Developing a Dream at the Edge of the Woods

A Conversation with Chantal Harris, Director of Monson Arts and Stuart Kestenbaum from the Libra Foundation

Chantal Harris, Director of Monson Arts, and Stuart Kestenbaum, Senior Advisor at Monson Arts and the former Director of Haystack and previous Maine Poet Laureate, sit down with MEREDA President Shannon Richards for the second episode in Season 2 of MEREDA Matters – the podcast that puts you in the room with the people who are driving responsible development in Maine.

Harris and Kestenbaum, two prominent members of the nonprofit arts community in Maine, discuss the history of Monson, a community at the end of the Appalachian Trail near the Canadian border and the disruptive philanthropy that helped transform and revitalize the town. Their organization, Monson Arts, is an artist residency and workshop program that was founded as a way to spur economic development in the area. Kestenbaum shares how he got involved with the project after learning about the Libra Foundation buying land and buildings around Monson in a newspaper article.

Harris goes on to describe the transformation of downtown Monson and their community and studio spaces that overlook Lake Hebron. The group then discusses the impact Monson Arts has had in the community with such contributions as a new medical clinic, a James Beard Award-Winning restaurant, as well as a dramatic increase in the value of single-family homes. Harris and Kestenbaum also share their plans and vision for the future, with hopes of engaging new partners to see the opportunities available in the area.

What are Harris and Kestenbaum most proud of? Listen to the episode to find out!