 followed by his most recent EP, COME WHAT MAY in July 2021.

Roger has performed at the Clearwater Folk Festival, Huntington Folk Festival and The Falcon Ridge Folk Festival (Grassy Hill Emerging Artist) as well as touring up and down the Northeast and South.  Friedman performed at the 2019 NERFA conference in a coveted “formal” showcase, and is currently planning his 4th studio album for 2022.

Ticket price $45.00

$50 at the Door

Dinner will be $28.00

Join Us For A Pre-Show Dinner in Snow Pond's Historic Lodge

Prix Fixe Menu - Served in Snow Pond's Historic Lodge

Slow Roasted Chicken with a Garlic & Spinach Cream Sauce or Glazed Carrot, Wild Mushroom, and Walnut Tart
Rice Pilaf
Honey Roasted Carrots
Fresh Rolls
Blueberry & Apple Pie w/ Vanilla Ice Cream

Family Style Seating
If you have a large party coming and would like to sit together please let us know ahead of time at

We serve from 5:30 to 7:15 so we can all be ready for the show in Alumni Hall!

Buy David Bromberg Quintet Concert Tickets

Snow Pond Presents: Shemekia Copeland ~ Done Come Too Far

May 19, 2024

Doors Open at 6:00 pm

Show 7:00 pm

Ticket Price: $35 ( $40 at the door) 

Dinner Add-On ~ $35 (See below)
Dinner is served at 4:30PM

Buy Tickets

Dinner Add-On Shemekia Copeland ~ $35

Menu: 

Succulent herb-roasted chicken basted in a mushroom cream sauce.
Tender roasted garlic asparagus, bursting with flavor.
Rice pilaf adorned with a medley of fresh, vibrant veggies.
Exquisite spinach and ricotta lasagna roll-ups, a delectable vegetarian option.
Cap off your culinary journey with the perfect sweet finale: Zesty lemon bars crowned with a tantalizing blueberry compote topping.

Award-winning blues, soul and Americana singer Shemekia Copeland possesses one of the most instantly recognizable and deeply soulful roots music voices of our time. She is beloved worldwide for the fearlessness, honesty and humor of her revelatory music, as well as for delivering each song she performs with unmatched passion. Copeland — winner of the 2021 Blues Music Award for B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year— connects with her audience on an intensely personal level, taking them with her on what The Wall Street Journal calls “a consequential ride” of “bold and timely blues.” NPR Music says Shemekia sings with “punchy defiance and potent conviction.” The Houston Chronicle describes her songs as “resilient pleas for a kinder tomorrow.”

On her new Alligator album, Done Come Too Far, Copeland continues the story she began telling on 2018’s groundbreaking America’s Child and 2020’s Grammy-nominated Uncivil War, reflecting her vision of America’s past, present and future. On Done Come Too Far, she delivers her hard-hitting musical truths through her eyes, those of a young American Black woman, a mother, and a wife. But she likes to have a good time too, and her music reflects that, at times putting her sly sense of humor front and center. “This album was made by all sides of me — happy, sad, silly, irate — they’re all a part who I am and who we all are. I’m not political. I’m just talking about what’s happening in this country.”

And she doesn’t hold back. Recorded in Nashville and produced by multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Will Kimbrough (who also produced her previous two albums), Done Come Too Far is Copeland at her charismatic, passionate, confrontational best. With singular purpose and simmering power, Copeland unleashes the searing, history-fueled tracks Too Far To Be Gone (featuring Sonny Landreth on scorching slide guitar) and Done Come Too Far (with Grammy-winner Cedric Burnside duetting and playing Mississippi Hill Country blues guitar). “If you think we’re stopping,” she sings in both songs, “you got it wrong.” On The Talk, Copeland shares the brutally honest, harrowing reality of a Black mother talking with her son about surviving an encounter with the police (with the great Charles Hodges of the famed Hi Rhythm Section on pulsating B-3 organ). On the all-t00-timely Pink Turns To Red (written and recorded prior to the May 2022 Uvalde, Texas school shooting), Copeland decries America’s gun violence epidemic.

Done Come Too Far’s better times and brighter days come on just as strong in the fun and swampy Fried Catfish And Bibles and the boot-kickin’, semi-autobiographical Fell In Love With A Honky. Spirits get lifted in Copeland’s celebratory interpretation of Ray Wylie Hubbard’s Barefoot In Heaven, before closing the set with the heartfelt love song, Nobody But You, written by her renowned father, the late Texas bluesman Johnny Clyde Copeland.

