Local Arts News

Local Arts News

We’re collecting recent stories from around the web about the local arts scene. Think we’re missing something? Share it with us at hello@artsavl.org.

Asheville Stages
Locally sourced theater and music reviews and more.

 

Asheville Made- celebrating local makers
Asheville Made
Celebration Local Makers
Artsville USA

ArtsvilleUSA celebrates and amplifies the rich tradition of handmade fine art and contemporary craft in Western North Carolina (WNC).
Women of Wall Street: Merchants, chefs and artists celebrate downtown’s little piece of Europe
For nearly two decades, Rebecca Hecht has watched the ebb and flow of business on Wall Street in downtown Asheville from her Shining Rock Goods storefront, the leather shop she has co-owned with her husband, Evar, since 2010.

 

 

Strangeville: When famous writers crossed paths in Asheville
F. Scott Fitzgerald visited Thomas Wolfe's mother, Zelda stayed at her boardinghouse, and the mountains attracted generations of literary legends

 

 

Ghostly new exhibit at Mark Bettis Gallery explores spiritual space
The latest show at the Mark Bettis Gallery in the River Arts District is called October’s Ghost. But it’s not really about hauntings or Halloween, says gallery owner and artist Mark Bettis. It is more about autumn.

 

 

Creativity on full display at 79th Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands
From handcrafted pottery and jewelry to woodcarvings and furniture, the 79th Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands is underway.

 

 

Biltmore Village mural puts past and future at odds
A proposed welcome mural would cover decades-old advertisements on a historic building. A decision has been delayed until November.

 

 

East Fork Pottery incentives head to Buncombe vote
Commissioners will consider up to $21,000 for the company’s $2.5 million Asheville expansion

 

 

Asheville performing arts center could open in 2035
City seeks financial partners for proposed 2,500-seat venue as concerns grow over parking and protecting The Block

 

 

Asheville weighs River Arts District’s future after Helene
City leaders are weighing how to rebuild the flood-damaged district while preparing for future flooding

 

 

BCTDA Greenlights $11.2 Million for Tourism-Related Community Projects
Second LIFT Fund Cycle Supports Cultural Facilities and New Visitor Welcome Experiences Across Buncombe County

 

 

Asheville Community Theater Celebrates 80 Years
As ACT opens its 80th season this month with the musical Little Shop of Horrors (running through Sunday, Oct. 11), the organization simultaneously celebrates its long history of growth, current status as a pillar of the regional arts community and ambitious plans for the future.

 

 

How Western North Carolina artists are telling Helene’s story
Books, documentaries, songs, photography and art are creating a lasting record of the 2024 disaster

 

 

Biltmore announces Titanic exhibit with 200+ artifacts, stories, more
In 2026, Biltmore Estate in Asheville will open the exhibition, “Titanic: The Human Story,” with personal artifacts, stories and ship recreations.

 

 

600+ artists and growing: RAD paints portrait of resiliency after Helene
Nearly two years since Tropical Storm Helene triggered catastrophic flooding in the River Arts District of Asheville, the creative community is on the rise. Hundreds of artists are once again hard at work in the RAD.

 

 

RAD Creative Campus: $15-20 million Asheville arts facility in development
A massive new arts facility could be coming soon to the River Arts District. The RAD Creative Campus, a 36,000 square foot, two-building center for working artists, cultural activation and community engagement, is now in the works, officials say.

 

 

Heritage Weekend returns to Asheville with live craft demos and storytellers
During Heritage Weekend in Asheville, there were live demonstrations of woodworking, weaving, blacksmithing, soap-making and so much more.

 

 

Through the lens: Photographer Isaiah Rice preserves a lost chapter of Black Asheville
In the photographs of Isaiah Rice, a time in Asheville’s past comes into focus - taken with a miniature camera during the 1950s and 1960s.

 

New horror-themed bookstore, tea shop and lounge coming to haunt South Slope
Haints and Hollers Apothecary, a local Asheville tea company, will soon open a horror-themed tea bar and bookstore in the South Slope district of downtown Asheville.

 

The story of George Masa, Appalachia's Ansel Adams
Photographer George Masa came to Asheville in 1915 and dedicated his life to documenting and preserving the Appalachian Trail and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

 

Free interactive art exhibition opens in Asheville
An Asheville-based interactive art studio opened a free exhibition Sunday featuring interactive artwork, immersive environments, experimental technology, sound

 

Weaverville to welcome new bookstore as Willbloom Books opens storefront this fall
Willbloom Books, a pop-up bookstore based in Weaverville, N.C., will open a brick-and-mortar shop later this fall. The bookstore will be located off Weaver Boulevard, less than half a mile from downtown Weaverville.

