Engine celebrates Maine Craft Weekend

October 1, 202211:00 am - 2:00 pm

Engine celebrates Maine Craft Weekend

Open Studios & Tides Rise Us All Exhibition at Engine

Saturday October 1 & Sunday October 2, 11AM-2PM

163 Main Street, Biddeford

The gallery at Engine in Biddeford at 163 Main Street with be open both Saturday and Sunday from 11 AM – 2 PM showcasing our Compass Project Boat building exhibition, Tides Rise Us All: 20 years of the Compass Project. Plus guests will be able to meet some of the artists and makers that call the Engine studios home.

The Compass Project was founded in 2002 in Portland Maine with the goal of engaging youth in hands-on, experiential, and cooperative learning through the building of wooden boats. In 2015, Engine adopted the Compass Project and partnered with local schools and colleges to bring boat building to their classrooms. In 2019 the Covid 19 pandemic forced a dramatic shift in how Compass classes were taught. Instead of in-person collaborative boat building, students were taught similar skills virtually through the building of model boats. In recent years, as restrictions have eased, we have returned to in person classes at Biddeford High School with renewed focus on helping youth develop a more meaningful relationship community and environment. Today, in addition to building boats, Compass students work on independent projects, exploring areas of personal interest, and work on projects for organizations within our Biddeford community, allowing students to see their contributions in the real world. Compass Project has brought together thousands of individuals and families through the joy of launching these vessels into the world. Tides Rise Us All is a celebration of the work completed by Compass students in the past year as we set a new course.

Featuring the work of many hands, this exhibition invites you to respond to the question, “What Anchors You?” and will seed a series of events and engagements with our 2022-2023 Compass Project Youth.

What people are saying about Engine...

Partnering with UNE, Engine has offered professional level gallery and classroom experiences for undergraduate and local students enrolled in arts classes as well as a venue to see art by both regionally and nationally recognized artists.
Stephen Burt
University of New England
Engine is and has been a focal point of downtown Biddeford for many years for so many artists and creative spirits. It is a go-to for me: a retreat, a destination, a source for connection and ideas and community.
Laura Dunn
Artist
Engine is a wonderful place to work surrounded by wonderful people who have infused so much love and light into the downtown of Biddeford. I cannot imagine a bright future in the town without this wonderful organization.
Savanna Pettengill
Artist & Arts Teacher
Engine fuels the creativity of our city, making it the hub for youth and adults alike to feed their spirits, expand their skills, and create a better future for all of us.
Stephanie Edwards
Community Action Committee