Copeland is used to the spotlight. Born and raised in Harlem, New York in 1979, she first stepped on stage with her famous father at New York’s Cotton Club when she was eight. As soon as Copeland released her Alligator Records debut Turn The Heat Up in 1998 at age 18, she instantly became a blues and R&B force to be reckoned with. The New York Times and CNN, among many others, praised her talent, larger-than-life personality, dynamic, authoritative voice and true star power. With each subsequent release, Copeland’s music continued to evolve. From her debut through 2005’s The Soul Truth, Shemekia earned eight Blues Music Awards and a host of Living Blues Awards. 2000’s Wicked received the first of her four Grammy nominations. After two successful releases on Telarc (including 2012’s Grammy-nominated 33 1/3), Copeland returned to Alligator Records in 2015 with the Grammy-nominated, Blues Music Award-winning Outskirts Of Love, melding blues with more rootsy, Americana sounds.

With 2018’s America’s Child, Copeland, now the mother of a baby boy, sang about the blessings and curses of the world around her. MOJO magazine named America’s Child the #1 blues release of 2018. It won both the Blues Music Award and the Living Blues Award for Album Of The Year. AllMusic said, “Witty and sincere…Shemekia Copeland is one of the best singers in contemporary blues, not just for her voice but for her courage to use it to say something about American culture…showing good times and a social conscience can co-exist.”

In addition to earning a Grammy Award nomination (her fourth), Copeland’s groundbreaking 2020 release Uncivil War was named the 2020 Blues Album Of The Year by DownBeat, MOJO and Living Blues magazines. The album, like its predecessor, looked at the hardships and happiness people encounter, seeking common ground, demanding change and still finding ways to have a good time. “Shemekia Copeland is a powerhouse,” said Rolling Stone. “She can do no wrong.”

Copeland has performed thousands of gigs at clubs, festivals and concert halls all over the world, and has appeared in films, on national television, NPR, and has been the subject of major feature stories in hundreds of magazines, newspapers and internet publications. She’s sung with Bonnie Raitt, Keith Richards, Carlos Santana, Dr. John, James Cotton and many others, and has shared a bill with The Rolling Stones. She entertained U.S. troops in Iraq and Kuwait in 2008, a trip she says, “that opened my eyes to the larger world around me and my place in it.” In 2012, she performed with B.B. King, Mick Jagger, Buddy Guy, Trombone Shorty, Gary Clark, Jr. and others at the White House for President and Mrs. Obama. She has showcased on PBS’s Austin City Limits and was the subject of a six-minute feature on the PBS News Hour.

Copeland was the subject of a recent Washington Post Sunday magazine story and appeared on both NPR’s Weekend Edition and Here And Now. And NPR’s Jazz Night In America recently aired an hour-long program featuring Copeland. In April 2022, she performed at the United Nations General Assembly Hall to a worldwide audience of millions as part of International Jazz Day celebrations. Copeland continues to host her own popular daily blues radio show on SiriusXM’s Bluesville.

But it’s not just press and radio singing Copeland’s praises. She is beloved by her fellow musicians across genres and demographics. Jeff Beck called her “amazing.” Carlos Santana said, “She’s incandescent…a diamond.” Bonnie Raitt told BBC radio, “Shemekia always knocks me out.” The late John Prine said, “She doesn’t sound like anybody else.” Mary Gauthier declared, “Shemekia is one of the great singers of our time. Her voice is nothing short of magic.”

As for the continuing evolution of her music, Copeland is very clear. “Once my son was born,” she says, “I became even more committed to making the world a better place. On America’s Child, Uncivil War and now Done Come Too Far, I’ve been trying to put the ‘United’ back into United States. Friends, family and home, these things we all value.”

With Done Come Too Far, Copeland hits harder than ever with musically and lyrically adventurous songs and jaw-dropping performances that are at once timely and timeless. The Chicago Tribune’s famed jazz critic Howard Reich said, “Shemekia Copeland is the greatest female blues vocalist working today. She pushes the genre forward, confronting racism, hate, xenophobia and other perils of our time. Regardless of subject matter, though, there’s no mistaking the majesty of Copeland’s instrument, nor the ferocity of her delivery. Copeland reaffirms the relevance of the blues.”

