In 1989, the Cape Breton School of Crafts, Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation and the province of Nova Scotia, presented the first "QUILTS OF THE ISLAND" travelling exhibit. The exhibition continued for seven consecutive summers.
During the seven years the exhibit travelled, it showcased 253 locally made quilts, and was hosted by 39 Cape Breton communities. The exhibit served as an outreach into small communities, encouraging the display of work by local quilters and promoting interest in a traditional art form.
In 1998, the former "Cape Breton School of Crafts", now known as the "Nova Scotia Centre for Craft and Design", sponsored a summer exhibit of Cape Breton quilts called "Quilting- A Cape Breton Tradition Lives On". The exhibition was located at the Mary E. Black Gallery in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The exhibit displayed 37 quilted items, including quilts, wallhangings,and quilted clothing, made by 19 Cape Breton quilters and fiber artists.
