Portland Ovations Offstage Launches Offstage Ambassador Program for Students

Portland Ovations Offstage is launching an Ambassador Program to enroll Maine high school students to spread the word about the magic of the performing arts and to provide them with an in depth semester-long opportunity to explore what a professional commitment to the performing arts truly entails. By selecting a core group of students, Ovations Offstage hopes to establish and nurture a vital link to their peers regarding the arts, both locally and nationally.

Offstage Ambassadors will attend performances and various outreach events presented by Portland Ovations to expand their interest in the arts. They will be asked to post reviews on social media sites or on the organization's website PortlandOvations.org. Ambassadors will receive community service hours for their participation in the program, which will run from December through June each season.

"Ovations Offstage is committed to expanding the arts and cultural engagement opportunities for high school students in our community," Catherine Anderson Director of Ovations Offstage, said in a statement announcing the program. "With the launch of the Offstage Ambassador program, we hope to engage students in the arts in a new, exciting way and encourage their active participation allowing them to gain new perspectives on the performing arts and share valuable insights with their peers."

In order for students to be considered for a spot as an Ovations Offstage Ambassador, they:

• Must be a high school student in Maine as of September 2017
• Must be able to attend monthly activities and events from December 2017 -May 2018
• Must have access to a computer and have at least one social media account (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).
• Must have parental permission, and an educator's recommendation.

Applications are due by November 1, 2017. To apply, students:?

• Must complete the Ovations Offstage Ambassador program application available at www.portlandovations.org/ambassadorprogram
• Must submit two recommendations from people associated with an educational program who is not a parent or legal guardian of the applicant (teacher, school counselor, principal, etc.).?
• Must submit a copy of their 16-17 school year report card??

Submissions can be made via one of the following methods:?

By mail:
Ovations Offstage Ambassador Program?
50 Monument Square, 2nd Floor
Portland, ME 04101

By email: offstage@portlandovations.org ???

Applicants will be notified of acceptance by November 15, 2017 and will be expected to attend the inaugural meeting in early December. For additional information or questions, email offstage@portlandovations.org or call 207.773.3150 ext. 3

For more information please visit the Offstage Ambassador web page at https://portlandovations.org/offstage/ambassadorprogram

Each year since 1931, Portland Ovations brings a dynamic season of exceptional performing artists from around the world to Maine including classical music, jazz, dance, theater, and Broadway national tours. In addition to live performances, Ovations brings the exhilaration of the performing arts out into our community with season-long educational and outreach activities known as Ovations Offstage. A Maine-based non-profit, Portland Ovations contributes to the cultural, social and economic well-being of our 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.