WRITTEN BY EMILY BURNHAM
Since launching in the summer of 2018, Monson Arts in the Piscataquis County town of the same name has been a transformational cultural force for the entire Moosehead region — most obviously in Monson itself, of course.
After all, between 2016 and 2028, the Libra Foundation, the Portland-based charitable organization that operates Monson Arts, purchased more than 30 buildings in Monson’s downtown, which had been struggling for years after major employers like Monson Furniture closed. In the ensuing years, those buildings have been renovated and are now filled with businesses, offices, studio and gallery space, and housing for the hundreds of artists who have come to the scenic town for Monson Arts’ year-round residency programs.
Monson in 2026 looks a lot different than it did just 10 years ago. Monson Arts Executive Director Chantal Harris attributes this not just to the organization’s intentional influx of creativity and new businesses in town, but to its work to collaborate with and strengthen communities throughout the region. Combine that with the regular flow of thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail on their final leg toward Katahdin, and today Monson seems to be thriving.
“The fact that now community members and hikers and these artists from all over the world are all getting their breakfast from the Monson General Store together is just a great illustration of how that’s worked,” said Harris, referring to the grocery and deli that the organization runs, which has quickly become a fixture of the community.
Photo courtesy of Monson Arts.
In addition to the artists who come for Monson Arts’ month-long residencies, the organization has an array of programming occurring year-round in Monson and other Piscataquis County communities. Each summer, it hosts a series of weeklong workshops for community members on a variety of skills. This summer’s offerings include audio and sound design, memoir writing inspired by Henry David Thoreau’s time in Maine, and a weeklong poetry conference led by Maine Poet Laureate Dawn Potter.
The Monson Arts Gallery in downtown Monson each year highlights Maine-based artists. This summer’s exhibit features artist and author Michael Rothschild, who uses Monson slate in his work. That exhibit is on display through Oct. 12. Next door to the gallery is the Monson Art Store, which sells an array of books, jewelry, gift items, and art at multiple price points.
“The gallery is open to the public and free, and we really encourage folks to take their time looking at the art and moving at their own speed,” Harris said. “And the art store next door has had the surprising effect of being not just a popular bookstore in the area, but also a really accessible way to buy art — we have price points in there from $5 to $5,000, so anybody has a way in.”
The Quarry, the fine-dining restaurant in downtown Monson that feeds visiting artists, has also become one of the most sought-after dining destinations in Maine. Chef-owner Lulu Ranta won a 2023 James Beard Award for Outstanding Hospitality for her warm atmosphere and inventive cuisine. It remains a popular spot for locals and visitors alike.
For younger residents in the area, Monson Arts offers a weeklong art camp and a two-week theater camp that moves between multiple towns throughout Piscataquis County.
Harris said one of her favorite parts of Monson Arts’ role in the region is that it has served as a de facto community center for many different groups and organizations.
“People really crave that kind of connection and places to make them, so when we host things like knitting groups or local advocacy organizations or salon nights for local artists, it gets folks not just out of the house but connecting,” Harris said. “We did a countywide art night not too long ago, and it brought all kinds of folks out, some of whom hadn’t seen each other in 20 years, despite living so close to each other. That’s really special.”
Those connections are mutually beneficial for the artists who come to town for residencies.
“I think for artists coming from cities, it can be a little surprising to come from that kind of anonymity in a busy city to now being in a very close-knit small town where everyone sees everyone,” Harris said. “But that’s how we build community. We’ve had artists who want to come back because that connection is so strong.”