Buy Tickets

Buy Adam Ezra Getaway Sessions Tickets

Adam Ezra Getaway Sessions

September 17-19, 2023

Alumni Hall 

The Getaway Sessions 2023 Schedule

Working outside the confines of the traditional music industry, Adam Ezra and his bandmates – Corinna Smith (fiddle), Alex Martin (drums), Poche Ponce (bass) - built a community of fans through sheer grit and determination, regularly performing hundreds of shows a year for the past two decades without any major label or mainstream radio support. Fusing folk intimacy and rock energy with soul power and pop charm, the band first emerged from Boston in the early 2000s and quickly garnered widespread acclaim for their bold, insightful songwriting and interactive, euphoric performances. From hole in the wall bars and house concerts to sold-out headline shows and dates with the likes of Little Big Town, The Wallflowers, Gavin DeGraw, Train, and The Wailers, Ezra and his bandmates treated every single gig like their last, attracting a die-hard following that believed not just in the music, but in their commitment to activism and social change, as well.

After their tour was cancelled at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ezra brought the show online to continue this commitment and created The Gathering Series which to-date has reached a cumulative audience of 15 million viewers.  In addition, they brought The Gathering Series to the real world as they performed over 100 safe, socially distanced shows in parks and backyards around the USA.  The Adam Ezra Group hit their 500^th Live stream show on July 25^th, 2021, and although they don’t live-stream nightly anymore, they do still live-stream to the fans at least two times a week. AEG has also started to tour heavily again in traditional and outdoor venues. 

As if this wasn’t enough to keep them busy, the band also embarked on an ambitious new recording series dubbed ‘The Album Project’ which will see the band releasing at least 19 new singles over the next few years. What comes next for the Adam Ezra Group? The future is anyone’s guess right now, and the only thing the Adam Ezra Group knows for sure, is they’ll be out there making music however and whenever they can.

Sunday Night - BBQ Menu - Served on Lodge Patio overlooking the lake
BBQ Chicken Thighs or Boneless Breast & Vegetarian Options
-Sweet Corn on the Cob
-Tangy Coleslaw
-Honey Cornbread
-Baked Beans or House Made Mac and Cheese
-Lemon Blueberry Cake
-Ice Tea or Lemonade
-Bar Open

Monday Continental Breakfast - Served on the Lodge Patio overlooking the lake
-Coffee, Tea, Juice & Milk
-Fruit Salad
-Yogurt & Granola
-Muffins/Bagels
-Bloody’s

Monday Lunch - Served on the Lodge Patio overlooking the lake
TBD
Bar Open

Monday Dinner   - Served at Snow Pond’s Grill
Grilled Burgers and House-Made Vegetarian Burgers
Grilled Brats
Chicken and Cheese Quesadillas
Bar Open

Tuesday Brunch - Served at Snow Pond’s Grill
Grilled Steak & Eggs
Vegetarian Option
Grilled Muffins
Mimosa’, etc. 

Buy Adam Ezra Getaway Sessions Tickets

Snow Pond Center for the Arts - Ticket/Event Information 

Snow Pond’s Box Office is located at 8 Goldenrod Lane,
Sidney, Maine 04330 in the Visitor’s Center.
The Box Office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.
Phone: 207-465-9648 ext. 202
Email:

Online tickets may be purchased at tickets.snowpond.org

Snow Pond Center for the Arts cannot guarantee any tickets purchased from a third-party vendor. The only tickets that Snow Pond honors are those purchased through snowpond.org or in our Box Office. 

Your electronic tickets will come in the form of a PDF attachment with a barcode that must be displayed and scanned upon entry. A print off of these tickets or a smartphone display can be used for admittance. 

PAYMENTS

Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express accepted.

REFUNDS

Tickets are nonrefundable. 

ACCESSIBILITY

ADA accessible seating is available.
Please contact the Snow Pond Box Office for assistance at:

Phone: 207-465-9648 ext. 202
Email:

LODGING

There are several hotels available in the Waterville & Augusta area.

RV Camping is available at Bacon Maple Farms in Sidney on a first come first serve basis. Contact Shelly Bacon at 207-314-8289 for more information

Snow Pond Center for the Art’s Policies Regarding the Cancellation and Rescheduling of Performances/Events.

