Yes.

To complete the Lifetime Arts’ Creative Aging Foundations: The Essentials training, you must participate in the three 2-hour virtual trainings on October 6th, 13th and 20th from 3-5 pm. (Note: if you have already taken the Lifetime Arts training in Creative Aging, you do not need to retake it.)

To complete the MCOA Creative Aging Maine training, you need to either participate in the 1-day in person training on October 28th (9:30am-3:30pm, Waterville) or participate in the two 3-hour virtual trainings on November 10th and 17th from 3-6pm.

The trainings will be offered free of charge to selected applicants.

There are limited spots available in these trainings. Applications will be reviewed with county representation and diversity of arts discipline in mind. The training will prepare artists for cultivating age-positive spaces and classes, but applicants will need to have adequate experience in their art discipline to teach classes.

There will be a second round of trainings in Fall 2027. We hope those that aren’t able to participate this fall will be interested in joining next year!

Yes. There are more spaces available in the Maine Council on Aging trainings, so if an artist is not selected for one of the 25 free Lifetime Arts training seats they may sign up for a paid training offering on their own to receive the full Creative Aging Maine certification this year.

The training applications are open through September 1st. We will let applicants know about the acceptance decisions by September 8th.

Up to $2,300.

More information will be shared in September.

No. The grant funding will be awarded to certified Teaching Artists.

No. We hosted an optional information session on August 5, 2026, that aimed to provide information about the training process, clarify how to become certified as a Creative Aging Maine Teaching Artist, and answer questions about the program that attendees raised.

Please refer to the “Become a Host Site” page for more information on the role of the Community Host Site in this programming.

Community Host Sites are an integral part of the Creative Aging Maine program. They provide the space for the art classes, partner with the Teaching Artist to promote the class offering to older adults in their community, and they champion an age-positive community.