Collins Center for the Arts Celebrates 40th Anniversary Season with California Dreamin’ Gala

October 15, 2025 Arts, School of Performing Arts

The Collins Center for the Arts (CCA) launched its 40th anniversary season on Oct. 11 with the California Dreamin’ Gala, an evening of music, celebration and recognition of individuals who have made a lasting impact on the arts at the University of Maine and in the surrounding community.

Guests enjoyed a California-themed reception in the Bodwell Lounge, complete with food stations and retro arcade games, followed by a performance in Hutchins Concert Hall of “Live from Laurel Canyon: James & Joni – Their Stories, Their Songs,” a tribute to the music of James Taylor and Joni Mitchell.

As part of the celebration, the Collins Center presented two annual honors.

  • The Wilma Award, named in memory of longtime arts patron Wilma Bradford and given to an individual or organization demonstrating extraordinary commitment to serving the community through the CCA, was awarded to professor George Jacobson and Karen Boucias.
    • Jacobson serves as chair of the Chamber Music Society Committee, leading the programming of the chamber music season in Minsky Recital Hall. 
    • Boucias, a UMaine alumna and former director of International Programs, has been a devoted member of the CCA Advisory Board and a passionate advocate for the arts. Together, they have strengthened the cultural life of the university and the community.
  • The Director’s Award, which recognizes outstanding support and service to the CCA from within the UMaine community, was presented to the Collins Opera Outreach Committee. This group of opera enthusiasts has spent nearly two decades enhancing the Met Opera Live in HD experience by sharing their knowledge, building appreciation for opera and fostering community engagement.

Interim director Karen Cole welcomed guests and reflected on the CCA’s four decades of presenting world-class performances.

“For 40 years, the Collins Center has been a cultural hub for the University of Maine and for the state, connecting people through the power of the arts,” she said.

President Joan Ferrini-Mundy, whose remarks were delivered by George Kinghorn, senior executive director for cultural engagement, congratulated the CCA on its anniversary season and thanked the award recipients for their contributions. 

“The Collins Center is an important cultural resource for the university and the people of Maine,” Ferrini-Mundy said. “Hats off to the CCA for this wonderful gala and performance, and here’s to many future years of success.”

The Collins Center also acknowledged the generous support of its sponsors:

  • Bangor Savings Bank (season sponsor).
  • University of Maine Foundation (lead sponsor).
  • University Credit Union (lead show sponsor).
  • Sutherland Weston (corporate sponsor).
  • CCA Advisory Board (reception sponsor).

With a full season ahead, the CCA continues its mission as the university’s home for the performing arts, presenting exceptional programs that enrich, educate and entertain.