Caring for the safety and well-being of our staff and guests is our uppermost priority.

Please realize, our team works diligently behind the scenes, while coordinating with federal, state, and local officials to determine the safest way to hold each and every event.

Please see below for more detailed guidance:

• For scheduled events, there’s nothing you need to do. If anything changes, we will contact you in regards to updates.
• If your event is canceled by Snow Pond Center for the Arts, there’s also nothing you need to do. Snow Pond will work to reschedule the event with the performer, and you will be notified of all updates.
• If your event was not canceled and you are unable or choose not to attend, you can consider selling your tickets, however, Snow Pond will not refund tickets if the event/performance is still scheduled to take place.  

NEMC Free Weekly Concerts - Bowl in the Pines - 3:00 pm

July 2 & July 3

July 10

July 16 & 17

July 23 & 24

NEMC Free Weekly Recitals - Alumni Hall - 7:30 pm

Faculty Recitals - June 29, July 6, July 13, July 29

Student Honor Recitals - July 8, July 15, July 20, July 22 (with NEMC Concerto Performance)

Counselor Recital - July 2

Other NEMC Free Events - 

NEMC Core Musical Theater Showcase - July 21 - 7:30 pm, Alumni Hall 

Chamber Music Recitals - August 5 - 3:00 pm & 7:00 pm & August 6 - 4:00 pm, Alumni Hall 

Jazz Intensive Concert - August 5 - 9:00 pm, Bowl in the Pines

Musical Theatre Intensive Showcase - August 6 - 7:30 pm, Alumni Hall

Prelude Strings Orchestra Concert - August 6 - 2:00 pm, Bowl in the Pines

New England Music Camp Intensive Showcase - August 7 - 3:00 pm, Bowl in the Pines

Special Ticketed Events -

Tickets for special event can be purchased through the Snow Pond Box Office HERE.

Michael Franti & Spearhead - July 1 - 7:30 pm, Bowl in the Pines

Spiderman: No Way Home & Fireworks - July 4 - Free Movie @ Bowl in the Pines

NEMC POPS Concert - July 9 - 7:30 pm, Bowl in the Pines

BAILEN w/ Rebecca McCartney & Goodnight Blue Moon - July 16 - 7:30 pm - Bowl in the Pines

June 21st - Maine Chamber Music Seminar  - Free - 3:00 pm and 7:30 pm, Alumni Hall
June 21st - Frederick L. Hempke Saxophone Institute - Free - 7:30 pm, Theater Arts Building
June 22nd - Frederick L. Hempke Saxophone Institute - Free - 7:30 pm, Alumni Hall
June 30th - New England Music Camp Outdoor Faculty Artist Recital - Free - 7:30 p.m., The Bowl in the Pines 

July 3rd and 4th  - New England Music Camp - Free Concerts - 3:00 p.m., The Bowl in the Pines 
July 10th and 11th - New England Music Camp - Free Concerts - 3:00 p.m., The Bowl in the Pines 
July 17th and 18th - New England Music Camp - Free Concerts - 3:00 p.m., The Bowl in the Pines 
July 24th and 25th - New England Music Camp - Free Concerts - 3:00 p.m., The Bowl in the Pines
July 29th - New England Music Camp Outdoor Faculty Artist Recital - Free - 7:30 p.m., The Bowl in the Pines
July 31st - Prelude Strings Orchestra Concerts - Free - 3:00 p.m., The Bowl in the Pines

August 7th - Prelude Strings Orchestra Concerts - Free - 3:00 p.m., The Bowl in the Pines
August 8th - New England Music Camp Intensive Showcase - Free - 3:00 p.m., The Bowl in the Pines
September 11th -  Snow Pond On Tap - Lakeside Beer Fest - 2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., The Bowl in the Pines, 25 Maine Brewers and Live Music Featuring Muddy Ruckus and The Mallett Brothers

The arts are recognized for their unique ability to build community through creative human expression. As a year-round cultural center in rural Maine, Snow Pond expands on this concept by uplifting the entire Belgrade Lakes region through an inclusive economic strategy centered on creative placemaking. With our cultural, recreational, and educational assets, Snow Pond is simultaneously a tourist destination and pillar of the region’s quality of life that attracts and retains talent.

• Tourism – dozens of concerts, festivals, and entertainment programs draw tens of thousands of patrons locally, across the U.S., and internationally.
  
