Last month the Abbe Museum, located in Bar Harbor, Maine, made the decision to cancel their upcoming Abbe Museum Indian Market (AMIM), scheduled for May 15-17, 2020, due to COVID-19. AMIM, modeled after markets like the Heard and Santa Fe Indian Market, is the first multi-day event of its kind in New England that invites Native American artists from across North America to participate, with the goal of developing Bar Harbor as a destination for Northeastern Native Art.

While the current health crisis will prevent the public from attending in person, Digital AMIM will bring the event to homes throughout the world. Digital AMIM will be a one-day online event scheduled from 2-8 p.m. on Saturday, May 16, 2020. Eventgoers will have the chance to meet some of the 2020 AMIM artists, learn more about them, their process, and their body of work, allowing artists to connect directly with the community to educate and sell their wares.

In addition to spotlighting artists, Digital AMIM will include performances and educational programming. At the end of the evening, there will also be a film screening and panel discussion.

AMIM was created to shine a bright light on Wabanaki artists and deepen the economic impact of art making for tribal communities. Its cancellation, along with the cancellation of several other markets throughout the country, will have a significant impact on native artists who are dependent on these events for their livelihoods. However, with more and more people connecting with one another virtually, it became possible for the Abbe to consider bringing the market into a digital space.

The Abbe Museum is Maine's only Smithsonian Affiliate whose mission is to inspire new learning about the Wabanaki Nations. With two locations–in downtown Bar Harbor and inside Acadia National Park at Sieur de Monts Spring–the Abbe works closely with the Wabanaki people to share their stories, history, and culture with a broader audience. With a collection of over 70,000 archaeological, historic, and contemporary objects, the Museum's collections conservation program is recognized nationally as a model for museums. The Abbe also holds the largest and best-documented collection of Maine Native American basketry in any museum.

The museum will communicate more details about Digital AMIM on its website, including information about the schedule and participating artists.

###