The High Peaks Creative Council is collaborating with the Greater Franklin Cultural Coalition to extend the Maine Barn Quilt Trail into southern Franklin County. The council has secured funding to add 20 new barn quilts to southern Franklin County and seeks applications for new barn quilt locations.

The group is looking for locations for the quilt block murals along major roads and streets. Properties that are historic farmsteads, working farms, or cultural organizations are given priority.

Those who have a barn or building on which they would like a quilt block mural can contact Saskia Reinholt, director and founder of the council, at 207- 313-48478 or email reinholtgallery@gmail.com.

There is no financial obligation to participate, but donations are appreciated. Project costs are covered through grants from the Maine Community Foundation, the Onion Foundation, and the Betterment Funds.

All locations will be listed on a map guide for the Maine Barn Quilt Trail. There are 45 barn quilts across north Franklin County and Somerset County.

“The vision is to link American traditions of quilting and agriculture; to celebrate two parts of rural culture together. Having the community participate in the creation of the barn quilt trail increases quality of life for the community and will support economic development in a way that has not been tried here before,” Saskia Reinholt said in a news release.

The original motivation for this project was to find a way to support the mission of the council, which is to connect regional arts and cultural organizations around creative placemaking projects that benefit quality of life and support resiliency in the local economy. The project is designed to have professional teaching artists host free workshops where interested community members create the artwork and learn the skills to create their own.

The council plans to install the artwork the spring of 2022. A new brochure will be designed and printed of the barn quilt trail helping to drive cultural tourism.

To find current locations on an online interactive version of the map guide, visit highpeaksmaine.org.