  
• Creative Placemaking – hiking trails, pond hockey, concerts, extracurricular arts education, and farm-to-table dining contribute to a vibrant community that we continue to design through a community-based process intended to deliver greater economic impact through the arts.
  
  
• Talent Attraction & Retention – connecting Maine Arts Academy students with local institutions and offering exceptional quality of life amenities create a two-pronged approach to growing the young professionals and families living in the Belgrade Lakes region.

Read More: The Mission

Of all our economic development strategies, education is the one with the greatest return on investment. Investment in the education of Maine people creates lifelong learners, opens pathways to promising careers, and produces civically engaged citizens. (Source: Educate Maine, Research & Reports, https://www.educatemaine.org/research-reports, January, 2021.)

ARTS is a core and integrated component across the entire curriculum.

CHOICE and customization of learning OPPORTUNITIES are essential.

SCHOOL and students are key contributing members of the COMMUNITY.

CREATE a nurturing learning culture that is not limited to the school campus. As both an arts education and community center, it is important that this environment extends BEYOND the schools and the campus.

Read More: The Mission

     There are many reasons to make arts engagement opportunities more accessible in rural communities. Evidence gained from scientific research conducted throughout the past two decades indicates the important effect that music and the arts have on human growth and development, and how they improve, not only critical thinking, but social and emotional skills as well. This is true for people of all ages and backgrounds. Engaging within the arts, whether by experiencing it or creating it, has been shown to lower stress and improve memory and empathy. Importantly, participating in the arts also fosters community, as diverse participants build and share experiences together.

Community:  By interweaving the arts into the fabric of a community, rural towns are able to attract and retain diverse talent, increase civic engagement, improve community cohesiveness and promote economic growth.

Academics:  Students who are engaged in the arts are 4X more likely to demonstrate improved academic performances in math, reading and writing.

Decision Making:  The arts strengthen critical thinking skills in students of all ages, such as problem-solving, teamwork, communication and open-mindedness.

Preservation of Place:  When citizens are engaged in the arts a community becomes a better place to live, work, and play.

Read More: The Mission

To provide innovative and high-quality education, inclusive of the arts, that supports academic achievement and cultivates the skills essential for people to reach their full potential.

Rural school systems have a unique set of challenges primarily involving scale and funding that often fail to meet their needs, especially in sparsely populated states like Maine. In general, there are fewer students in each school; fewer dollars going to teachers and more going to fixed, administrative, and overhead expenses; fewer teachers who are also needed to cover multiple subjects so there tends to be less specialization; less choice in curriculum, and unfortunately, less choice in schools.  

As of today, 56%  -Percent of Maine high school students proficient in reading, 33%  -Percent of Maine high school students proficient in math, Maine 62% NE 65%  - is the percent of students completing a college degree within 6 years in Maine and New England, with the goal being to close the gap. (Source: Educate Maine, Research & Reports, https://www.educatemaine.org/research-reports, January, 2021.)

To improve these statistics and create true innovation in rural education that could result in significant systemic change, our goal is simple - to provide opportunities to ensure all students develop the knowledge, skills, and aspirations to reach their full potential. Snow Pond is concentrating on the vital areas where we believe policy and procedural changes will have the greatest impact on student results.

A more balanced, impactful, and inventive curriculum can be made available for each student within a nurturing, supportive culture. Summer programming provided here at Snow Pond for the last 85 years offers consistent and valuable insights into proven pathways for innovative solutions. Students who come from all parts of the US reflect a balance of both economic and cultural diversity. These students live and participate in an intergenerational community (for 4 -6 weeks) that offers a balanced and supportive program of arts, recreation, and social activities. 

Snow Pond often finds in this summer program that students from rural communities have had very different learning experiences than their peers from other more urban/suburban areas. However, in a short time, we often see transformational results. Parents consistently comment on the astounding change they see in their children musically, socially, and especially aspirationally. Talent is not the differential factor in these students; it is the lack of exposure to opportunity. The challenge lies in how to take the triumphs and culture of the summer program, plus the successes of our expanded year-round programs, and over time apply them to rural public school and community settings more broadly and consistently. 

