ArtsAVL Launches New Initiative to Strengthen Buncombe County’s Arts Districts

New collaborative advances the Asheville-Buncombe Arts Recovery Framework by strengthening district leadership, expanding marketing, and supporting the long-term vitality of Buncombe County’s creative communities.

ArtsAVL is launching the Arts District Leadership & Marketing Collaborative, a new initiative designed to strengthen four of Buncombe County’s arts districts: Downtown Asheville, the River Arts District, Downtown Black Mountain, and Downtown Weaverville.

The initiative brings together organizations leading efforts in each district to strengthen marketing, increase visitation, and build stronger connections across Buncombe County’s creative communities. It combines an initial investment of $80,000 in district-wide marketing with leadership development, technical assistance, and opportunities for collaboration.

Participating organizations include the Downtown Arts District, RADA Foundation, Black Mountain Center for the Arts, and Weaverville Business Association.

Advancing the Asheville-Buncombe Arts Recovery Framework

The initiative is one of the first efforts to implement recommendations from the Asheville-Buncombe Arts Recovery Framework, which outlines a long-term approach to strengthening the systems that support arts and culture following Tropical Storm Helene.

The Framework identifies arts districts as important cultural and economic assets and calls for stronger coordination, leadership development, marketing, and integration into broader community planning and economic development efforts.

While each district has its own identity, creative community, and organizational structure, they share opportunities to attract more visitors, support local creative businesses, and strengthen their long-term sustainability.

The importance of this work is also reflected in the recently released Western North Carolina Economic Recovery Plan, which recognizes arts and culture as part of the region’s long-term economic recovery and specifically references the Asheville-Buncombe Arts Recovery Framework. Together, these plans create opportunities to connect local initiatives with broader regional strategies to strengthen the creative economy.

“Our arts districts are vital to Buncombe County’s creative economy, and strengthening them is an important part of our long-term recovery,” said Katie Cornell, Executive Director of ArtsAVL. “Through the Arts Recovery Framework, we’re moving beyond individual projects and investments to build stronger systems of support. This initiative builds on the incredible work already happening in each district while creating new opportunities for collaboration, visibility, and growth.”

The Arts District Leadership & Marketing Collaborative focuses on two interconnected priorities: strengthening district leadership and collaboration, and expanding marketing efforts that bring residents and visitors into these creative communities.

Driving More Visitors and Patrons to Arts Districts

A central goal of the initiative is to bring more people into Buncombe County’s arts districts throughout the year, increasing foot traffic and patronage for the artists, galleries, studios, venues, and creative businesses that make these communities distinctive.

Each participating organization will receive $20,000 in first-year marketing funding to strengthen ongoing, district-wide promotion. Rather than supporting individual events, the funding is intended to help districts build on their existing activities and develop more consistent marketing efforts that attract residents and visitors throughout the year.

The initiative builds on ArtsAVL’s existing All Arts. All Ways. campaign, which was launched following Tropical Storm Helene in response to the arts community’s need for greater marketing support. Through curated event itineraries, the Arts Guide, pole banners, and other advertising initiatives, the campaign promotes Buncombe County’s creative experiences and encourages residents and visitors to explore and support local arts businesses. The district initiative expands on this work by connecting countywide promotion with more targeted, ongoing marketing within each district.

The City of Asheville has been an important supporter of All Arts. All Ways., including waiving fees for pole banners in Downtown Asheville and the River Arts District.
By connecting district-level marketing with this larger campaign, ArtsAVL aims to increase visibility, encourage exploration across communities, and generate more consistent patronage for local creative businesses.

“By bringing our arts community together through intentional efforts, we can create new connections, boost creativity, and build a more vibrant Black Mountain—one where local artists thrive, the creative economy grows, and the arts bring people together year-round,” said Evan Goetz, Executive Director of Black Mountain Center for the Arts.

Strengthening Leadership and Collaboration

Alongside marketing efforts, ArtsAVL will bring district leaders together to share experiences, identify common challenges, and explore opportunities for collaboration.

With support from Dogwood Health Trust, ArtsAVL is partnering with consulting firm Liminal to facilitate leadership development conversations with participating organizations. These discussions will help identify existing strengths, challenges, and opportunities to strengthen district leadership and coordination over time.

Rather than establishing a single organizational model for all four communities, the initiative will build on the organizations and relationships already in place while exploring opportunities for stronger collaboration, succession planning, and leadership development.

ArtsAVL will coordinate the collaborative, provide technical assistance, and help connect district-level efforts with broader countywide initiatives.

“Each arts district in Buncombe County has its own presence, vibe, and challenges,” said Kim Hundertmark, Executive Director of RADA Foundation. “An important lesson, drawn from both the historical philosophy of the WNC arts community and the community’s response to Helene, is that working together, sharing ideas, and developing strong connections and relationships throughout the arts community makes us stronger and more successful as a whole.”

Connecting Financial Recovery with Long-Term Revitalization

The Arts District Leadership & Marketing Collaborative is part of ArtsAVL’s broader approach to supporting Buncombe County’s creative economy following Tropical Storm Helene.

Through the Asheville Recovers Together Small Business Grant Program, ArtsAVL is administering more than $2.3 million in recovery funding for creative businesses within Asheville city limits on behalf of the City of Asheville, in partnership with Mountain BizWorks and Eagle Market Streets. ArtsAVL is also administering $1.2 million in nonprofit arts recovery grants, supported by Dogwood Health Trust and the North Carolina Community Foundation, to help arts organizations across Buncombe County and Western North Carolina recover from the impacts of Tropical Storm Helene.

While these grants provide direct financial assistance to businesses recovering from storm-related losses, financial support alone cannot ensure long-term recovery. Artists, galleries, studios, performance venues, and other creative businesses also need customers, audiences, and visitors to sustain their operations.

The arts district initiative and All Arts. All Ways. campaign complement these recovery investments by focusing on bringing people back into the communities where creative businesses operate, increasing patronage, and supporting more consistent economic activity.

“Recovery isn’t just about helping creative businesses get back on their feet. It’s about making sure they have the customers, audiences, and opportunities they need to succeed,” said Cornell. “Our work through Asheville Recovers Together provides critical financial assistance, while All Arts. All Ways. and this new arts district initiative focus on bringing people back through the doors. These efforts are interconnected, and together they help us move from recovery toward long-term economic vitality.”

Investing in Buncombe County’s Creative Future

Buncombe County’s arts districts are home to artists, galleries, studios, performance venues, cultural organizations, and locally owned businesses that contribute to the region’s identity, economy, and quality of life.

The Arts District Leadership & Marketing Collaborative is planned through June 2028, with first-year funding committed through June 2027. Additional funding for the second year will be considered based on participation, progress, results, and available resources.

By combining coordinated marketing, leadership development, and collaboration, ArtsAVL is working to strengthen these creative communities, increase patronage for local businesses, and support their long-term vitality.

ArtsAVL thanks Dogwood Health Trust for supporting the Arts District Leadership & Marketing Collaborative and the City of Asheville for its continued support of the All Arts. All Ways. campaign.

We look forward to continuing to work with our Arts Recovery Framework partners to build on this initiative and advance other recommendations that will strengthen Buncombe County’s creative communities and support the long-term recovery and vitality of our region’s arts sector.

RELATED NEWS