Lights Out Organization Grows from Pandemic Interviews to Maine Arts Nonprofit

Lights Out, a Maine nonprofit arts organization, was founded in 2019 by Daniel Sipe and Karlë Woods along with Reed McLean. The initiative began during the pandemic lockdown as a weekly artist interview series and has since expanded to produce 95 documentary videos and 18 pop-up exhibitions across Maine. The organization operates with a diverse funding model including grants, donations, and art sales, and emphasizes collaborative relationships with existing galleries and institutions. Lights Out's name originates from a 2019 power outage during their first exhibition, which they resolved with generators and contractor lights. The founders were recognized with the Maine Biz 40 Under 40 award for their community-focused work.