We believe transformational results can be consistently achieved through a combination of the four foundational components of our educational programming:

1. Arts are a core and integrated component across the entire curriculum. An arts-centered curriculum provides enriched programming offering students an opportunity to imagine and explore, allowing their natural creative interests to emerge. Over time, as students experience music, dance, drama, visual arts, directly integrated within the core academics, they become more creative and develop the skills needed to be more collaborative, communicative, and focused. These gifts cultivated by the arts are especially important in rural regions where quality programming or access to many cultural events are often not as accessible.
   
   
2. Choice and customization of learning opportunities are essential. Parents and students accept more accountability in the learning process when they have the ability to choose the school and customize some of their learning opportunities.
   
   Today’s technology provides even more potential to move in this direction. Distance learning technology helps address the challenges of cost, specialized resources, and geography. Through the latest hardware and web-based software solutions, individuals and institutions can access lessons, engage in individual or group performances and classes, and learn from a global pool of talented artists and musicians, regardless of where the students or instructors are located. Snow Pond is equipped with strong broadband service and state-of-the-art technology, including cameras, microphones, and projectors, that enhance learning experiences by making it possible to watch a large screen and enjoy high-quality sound. This distance learning technology facilitates connection of onsite performances, lessons, and classes and remote talent to rural students and communities.
   
   
3. School and students are key contributing members of the community. Schools are generally one of the largest employers in rural regions and the largest component of the town budget, yet in most communities, school administration, communications, and activities are very separate from that of the town. Integrating the schools and the students into the fabric of the community yields many benefits. Students who are active and contributing members of the community develop more confidence and tend to be engaged learners.
   
   There have been numerous studies on rural education that links place-based education that engages students with local terrain, local problems, and local assets to notable improvement in student achievement, student engagement, and broader school and community ties. As an example, in most rural areas there has been an outmigration of young people that greatly impacts both the schools and the community. To reverse this trend, young people need to be active participants in addressing outmigration. Snow Pond has a project for students, in high school and college thus far, to design a mixed-use community - cultural district that would be an attractive place for them to live in the existing rural environment. We’ve also asked them to think about how to brand, market, and attract people to our rural community.
   
   
4. Create a nurturing learning culture that is not limited to the school campus. As both an arts education and community center, it is important that this environment extends beyond the schools and the campus. Snow Pond is fortunate to have a beautiful 40-acre lakeside campus, where people are drawn together. Learning often happens best in this relaxed setting where the arts, informal conversation, recreation, community activities, and shared meals collectively create Snow Pond’s special culture and space for the community to interact. 

As an example, many rural areas now have a disproportionate share of senior citizens, many of which are anxious to interact with students and share their “stories”. They are also interested in learning from students about new technologies, or playing an instrument, for example. This creates a very powerful learning experience for students who directly witness this lifelong interest in learning. As more community members encounter Snow Pond, the more this culture and experience radiates throughout the region. When we ask students to describe Snow Pond, the most common answer is “magical.” 

As is the case with all kinds of innovation, sustainability and leadership is paramount. Without question, additional resources are needed in rural regions and most importantly these resources need to be equitably allocated to each student. Additional resources include federal and state school and student funding, facility grants and loans, and operational grants. Also, public education systems need to provide more flexibility and openness: to leverage regional assets and programming that have had long-term sustainable success; to adapt to changing conditions and new technologies; and to find new methods and approaches to enhance every student's individual potential. 

There also needs to be a better understanding that quality arts and education, including workforce education, are the essential drivers to rural prosperity. Making this happen will require coordination and explicit support from State and Regional Economic and Community Development agencies, the Department of Education, and the politicians that fund them. Snow Pond is at the forefront in providing leadership on building awareness of the major issues and opportunities in rural education, and importantly driving sustainable results and systemic change over time. 

To provide a variety of opportunities to all people, regardless of age, ability, or economic position for equal access to quality arts education, programming, and events;

Anyone can participate in the arts if the opportunities are readily available. One of the challenges rural communities and schools face is limited resources that result in the need to prioritize expenditures. Support for the arts in public schools and community programs has been a lower priority over the last several years. Remote geography and lack of transportation also negatively affect access. Widespread lack of awareness of the many benefits of the arts also limits participation. In more urban areas, the arts are generally on full display and easily accessible. That is not the case in rural regions, and the arts are not front-of-mind.

Snow Pond is addressing the above issues by rapidly expanding community programming in music, the arts and in after school programs by building partnerships with schools and community organizations. These programs fill a major gap in exposure to the arts, as there are limited after-school programs that incorporate arts education in this region.

