The annual Belfast Poetry Festival is coming up in late October and Maya Stein, the Belfast Poet Laureate, joins us to talk about being the town’s “public poet” and what’s ahead at this year’s festival.

"Opera begins with inquiry..." so observes poet and librettist Arisa White, one of two guests on State of the Art this week. Host Sarah Tuttle sits down with Arisa White and composer Jessica Jones to discuss the development of their opera-in-progress, Post Pardon, and the upcoming performance of songs from the opera at Maine Lit Fest on October 5th.

The Portland Symphony Orchestra’s 100th anniversary season kicks off with an opening weekend from Friday September 20. This week’s guest, Executive Director, Carolyn Nishon, tells us what’s in store.

Lee Krasner was a key artist in the development of American Abstract Art in the 1930s and 40s. An exhibition exploring this dynamic period for Krasner and many of her contemporaries is now running at the Ogunquit Museum of American Art. Devon Zimmerman, co-curator of the exhibition, is this week’s guest.

Puppets in Portland is a bi-annual festival presented by Mayo Street Arts, the de facto home of puppetry in Maine. Ian Bannon of Mayo Street Arts shares what’s ahead for the 2024 edition of the festival coming up September 13-22.

The Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ (FOKO) and 317 Main Community Music Center have been forging a new partnership this year. James Kennerley of FOKO and Chris Moore of 317 Main join us to chat about bringing together their two musical traditions, culminating in an event held last month, Fiddles and Pipes.

This week’s guests are filmmakers, Yuhi Amuli and Myriam Birara, whose films, Citizen Kwame and The Bride, have been featured in the Maine International Film Festival’s New Rwandan Cinema Series.

This week’s guests are Mike Perreault, Director of the Maine Film Center, and Trésor Senga, CEO and Founder of the Mashiriki African Film Festival in Rwanda. They discuss their collaboration and the development of the New Rwandan Cinema Series at the 27th Maine International Film Festival.

Host Joe Boucher sits down with Bradford Kenney - Executive Artistic Director of the Ogunquit Playhouse to discuss the history of the historic theater, the many luminaries who have tread the boards and the playhouse's ongoing mission to present new works bound for Broadway.

This week’s guest is Melissa Reardon, violist and Artistic Director of the Portland Chamber Music Festival, which kicks off on August 8.