Bernstein, Shur Launches Maine Arts Initiative

First Seminar in a Series to be Held April 3

PORTLAND, Maine - The Portland law firm of Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer & Nelson has launched the Maine Arts Initiative, a series of programs aimed at providing legal and technical expertise and education for arts organizations and artists. The first program will be held April 3.

"Our goal is to support the arts in Maine, not simply by financial support, but rather by providing the arts community with the key information it needs to flourish," said Bernstein, Shur attorney Jack Montgomery, who also is an artistic photographer. "We will be presenting a series of programs that will give arts organizations, administrators, board members and artists the tools to succeed."

The first program on April 3 will focus on issues confronting arts organizations, such as basic legal and tax issues as well as sources of public and private funding. Speakers will include: Chris Crossman, Director of the Farnsworth Museum and former Chair of the Maine Arts Commission; Mark Bessire, Director of the Institute of Contemporary Art at the Maine College of Art; Nelson Toner and Jim Houle of Bernstein, Shur, experts on tax and non-profit issues; and Sonni Fogel, Director of the Maine Philanthropy Center.

The April 3 event will take place at the Institute for Contemporary Art at the Maine College of Art in Portland. "We are very pleased that the Institute has made its space available for this program," Montgomery said. "It underscores the collaboration between the Maine arts community and our law firm in moving forward with the Arts Initiative."

To register, persons may call Diane Langton at Bernstein, Shur, 774-1200, ext. 7107, or Jack Montgomery at 774-1200, ext. 7249.

"This program is intended as a primer on issues that are essential for directors, board members and others with responsibility for arts organization," said Montgomery. "Our next program in the summer will be for artists. We will address legal and tax questions. But we also will present museum curators, gallery owners and others with involvement in the presentation of art. We know that these issues are of great interest to many artists. The instinct to create is often coupled with the drive to get artistic work out for the public to see. We want to help artists find those opportunities."

The Maine Arts Initiative will present programs in future years as well. "We intend that the Initiative will continue indefinitely. We want to support the arts by providing information and opportunities for collaboration and networking," said Montgomery.

Jack Montgomery is an attorney specializing in disputes relating to equipment failures in industrial facilities. A resident of Freeport, Montgomery joined Bernstein, Shur in 1990 and also works in the areas of dispute resolution in the energy industry. He earned his undergraduate degree at Middlebury College and in 1977 received his J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law. He is also a fine arts photographer whose works are part of the permanent collection of the Portland Museum of Art and have been exhibited extensively in Maine and elsewhere.

Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer & Nelson is one of northern New England's largest law firms more than 65 attorneys in offices in Portland and Augusta. The firm provides legal services in all major subject areas, including corporate and commercial law, litigation and trials, municipal and governmental affairs, and tax and estate planning. Bernstein, Shur also has an active practice in health law, environmental law, technology and commerce, employment law, legislative law, intellectual property, public utilities and other regulated industries. For more information about the firm, visit the Bernstein, Shur web site at http://www.mainelaw.com.

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