This past summer, Engine hosted RUMPUS, a community driven gallery exhibit. Courtesy photo/Michael Lafortune
BIDDEFORD — A key promoter of the arts in Biddeford — the nonprofit Engine — will no longer have a physical space starting at the end of October. But that doesn’t mean it will be any less involved in supporting local artists, said Sarah Lafortune, the acting executive director of the organization.
Engine was launched in 2010 and it currently has a building on Main Street. It boasts a gallery space, as well as 18 studio spaces that artists can rent. Over the years it has also hosted art programs, such as Compass Project, which introduces Maine youth to boat building and rowing.
As the name suggests, the organization has been a key propeller behind the arts community in Biddeford. For an organization that has historically only had one to two full time staff, it’s reach is fairly wide. According to Engine’s 2021 annual report, more than 4,000 youth and adults engaged with their education and outreach programs that year.
Engine has known since 2022 that it would be leaving its location on Main Street. The current owner is selling the building, said Lafortune, and this news, coupled with the departure of the previous executive director, Jessica Muise, prompted some soul searching within the organization. Lafortune stepped in for Muise in January 2023.
“We knew that we’d have to look at hiring. We knew with moving we were going to have to look at programming and (consider how we would) continue to serve the community. It created this moment of pause for us to say: ‘let’s sort of slow everything down. Let’s really strategically plan thoroughly,'” Lafortune said. “(With) the two big transitions of losing our space and losing our ED, it felt like we needed to really think about who we are and who we serve,” she added.
When the organization first learned that they would need to vacate the building on Main Street, they began looking for a replacement space. Lafortune said that finding a replacement that fit their needs and budget was difficult, and the organization has begun to entertain the idea of existing without a physical building. She emphasized that Engine is still in wait and see mode, that they could still end up with a building, or maintain a space-less model, depending on how things go and the feedback they get from the community.
The organization intends to be involved in supporting the arts community in Biddeford regardless. The group will aim to continue arts programming and explore hosting a gallery space through a local business.
“If anyone is curious whether Engine is going anywhere, we are absolutely not,” said Lafortune.
To get ready for the move, Engine will have a yART sale — a yard sale that will sell art supplies, furniture and fixtures. The sale will take place on Friday, Oct. 13 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and on Saturday, Oct. 14 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. at its 163 Main St. location. Engine is also looking for volunteers to help with the event for Friday, Saturday, and the day before the sale, Thursday Oct. 13. Those interested in signing up for a volunteer shift can email director@feedtheengine.org.
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