Non-Profit Arts Presenter Portland Ovations Welcomes New Deputy Director Linda Nelson

Maine performing arts presenting organization Portland Ovations announces the addition of Linda Nelson in the role of Deputy Director.

Nelson has been an active member of Maine's artistic community for over two decades. In 1999 she co-founded Opera House Arts at the Stonington Opera House, which is not-so-coincidentally located in Stonington, Maine. Coincidentally however, she is originally from Stonington Connecticut, where she lived prior to attending Bowdoin College and falling in love with Maine. Nelson felt the state gave so much to her that she wanted to give back to it. And give back she has. After turning an abandoned opera house in Stonington into the flourishing, vital part of the community that it is today and serving the organization for seventeen years, she retired and spent almost four years as the Assistant Director of Maine Arts Comission. She is on the board of Maine Association of Non-Profits, and when she is not busy building Maine's artistic communities, she is a mentor at The Olympia Snowe Women's Leadership Institute. She is a proud civil servant of the state and dedicated to supporting it in many ways.

Linda has been a long time admirer of Portland Ovations, and while with Opera House Arts she co-commissioned work ny Bridgman | Packer Dance Theater with the organization. She is looking forward to joining the non-profit, which contributes to the cultural, social, and economic wellbeing of Maine's community by presenting an array of high-quality performing artists from around the world and creating diverse educational experiences that bring the enjoyment, energy and enrichment of the arts to all. She appreciates the work the organization does not just through arts production and presentation but through its commitment to engaging the community. Linda had this to say about making the switch from presenting art in the small, tight knit community of Stonington to the larger region of Greater Portland. "I'm excited to be coming to work in Portland's diverse communities. There's a kind of creative energy that thrives among different backgrounds and experiences, a kind of electricity that spurs innovation and that makes for an exciting context within which to work and, hopefully, to make a difference."

Ovations is honored to have her join their ranks as Deputy Director. Nelson brings innovation, commitment, growth and originality to their over 80-year-old organization that will help it continue to grow and serve even more of Maine's communities for many years to come. Ovations' Executive and Artistic Director Aimée Petrin stated, "We are thrilled to welcome Linda as Ovations' first Deputy Director. In addition to the wealth of expertise and experience she brings in arts and non-profit leadership, Linda is wholly dedicated to Ovations' mission and creating opportunities for our communities to experience the power of live performance. I cannot imagine a more perfect addition to the Ovations family during this exciting time."

Linda's work with Opera House Arts was known for going above and beyond its expected scale. Seeing as last year Portland Ovations put dancers on the side of the tallest building in Portland, one can only imagine what scale Mainers can expect from the organization now that she has joined their team.

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