🔒Hill Arts theater project still $7M short of fundraising goal

The Hill Arts center at the top of Portland’s Munjoy Hill has raised $11 million towards the $18 million budget to build a 400-seat performance hall adjacent to its current space. But, with an additional $7 million still needed and city approvals for the project set to expire at year's end, the nonprofit’s leader is feeling the clock ticking. “We are so shovel-ready,” Executive Director Deidre Nice told Mainebiz. “We have all of our approvals, the construction team lined up, we just need to raise the rest of the funds.” Construction fences are already up. Zachau Construction, of Freeport, will lead construction. Two Portland firms are also part of the team: Archetype Architects is handling design, while NewHeight Group is the project manager. The new 21,637-square-foot hall is to be adjacent to the nonprofit’s existing Parish Hall Theater, at 76 Congress St., which has hosted shows for the past 25 years. Fundraising for the project started in 2021 with a $5 million anonymous donation. Since then the organization has raised another $6 million in pledges, and is working with fundraising consultant Alicia Nichols to garner the additional funds. “We’ve talked to anybody and everybody. We’ve talked to a very long list of folks who could fund something like this, and some have donated. We’re trying to reach out now to folks who might not know about us," Nice said.

Conversations with banks have not been productive, nor have appeals to U.S. Sens Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Angus King, I-Maine, for congressionally directed spending. “Those efforts have not been successful despite meeting all the criteria,” Nice said. “Furthermore, the Republican-controlled House restricted Community Project Funding to exclude all arts and other nonprofit projects, eliminating that potential. This is especially unfortunate given that U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, has been a strong supporter of the arts, our organization and this project.” The organization has spent $2 million to date on site work and planning. "Now we find ourselves smack in the middle, unable to go back and yet, unable to move forward despite doing everything in our power to reach the finish line," Nice said. The organization is now sending out “a Hail Mary” to reach the $18 million project budget, before approvals expire and construction costs rise any further. “We are hoping for a late summer or fall start, opening in the fall of 2027, “Nice said. “It is our understanding that Merrill Auditorium will be closing for some extensive renovations in 2027 for at least six months. Opening our venue at that time would be enormously helpful to many performing arts groups.” The new space is projected to offer opportunities for an arts incubator, along with enhanced programming and support to the neighboring East End school. "The center will provide an dynamic and necessary addition to Portland's creative infrastructure," Nice said. “But we need the additional funding now,” she added. “Someone has a real opportunity to be an angel to this project.”