SOUTH PORTLAND – The Island Institute held its eighth annual Island Energy Conference in South Portland on May 4th, bringing together energy experts and island leaders from Maine, New England, and around the world to discuss common energy challenges and share solutions.

PORTLAND, ME – Rockland-based Island Institute will join Lives in the Balance for "What Kids Need Now,” a free evening conversation with internationally recognized child psychologist Dr. Ross Greene, Ph.D. on Tuesday, April 10, 2018, from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., at Holiday Inn By The Bay in Portland. Greene is the New York Times bestselling author of the influential books "Raising Human Beings," "The Explosive Child," "Lost & Found," and "Lost at School."

CRANBERRY ISLES – After a multi-year process to bring broadband access to three of its islands, the Town of Cranberry Isles is now seeing the results of its recent $1.2 million investment in broadband infrastructure to connect the community with internet speeds that exceed 100/100 mpbs. In February, the first resident on the Downeast island of Little Cranberry was connected with broadband, and today, the island is 100 percent connected through its new fiber-wireless network – allowing any resident that signs up for the service to access internet speeds on par with major metropolitan cities.

ROCKLAND — For its fifth year, the annual Artists & Makers Conference will feature a new location and expanded offerings tailored to meet the needs of Maine’s artists and makers and offer practical tips and strategies to help start and grow arts-related businesses in Maine. This year’s event will take place on Friday, April 6, 2018, from 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Point Lookout in Northport. Hosted by Archipelago and the Island Institute, the conference is open to all artists and makers who live and produce work in Maine.

ROCKLAND, ME — Have you ever thought about gaining a new source of income through growing mussels, oysters, or seaweed? The Island Institute is now accepting applications for its 2018 Aquaculture Business Development program. In its third year, the program helps fishermen and those from fishing communities gain the tools they need to diversify and launch their small-scale aquaculture businesses.

ROCKLAND, ME – The Island Institute will host a special evening conversation on Saturday, December 9, from 5:30-7:00 p.m., with chef and author Barton Seaver, and Rob Snyder, PhD, president of the Island Institute, discussing Barton's new book, American Seafood: Heritage, Culture & Cookery from Sea to Shining Sea, and the heritage and future of American seafood. The event will take place at the Island Institute, 386 Main Street in Rockland, with a cocktail reception and book signing to follow in Archipelago, the Island Institute’s store.

ROCKLAND, ME – Rob Snyder, President of the Island Institute, joined Congresswoman Chellie Pingree on Thursday, November 2nd at 10:00 a.m., to testify before the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans on behalf of Pingree's bipartisan bill, HR 1176, the Keep America’s Waterfronts Working Act. The bill would establish a Working Waterfront Grant Program to provide matching, competitive grants to coastal states to help to preserve and expand access to coastal waters for commercial fishing, recreational guiding, aquaculture, boat building, and other water-dependent businesses.

ROCKLAND— Celebrate autumn colors and the changing seasons with a new selection of paintings and local works of art at Archipelago. The Island Institute’s store and gallery will host an opening reception for its fall gallery show on Friday, November 3rd, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., during Rockland’s First Friday Art Walk. The public is invited to stop into the gallery’s 386 Main Street location to enjoy light refreshments, see the new pieces, and meet some of the artists. The show, which highlights the work of printmaker Kathleen Buchanan, painters Claudia Diller and Helene Farrar, and fiber artist Anne Walker will be on display through the Winter.

MONHEGAN ISLAND, ME — On Monday, August 21st, state and federal representatives, island leaders, and community partners joined the Monhegan community at a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of a comprehensive upgrade to the island’s energy systems. The culmination of countless hours of hard work, the project enables the community-owned Monhegan Plantation Power District to power the island with cleaner burning diesel-fired microturbines and a solar array, improving reliability and safety of service on the island.

ROCKLAND, ME – Maine is known around the world for the iconic lobster boats that dot the coast and are the primary vehicle for the state’s renowned fishing industry. Now Portland, Maine-based photographer Mark Fleming has developed a new perspective on these boats by using a drone to capture them in an innovative yet classic fashion. The Island Institute is celebrating his extraordinary visual record of these working vessels by featuring his work on the front cover of the new edition of the "Island Journal," the Institute’s annual magazine.