Snow Pond’s community programs foster the creative and confident mindset that supports all learning. Creativity is an obvious skill gained from art education, however students also learn observation, self-expression, focus, discipline, perseverance, collaboration and risk-taking. Each of Snow Pond’s programs have been designed to enhance students’ personal and cultural awareness, ensuring that each student will be able to utilize these attributes to achieve their full potential. In addition, Snow Pond instructors become trusted adults in a position to model healthy emotional self-management and life skills. 

The primary population served by our programs are the residents of Kennebec County, including the surrounding communities of Augusta, Belgrade, Oakland, Rome, Sidney, Fairfield, Waterville, and more.  More than 60% of this population is classified as low-to-moderate income. Reduced/free lunch rates range from almost 50% in RSU18 to 75% in the neighboring Augusta or Waterville school districts. Academic proficiency levels and college graduation rates are low for this group. Currently, only 30% of these children are meeting academic proficiency standards and less than 20% will earn any type of college degree (source: Educate Maine, 2018.) Standing firm in our mission that arts education is important; all of Snow Pond’s community  programs are grant/donation funded and are offered to students at little or no cost.

Snow Pond will continue to expand the outreach programs, infrastructure, and the hub of artistic faculty to promote and support widespread access to the arts so that every community in the region can share resources while ensuring broader individual access to a variety of specialized learning opportunities for all age groups.

Snow Pond Community Arts Programs include: 

Expressive Arts

The process of using imagery, storytelling, dance, music, drama, poetry, writing, movement, and visual arts is explored in an integrated way that fosters human growth, development, and optimal health.  The creative process is emphasized, versus creating a product.

Arts as Academic Support

A variety of artistic disciplines are utilized to promote and support skill acquisition and conceptual understanding in the academic areas of math and language arts. Through the use of interactive games and artistic activities, students are encouraged to explore and deepen their enjoyment of academia as they increase competence and confidence while learning by doing!

Learn to Own

(a new program added in January/21) Interested students will be loaned used instruments, i.e. keyboards, guitars, electric drum kits, etc. The student must complete a course of learning with in-person or virtual attendance and accomplish their set learning benchmarks including demonstration of instrument care and tuning. Upon completion, and agreement to continue lessons, the student will be given the instrument. 

Strings Program 

In order to bolster the music program in the local school district (RSU#18), Snow Pond collaborated with the RSU18 Music Department to begin a much-desired strings program at one local elementary school for a group of third graders. The lessons are held at school before the regular schedule of classes begins. This program has been so successful that two classes will resume post-pandemic at the first school, and Belgrade Central would like to add an early strings program as well. 

Music Club

Weekly age specific classes provided developmentally appropriate music education, appreciation, and performance. Targeted goals addressed exposure and appreciation of various musical genres, including folk, classical, jazz, pop, and world music; group instruction in the playing of a variety of instruments, including hand percussion and bucket band; music literacy regarding notation, symbols, alphabet and solfege, as well as elements of composition. Performances included both solo and ensemble work and progressed from informal class showings to program wide performances.

To be a unique arts and educational institution, tourism attraction, and community center that is a catalyst for community and regional economic development.

Leveraging our foundation as a summer music camp renowned for quality instruction, creative atmosphere, and life-changing experiences, Snow Pond expanded to year-round programming in 2014. With the expansion came opportunities to strengthen our role in the region as an economic driver. Our economic development work, which spans tourism, rural placemaking, and workforce development, is deeply informed by community engagement and our region’s unique assets.

As a center for the arts, becoming a tourism destination was a natural progression for Snow Pond. Our nearly $1 million renovation of historic Bowl in the Pines, one of the nation’s largest amphitheaters, is slated to double capacity and further our success in attracting world-renowned acts. Over 18,000 patrons a year attend a concert in the Bowl, hailing from as far north as Canada and as south as Florida; this translates into significant demand for local restaurants, accommodations, and retail establishments. Continued investment in Snow Pond’s performance infrastructure will yield greater economic impact as we cement our reputation as a destination venue. 

