The Brick Store Museum announced the selection of folklorist and musicologist Paul F. Wells as its 2025 Summer Artist in Residence.

According to a news release, “Wells is a nationally recognized scholar and musician with deep roots in American folk and popular music and brings a lifetime of expertise and passion to the museum’s expanding artist-in-residence program. Wells is the founding director emeritus of the Center for Popular Music at Middle Tennessee State University, one of the nation’s premier music archives and research centers.”

During his career, Wells has been published widely in both academic and popular circles; produced more than 20 sound recordings — three of which were Grammy-nominated; curated exhibits; and organized numerous concerts, radio programs, and conferences.

Now a resident of Kennebunk, Wells has remained active in the community since his retirement in 2010. He and his wife, Sally Sommers Smith, co-produce the Brick Store Museum’s successful Concerts in West K! series, bringing nationally and internationally known musicians to the region. He is also co-author of The Maine Musical Compendium, a collection of historic fiddle tunes from the era of Maine statehood, co-published by the museum.

As the 2025 Summer Artist in Residence, according to the news release, Wells will develop a new musical work tentatively titled, “The Village.” The original suite of short pieces will evoke the spirit and daily life of a New England village — modeled on Kennebunk — during the antebellum period. Combining both traditional and newly composed melodies, the project offers a fresh musical lens on regional history. A public performance featuring local musicians is envisioned as a culminating event.

The museum’s artist-in-residence program supports creative exploration across disciplines that connect art, history, and community. Additional artist residencies for fall and winter 2025 will be announced in the coming months. The Brick Store Museum is located at 117 Main St. in Kennebunk.

For more information, contact Mary Delehanty at mdelehanty@brickstoremuseum.org or visit www.brickstoremuseum.org.