Click here to see the rest of Marek Bennett's comic and to learn how you can help advocate for the arts in our state.

AANNH is a regional resource, presenting partner programs in schools & communities; producing print and on-line cultural guides; and providing assistance and opportunities to artists, schools, organizations, and arts supporters throughout our region. To learn more about the Arts Alliance, click here.

Here at our website you can:

Find information about upcoming cultural events throughout the region or download our most recent ArtsNorth e-bulletin.

Read about the artists and performers who can bring our programs to your school or community

Browse our listing of Arts Alliance member organizations, businesses and artists

Connect to the arts through our many volunteer opportunities

Learn about the heritage sites you can visit in Northern New Hampshire

Sign up to receive email bulletins on specific topics (and check our e-bulletin deadlines for submitting event listings)

Become a member and support the efforts of the Arts Alliance. Now you can join or renew online

Caravanserai Continues as Filmmaker Ayesha Khan
Presents "Made in Pakistan" February 9-11

We invite everyone interested in filmmaking or world politics - or both! - to join us for one of three public screenings being presented as part of the second in our series of "Caravanserai: a place where cultures meet" residencies. Come meet and talk with filmmaker Ayesha Khan as she discusses her insightful and surprising documentary film "Made in Pakistan," which conveys the daily experience of four young urbanites living in a place labeled as "The Most Dangerous Country in the World." Screenings will be held in Plymouth at Plymouth State University Thursday, February 9; in Bethlehem at The White Mountain School Friday, February 10; and in Concord at Red River Theatres Saturday, February 11. Ayesha will also join us - and the New Hampshire Society of Female Film Artists - at an informal tea on Saturday. Click here for details. Caravanaserai, funded in part by the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art and managed by Arts Midwest, introduces American audiences to some of the most exciting and dynamic artists from the Muslim world. The Arts Alliance is proud to be one of five arts organizations nationwide chosen to participate in the project's pilot year.

Listen to an interview with Ayesha on NH Public Radio's Word of Mouth, Thursday, February 9th at 12:30pm. Read NHPR article here.

Friends of Lincoln Library Present Free Concert Tuesday, February 7
"Pressure's On" Plays Bluegrass & More

Ready to tap your toes and stomp your feet? Come prepared for a rousing evening of bluegrass - with some New England and Irish sounds mixed in - as "Pressure's On" performs at the Annual Meeting of the Friends of Lincoln Library on Tuesday, February 7, at 7 p.m. The program at Father Roger Bilodeau Community Center, Pollard Road, Lincoln, is free and open to all. Pressure's On is a Seacoast-based four-piece string band with Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki on fiddle, mandolin and guitar; David Moore on upright bass and accordion; Gemini Meeh on banjo and guitar; and Dave Talmage on just about everything. Their music is up-beat and lively, punctuated with the occasional waltz or slow tune. The evening will begin with a brief business meeting, and refreshments will be served. The concert is presented in cooperation with the Arts Alliance's Classroom & Community Concerts program. For additional information about the evening, call 745-8159. Download the concert poster here.



Arts in Early Learning Workshop in Derry March 17:
Songs, Singing Games & Simple Instruments

Due to the overwhelming response to our January workshop, we are pleased to repeat this workshop -- a morning of songs and musical activities for preschool and early elementary teachers,child care providers, parents, community program leaders and children's librarians -- in Derry on Saturday, March 17. Offered in partnership with VSA NH through our collaborative Arts in Early Learning program, "Songs, Singing Games & Simple Instruments" explores the rich repertoire of early childhood music, rhymes, counting out chants, finger plays and circle and playground games, and the way that this traditional material promotes language and learning for young children. Presenters Deborah Stuart and Will Cabell will examine and share a wide array of music and movement possibilities and introduce ways to make and use all kinds of simple rhythm instruments Participants will learn by doing and will take back to their children lots of new ideas for using rhythm and music for community-building and social development as well as for self-expression and language learning. Professional development credits are available. The workshop takes place from 9:30am to 12:30pm (registration at 9:15) at the Marion Gerrish Community Center, 39 West Broadway, Derry NH. Cost is $20, $10 for students. Scholarships are available. Register online or download a registration form here. Download printable flyer to help spread the word.

Registration Open for March 31 Write Now! Conference on the Teaching of Writing:
Inside the Writer's-Reader's Notebook with Linda Rief

Join us for our annual North Country conference on the teaching of writing which this year focuses on the Writer's-Reader's Notebook, a crucial and versatile tool that gives students at all grade levels a place to collect their thinking and develop their writing voices. Linda Rief, teacher, international presenter and author or co-editor of six books on writing, will guide participants as they learn how to keep reading and writing central in their classrooms. The conference, presented in partnership with SAU 9, takes place from 8:45 to 1:30 pm at Kennett High School, North Conway, and includes brunch and a chance to purchase Heinemann books at a 30% discount. For additional information and to register, click here. To read the October 30 New York Times article on Linda and Oyster River Middle School's response to high-stake testing, click here.

Poetry Out Loud: The Arts Alliance is pleased to continue
as a partner organization in NH's Poetry Out Loud program

The goal of the national Poetry Out Loud competition and its accompanying curriculum is to encourage the nation's youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and performance. The program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about their literary heritage. This year four schools in our region -- Holderness School, Lin-Wood Public School, Plymouth Regional High School and Woodsville High School -- are among the 37 participating NH schools. Click here to learn more about the program and see a schedule of competition dates


On Stage in the White Mountains Promotes Performing Arts Organizations
Check Out Our On Stage Google Map

Summer in northern New Hampshire is all about lakes, mountains, swimming, hiking - and spectacular music, theater, poetry, festivals and more! Check out this online map for listings of 25 Arts Alliance member organizations involved as producers or presenters of the performing arts. (To help you get to them, use our Google map; click here to see the On Stage map and find out more about these terrific organizations.).


