Major Gift Creates a New Arts “Hub” For Waterville
To help advance downtown Waterville’s identity as a cultural destination, Colby College has received a $1-million commitment from Mark W. Hubbert ’79 to name “The Hub,” a dynamic new space at the planned Paul J. Schupf Art Center on Main Street. Serving as a place for the community to come together and connect, The Hub will be a central feature of the center.
The Hub will welcome visitors from multiple generations into a unique, art-filled space. Inside the two-story illuminated pavilion, the life of the center will be on full display through a beautifully designed exterior glass wall. The name, The Hub, is symbolic of the convergence and connection of the many groups that will use the new downtown arts center—the partner organizations of Waterville Creates!, the Colby and Waterville communities, and visitors to Waterville.
“The arts have the power to strengthen and enrich communities while boosting the region’s civic engagement, economic prosperity, and quality of life,” said President David A. Greene. “This generous gift from Mark will play an important role in realizing that vision, and we are very grateful to him for helping support Colby’s commitment to Waterville’s long-term growth and success.”
President Greene noted that the gift to establish The Hub is another example of the strong momentum of Dare Northward, the largest campaign in liberal arts history, launched in October 2017. The successful initiative is already having an extraordinary impact on Colby students, faculty, and staff as well as the local community and will help ensure that Colby is a leader in higher education for generations to come.
“I’ve been very excited by Colby’s and David Greene’s initiative to better connect and interact with Waterville, and in doing so bring new economic life and energy to the city,” commented Mark Hubbert, who currently serves as chief risk officer for Wells Fargo Advisors. “These efforts benefit both the College and the city, and I’m pleased to help move this important work forward. A key part of this involves expanding and connecting the arts in Waterville, and I’m confident The Hub will help achieve that.”
Connecting Waterville’s Arts Community
“Waterville Creates! serves thousands of patrons of all ages and backgrounds every month with outstanding arts programming,” said Shannon Haines, Waterville Creates! president and CEO. “This new facility will bring all of these programs and diverse audiences together in one welcoming space, creating a truly vibrant center for our community that has never before existed in Waterville. It’s so exciting, and I hope that this generous gift will inspire others to support this transformative project at whatever level is meaningful to them.”
Some of the arts organizations that The Hub will connect include the Maine Film Center and Railroad Square Cinema, which is relocating to the new facility; an expanded Common Street Arts gallery and educational spaces; the historic Waterville Opera House; and a downtown extension of the Colby Museum of Art.
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