Hear Here 2020 back to celebrate and showcase Portland's performing artists

Creative Portland in collaboration with the City of Portland, co-promoted by The Crewe Foundation and David E. Shaw, are pleased to announce that Hear Here 2020 is back for a second year to celebrate and showcase Portland’s performing arts gems on the big stage at Merrill Auditorium on January 26, 2020 at 4pm.

Concert sponsors Coffee by Design, Praxis Motion Pictures, University of Southern Maine, Press Hotel, Bayside Bowl, WMPG, Maine Magazine, WBLM, News Center Maine, and Portland Phoenix allow for affordable prices of $25 for adults and $12 for students and children, showcasing artists with diverse cultural traditions and music genres under the same roof: a flamenco dancer, an indie pop singer, a roots band, a USM choral group, Rwandan drummers and more! Mostly performing original pieces, the variety of artists attract different audience groups. Last year, in the inaugural concert, Hear Here welcomed 700 guests.

Dinah Minot, Executive Director of Creative Portland, will serve as Artistic Director with an illustrious production team including Tony-Award Winning Lighting Designer Chris Akerlind, Production Manager Gregg Carville, Headlight AV, Transformit, and Big Room Studios, as well as a curatorial team of local music industry pros and media sponsors. Last year, Creative Portland assembled over four dozen community sponsors to offer in-kind services and marketing outreach to promote Portland’s exceptional performing arts talent. The City of Portland has once again offered the use of Merrill Auditorium, Portland’s “Carnegie Hall,” to showcase the city’s local talent and to present Portland as a destination for high-quality performing arts.

“We couldn’t pull this off without the help of our generous community. Everybody is supportive of the concept to highlight and promote our local performing artists in a large venue like Merrill Auditorium. Scouting talent throughout the year while attending local venues and concert halls is what makes me happy. Meeting artists from diverse backgrounds and sensibilities and getting to know the talented pool of local musicians and performing artists is an extraordinary experience because of the extraordinary talent we have right here in our city. Identifying emerging artists and sharing curatorial input from Portland’s music industry pros is inspiring and uplifting, as we witness Portland’s growing music scene. Several emerging composers and singer/songwriters are creating magic right here in Portland, before they go out to share their talents on the national stage. On an otherwise cold January afternoon, Hear Here offers an opportunity to celebrate community with our outstanding performing artists who make us proud and who fuel our creative economy,” explains Ms Minot of the showcase, which she hopes to build as a signature annual Portland event.

This year’s lineup includes: