Category: Blog

With Earth Day around the corner, I would like to highlight a nascent industry on the Maine coast that is not only a boon for Maine’s marine economy, but is also good for the Earth. Kelp farming has emerged as a solid way for those making a living from the sea to earn supplemental income during the winter kelp growing season.

At the Island Institute, we have seen firsthand the tremendous impact Island Fellows have when partnered with an island or coastal community. The Maine Fellows Service is an exciting opportunity to connect the next generation of Mainers who are eager to serve to the places they’re needed most.

In my 25+ years working in nonprofits and philanthropy, I have been a part of creating more than my fair share of annual reports. You might even say that I’m a bit of an annual report geek. I collect them, share them, and have been known to hang on to favorites for years. I may… Read more »

Part of our ongoing series of Archipelago artist profiles, this profile looks at Archipelago artist Alison Thibault of WindHorse Arts on Vinalhaven. The Island Institute’s Lisa Millette first traveled to the island in early March, before Governor Mills issued a statewide lockdown, to connect with Alison and talk about her process for creating her colorful glass… Read more »

My favorite work event of the year just happened. It was the Fishermen’s Climate Roundtables. Fishermen’s Climate Roundtables is an annual opportunity for fishermen and scientists to come together and share notes about the past fishing year, as well as the longer-term environmental changes they are noticing on the water. For me, a marine scientist,… Read more »

In more ways than one, it has been A YEAR. It has been a year since we cancelled the 2020 Artists & Makers Conference, and a year since life changed around us and within us. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, arts organizations, galleries, museums, theaters, artists, musicians, makers all understood the importance of the creative economy… Read more »

Energy can be expensive and unreliable for island communities everywhere. Through our work over the last decade and our collaborations with communities in Maine, New England, and across the globe, we’ve learned that by bringing the right ideas and partners to the table we can help address the very real needs and common challenges we… Read more »

Along with our friends at Luke’s Lobster, we wanted to celebrate International Women’s Day by highlighting a few of the courageous, talented, and smart women who are making huge contributions to our oceans and our planet every day.

As we know all too well, high-speed internet is extremely important to daily life—from remote work and education to assuring that government can continue to function. The State of Maine, through the ConnectMaine Authority, plays an important role in helping to close the digital divide.

During these unprecedented times, Island Institute Community Development Officer & Education Specialist Yvonne Thomas and other members of the Community Learning for ME (CL4ME) team are working to reimagine education in Maine.