Yet, Snow Pond strives to be a catalyst for people to not only come, but also to stay. Despite its beauty and affordability, our beloved Belgrade Lakes region has not been immune to Maine’s “brain drain” challenge of young professionals leaving for big cities. With year-round recreational and cultural amenities, including hiking trails, pond hockey, public arts-based high school, concerts, and farm-to-table dinners, Snow Pond is well-positioned to promote the Belgrade Lakes region as an ideal home for young professionals and families. To capitalize on our assets, Snow Pond successfully applied to participate in the National Endowment for the Arts – Citizen Institute on Rural Design (CIRD). CIRD employs the concept of “creative placemaking” to build vibrant rural regions by centering the arts, culture, and community engagement. In an economy where many professionals can work from anywhere, quality of life is key; Snow Pond believes that when the energy of the arts is a pillar of the community, the possibilities are limitless (learn more with NGA’s Rural Action Guide). 

Such a thrilling vision must be inclusive in order to work; after all, we want our whole community to be uplifted through arts-based economic development. Through its commitment to community through fundraisers, benefit dinners, and free use of its public facilities, Snow Pond has become a trusted institution – this is our shared place. To empower community engagement that guides placemaking design and development, Snow Pond has partnered with the Orton Family Foundation – Community Heart & Soul process. The proven collaboration method convenes Snow Pond, VillageMaine, and Belgrade Lakes communities and guides us as we design a comprehensive, time- and goal-specific economic plan to establish regional priorities, inspire investor confidence to support development, and ultimately, to attract and retain young artists, innovators, tradespeople, professionals, and farmers to this magnificent area.

Fortunately, Snow Pond nurtures an outstanding talent pool who can offer insight on how the economic plan might retain and attract creative young professionals. Students of the Maine Arts Academy, located on Snow Pond’s campus, represent an important demographic for the Belgrade Lakes. Not only are these students forming a special bond with the region that will encourage them to live here after graduation, but they are also building the skills needed to fill local jobs. By providing education and internships in the arts and culinary sectors, Maine Arts Academy is developing a qualified workforce ready to invigorate our community’s creative placemaking.

Fishing

Snow Pond (Messalonskee Lake) is the second largest lake in the famed Belgrade Lakes Chain and one of the top-rated bass fishing lakes in Maine. 

Two-time host to Major League Fishing Summit Cup championships, the lake provides anglers with an excellent opportunity to catch largemouth, smallmouth, and northern pike in addition to trout, salmon, and panfish.  For guide services contact Maine Wilderness Guide Service, LLC or call Snow Pond at 844-476-6976  ext.207 for additional information.

Hiking

In addition to Snow Pond’s own community trails, hiking opportunities abound within 20-minutes of campus.  Kennebec Highlands area in Rome, Mount Vernon, Vienna, and New Sharon, Maine. The Kennebec Highlands’ 6,800 acres contain the highest peaks in Kennebec County, including the summit of McGaffey Mountain, miles of pristine streams, several wetlands, and five undeveloped ponds.

Canoe/Kayak Excursions

Messalonskee Lake is a 9-mile long lake, that begins with the Belgrade Stream and flows out into the Messalonskee Stream.  

Foraging

Explore guided walks led by Snow Pond’s own Maine Guide, Mike Guarino, foraging for mushrooms, fiddleheads, etc. depending on the season.  

Cabin Rental Agreement

Welcome to Snow Pond Center for the Arts

Cabin Reservations!

Snow Pond Center for the Arts is offering cabin rentals in the months of May, September and October. 

Snow Pond offers one, two, and three-bedroom cabins located on over 40+ pristine acres along the shores of Snow Pond (Messalonskee Lake.) Renters will have access to walking/hiking trails, canoes, kayaks, and firepits. Guided fishing trips and historic boat tours on the lake are also available.  

For inquiries and reservations contact us at 207-465-9648 ext. 207 or email .

Cabin Info:

Guests are responsible for bringing their own bed linens & towels, unless otherwise indicated on the reservation form. For larger parties, linens may be included.

Cabins include living room, full bathroom, refrigerator, microwave, and coffeemaker. Several of our lakeside cabins are equipped with full kitchens and may be available upon request.

Complimentary WiFi is available in all cabins.  

Snow Pond cabins are not heated, however each cabin includes a portable heater. 

We are dog-friendly if your dog is friendly!  Proof of rabies vaccination is required upon check-in and dogs must be leashed when in public areas.  There is a $50 pet fee per dog.

For inquiries and reservations contact Snow Pond's

Events Coordinator.

Phone: 207-465-9648 ext. 20

Email: