LISA DiFRANZA
Art. Education. Leadership.
LISA DiFRANZA - Educator
TEACHING
Artist in Residence, Children's Museum and Theatre, Portland, ME 2024
Guest Artist, Friends School of Portland 2024
Guest Artist/Instructor, New College of Florida 2023
Workshop Leader, Art Ovation Hotel arts progrm, staff and community workshops 2017 – 2020
Founder, Director, The Living News Project 2010 – 2017
Senior Lecturers, Columbia College Chicago, Chicago, IL 2012 – 2015
Lecturer, Columbia College Chicago, Chicago, IL 2007 – 2012
Adjunct Instructor, Meadville Lombard School, Chicago, IL 2014 – 2015
Selected Formative Early Career Work:
Visiting Artist, International Writing Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
Adjunct Instructor, Department of English, University of New England, Portland, ME
Adjunct Instructor, Bangor Theological Seminary, Portland, ME
Adjunct Instructor, Arts and Theology, Andover Newton Theological School, MA
LEADERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATION
Festival Coordinator, Maine Jewish Film Festival, Portland, ME 2024 - present
Cultural Curator, Art Ovation Hotel, Sarasota, FL 2017 – 2020
Assistant Principal for Arts Education, Manatee School for Arts, Palmetto FL 2015 – 2017
Founder/ Director, The Living News Theater Project, Chicago, IL 2010 – 2017
Assistant Director, First Year Seminar, Columbia College Chicago, Chicago IL 2014 – 2015
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Selected Formative Early Career Work:
Interim Director, The Children’s Theater of Maine, Portland, ME
Interim Director, The Center for Cultural Exchange, Portland, ME
Consultant/Symposium Producer, Maine College of Art, Portland ME
Literary and Education Director, Portland Stage Company, Portland, ME
Artistic and Executive Director, The Children’s Theater of Maine, Portland, ME
GRANTS AND AWARDS
Halo Arts Grant for Florida Visual Art 2021
Art Center Sarasota Award 2021
Faculty Development Grant, Columbia College Chicago, for book project 2015
3ARTS grant award for The Living News Project: Shelter/Chicago. 2014
Illinois Humanities Council Collaborative City Award for Shelter/Chicago 2014
The Columbia College Dean’s Award for Outstanding Creative Work 2014
City of Chicago Grant from Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events 2013
Society for Arts in Religious and Theological Studies Luce Fellowship 2012
Faculty Development Grant, Columbia College Chicago, essay project 2011
Faculty Development Grant, Columba College Chicago, theater collaboration 2010
Keynote Speaker, New Student Scholarship Gala 2010
Faculty Award, First Year Experience 2010
REPRESENTATIVE COLLEGE SERVICE
Columbia College Chicago
Leading member, Teaching Academy think tank for creative curriculum and teaching strategies
Faculty Senator representing the School of Arts and Sciences
Member, Faculty Senate Academic Affairs Committee
Member, Faculty Senate Task Force on Interdisciplinarity and Collaboration
Leading Participant, Undergraduate Research Mentorship Initiative
Collaborated with Student Affairs on the formation and teaching of Living Learning Communities
Participant, Critical Encounters, annual college-wide themed series of events and exhibitions
Member, Lecturer hiring committees
SELECTED PANELS AND PRESENTATIONS
Sarasota 10x10, selected to speak about the creative process at the Sarasota Art Museum
Manatee School for the Arts, Faculty Development Seminars
Farm Theater, New York: “Bullpen Session” presentation for theater writers and artists
Written Off?” Panelist, discussion about homelessness, sponsored by Illinois Humanities Council
Society for the Arts in Religious and Theological Studies annual meeting: paper on the creation of The Living News Project
Speaker, Maine Association of Nonprofits, Community Catalyst Award Gala
Emcee, First Annual Faculty & Staff Convocation, Columbia College Chicago
Keynote Speaker, New Student Scholarship Gala
Columbia College Chicago: “Evidence of Things Un/Seen” panel on Art, Science & Religion
Andover Newton, Summer Institute on Theology & the Arts: Presenter and Panelist
Society of Arts, Religion & Contemporary Culture, NY: panel, “Languages that Shape the Soul”
Society of Arts, Religion & Contemporary Culture, NY: panel, “The Moving Image”
Boston Theological Institute: “Art and Faith Forum”
Host, Portland Community Access TV program funded by National Endowment for Humanities
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EDUCATION
Andover Newton Theological School, Newton Centre, MA
M.A. in Arts and Theology, cum laude, focus on arts and community
Bates College, Lewiston, ME
B.A. in Theater, directing emphasis
Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts
Education
2015-2017
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2011-2014
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2007-2010
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