We've Gone "Social"!
Become an Arts Alliance Fan on Facebook

The Arts Alliance is now on Facebook. Find us at Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire. Check out our postings and join us as a fan. We'll be keeping you up to date on events happening around the region, and invite you to let us know what you're thinking about.


AANNH School and Community Programs
Download Our Brochure

If you work at a North Country school, or for an after-school program, child-care center or pre-school, senior center or nursing home, or any other organization or agency that might be interested in presenting arts or cultural programs, we're happy to work with you to develop customized programming, or to offer you a chance to be part of a block-booking program with other presenters. AANNH programs for schools and communities bring outstanding professional performers and traditional, visual and literary artists to towns throughout our region. They can present school residencies, assemblies, classroom programs, community workshops, public concerts, and professional development sessions. Programs range from World Music to Franco-American fiddling to authors' visits to hands-on art making of all kinds. AANNH will work with your school and/or community organization to customize programs and address yourparticular audience, goals and themes through cultural experiences. Download our brochure on Programs for Schools and Communities here. You can also view AANNH's listing of artists who are interested in coming to schools and communities throughout Northern New Hampshire. Click here. More...

Northern New Hampshire History and Heritage: A Map & Guide

The Arts Alliance, in collaboration with partner organizations throughout our region, has produced a brochure that serves as a map and guide to historic sites throughout the North Country, from Plymouth to Pittsburg. It includes a brief history of our region, great vintage photographs, and a comprehensive listing of historical societies, museums, and heritage sites.
We are in the process of adding a new "History & Heritage" section to this site, with additional information and links to related websites. We invite you to visit it – and comment on it – now, by clicking here. Free copies of the History and Heritage Map & Guide are available. More...



HandMade in the Northern Forest:

A guide to fine art and craft traditions in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York showcases our region through 13 driving tours that traverse the beautiful landscape and inviting towns of northern New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont and New York's Adirondacks and Tug Hill region. The Arts Alliance is a proud partner in this regional endeavor.
HandMade in the Northern Forest's 365 listings – among them Arts Alliance members like the ARTS Gallery, Chapel Arts New England, Contreras Gallery of Fine Arts, League of NH Craftsmen (Littleton), and Old Mill Studio – showcase a wide variety of craftspeople, from basket weavers and potters to painters and stained glass artists, furniture makers, woodworkers, blacksmiths, sculptors and others inspired by the landscape. It features studios where visitors can watch artists in action, as well as galleries, restaurants, inns and special attractions such as museums, historical sites and working farms. Each chapter includes colorful maps, local lore and detailed contact information for each listing. More...

ArtsNorth Cultural Event Bulletin

The North Country – from Plymouth to Pittsburg – is brimming with a wealth of arts, culture and heritage offerings and events not only during the summer, but throughout the year. In an effort to increase awareness of the programs, places, and performances that highlight our cultural lives, the Arts Alliance has designed an ArtsNorth calendar bulletin for you, your friends and your guests. To see our most recent Events E–Bulletin – and to sign up to receive new ones, click here.

ArtsNorth Calendar

Check the ArtsNorth Calendar for upcoming arts and humanities events all around our region. You'll be amazed at the variety and quality of programs. And let us know about what's happening in your school and community so that we can help spread the word.

AANNH Events & Programs

Go to our AANNH Events & Programs page to learn about and find registration forms for current Alliance offerings and ongoing programs and partnerships. We'd also like to hear what cultural programs you'd like to see in your community, and to help you make them happen.

Email us if you'ld like to receive our Fall/Winter Roster of Programs for Schools & Communities. It will be available by email and in hard copy at the end of September.

Visit Our Online Arts Gallery!

Check out the AANNH Online Arts Gallery, providing a web presence and links for North Country artists, arts businesses, galleries, and cultural organizations of all kinds.
The gallery has been made possible through the generous support of the Northern NH Foundation and the NH State Council on the Arts and the invaluable partnership of TechLink NH.

Click here to enter and view our Gallery. Be sure to click on the artwork for a better view- And visit often as the gallery grows, to learn about our region's talented artists, dedicated organizations, and exciting arts businesses.

Join us in our online Gallery: If you are an artist in music, theater, literary arts, visual and media arts, interdisciplinary arts, or crafts--this is a great, low-cost way to show and share your work to potential presenters, purchasers, patrons, or publishers. If you run an arts business or organization, here's a chance to reach artists and arts lovers in our region and beyond, and to show your support for, and involvement in, northern New Hampshire's cultural future.
To download a gallery information sheet in MS Word format, click here. Download the individual artist gallery registration form here and the organizations & businesses gallery registration form here.

North Country Cultural Plan

The Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire and its partners have been working to develop a regional cultural plan for the North Country, with the goal of offering strategic and realistic recommendations for action that can be taken at the regional, sub-regional, local and agency levels to enrich cultural life, improve access to programming, and increase educational and participatory opportunities in the arts and culture throughout northern New Hampshire.

The process is supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the NH State Council on the Arts and by generous donations from Public Service of NH and the Citizens Bank Foundation

Download the plan.PDF. Your suggestions, and ideas are most welcome – please call us at 323-7302 or email info@aannh.org-- with questions and comments.