Chris Cathers, KAHT Program Manager, Center for Economic Development, Entrepreneurship and Technology (CEDET) was guest speaker at the new Lincoln County Arts League, Inc. He informed attending artisans that the KAHT program which began in Eastern Kentucky has now expanded to 18 additional counties in our area which does include Lincoln County. Other counties to be included in this expanding project are: Adair, Bath, Bell, Breathitt, Boyd, Carter, Casey, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Edmondson, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Floyd, Garrard, Green, Greenup, Harlan, Hart, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Madison, Magoffin, Martin, Menifee, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Wayne, Whitley, and Wolfe counties.

Currently, Tammy Dean, artisan/doll maker and owner of Tammy Dean Crafts is the first to participate from Lincoln County in the Kentucky Artisan Heritage Trails program. She has been a participant since 2002 through the Berea Trail while retailing her hand made dolls at Chestnut Street Gallery, Berea and the Kentucky Appalachian Artisan Center, Hindman. Tammy now offers doll making demonstrations and workshops to the public at her home studio located at Hwy. 150 E., Stanford.

The KAHT program is funded by a grant through the Appalachian Regional Commission and Eastern Kentucky University. This is a cultural-heritage tourism project that informs the public of the many talented artisans in Kentucky by way of scenic driving trails for which the public can visit on site businesses to view first hand the works of the artisans. The scenic driving trails are designed to take tourists down the road to pure Kentucky, one mile at a time. The program also uses website information at www.KAHT.com to inform the public of evens, demonstrations, hours of operation, and directions to the various places of interest.

Artisans who participate with the KAHT program are required to display a KAHT sign at their location of business so that the traveling public will be able to recognize their accountability to the program. Brochures and kiosks which are located in rest areas and artisans centers in Kentucky are also means for the public to find participating artisans throughout the state.

The Lincoln County Arts League, Inc. in cooperation with the Kentucky Artisan Heritage Trails program is striving to preserve our heritage through networking with other counties to promote the artisans/artists in our region. The LCAL consists of 17 members with various mediums. Many of these members will be added to the Kentucky Artisan Heritage Trails program this year. The LCAL, Inc. meets on the second Wednesday of each month at the Historic L & N Depot, Stanford. You may view the works of the artists at their display on Main Street, Stanford.