 

River Arts District studio to hold benefit auction for local artists, BeLoved Asheville
Trackside Studios, an art gallery and studios located in the River Arts District, will hold a benefit auction of artwork inspired by and salvaged from Tropical Storm Helene in commemoration of the two year anniversary of the storm.

 

Asheville Urban Trail draws visitors back downtown with 33 art-filled history stops
Downtown Asheville’s history is not confined to a museum building. It is woven into sidewalks, public art and bronze plaques along the Asheville Urban Trail.

 

BMCA kicks off theater season with dystopian drama 'Examination'
BMCA is launching its 2026–2027 theatre season with the premiere of "Examination," a gripping dystopian drama set to open on Friday, Sept. 11.

 

Asheville Symphony’s 2026-2027 season is here
Tickets for Asheville Symphony’s upcoming season are now on sale, featuring The Givens Communities Masterworks Series, vibrant artist collaborations, engaging experiences, and genre-bending performances.   

 

LEAF Global Arts to cease operations, citing financial strain
LEAF Global Arts has announced that it is ceasing operations on Aug. 21, 2026.

 

Asheville shows gratitude to Dolly Parton at landmark mural
Dolly Parton and her businesses gave more than $2 million to Helene relief efforts.

 

Several laid off as LEAF Global Arts fights to stay operational
Less than 15 full- and part-time employees at Asheville-based arts nonprofit LEAF Global Arts were laid off Friday, Aug. 21.
Asheville Middle School revives orchestra as after-school club
After public outcry, Asheville Middle School will offer orchestra as an after-school club.
Black Mountain Center for the Arts announces theater season
The Black Mountain Center for the Arts has announced its theater season.
Warren Haynes Takes His Songs to the Symphony
'Dreams & Songs: A Symphonic Journey' puts Haynes’ guitar, improvisation, and deep catalog in the hands of a 64-piece orchestra—and the results are surprisingly powerful.
New Asheville festival to celebrate historic neighborhoods through music, history and advocacy
The Legacy Neighborhoods Coalition Festival, which will be held at Memorial Stadium, is a new two-day festival celebrating the people and culture of five historic Asheville neighborhoods: Burton Street, East End/Valley Street, Emma, Shiloh and Southside.
Sierra Nevada debuts The Hazy Hideway, an arts, music, beer festival
A new music and arts event is coming to the Sierra Nevada brewery in the Asheville area, celebrating the community and National Hazy IPA Day.
Asheville street art exhibit coincides with completion of Pack Library mural
Buncombe County Special Collections has invited the community to explore an exhibit all about Asheville murals as a mural by artist Max Dowdle nears completion at Pack Memorial Library.
How an Asheville play brings Helene survivors’ stories to life
An Asheville playwright turned survivors’ Helene stories into characters Western North Carolina audiences may recognize as their own.
Asheville Art Museum exhibit parallels Appalachian weaving with modern abstract works
Complex patterns seem to undulate and move of their own accord, twisting over and under in a kaleidoscope of line and color.
3 musicians strike authentic chords in WNC’s hip-hop scene
Isa Whitaker has been making music most of his life. His family has old home videos, he says, of him rapping when he was just a kindergartner.
The Ingles Open Road: Take in a show in Asheville
Asheville's performing arts scene has something for every theater lover.
From fairways to fine art: Asheville gallery tees up PGA Tour partnership
Asheville’s arts scene and the PGA Tour may seem like an unlikely pairing, but one downtown gallery is finding a way to connect the two.
Woman at a lectern giving a presentation; banner behind reads 'WE ARE CONTINUOUS Learners' beside her.
Residents decry Asheville City Schools’ decision to eliminate orchestra program
Hayes Bailey, a rising seventh grader at Asheville Middle School (AMS) who has been part of her school’s orchestra program since sixth grade, stood behind the lectern for public comment during the Asheville City Board of Education’s Aug. 10 meeting.
Asheville City Schools cuts orchestra program after board deadlocks
Asheville City Schools will cut its middle school strings program after a board vote ended in a deadlock.
Asheville's new vinyl listening bar
Joyful Noise is now open in the River Arts District. The combination listening lounge, bar, and restaurant is open Wednesday-Saturday until Midnight for a new kind of night out.
🧶 Let’s get crafty with 100+ artists
The Annual Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands returns for the 79th year this month, bringing artists from across the Southeast to Asheville.
🎵 90 years of music in the mountains
Brevard Music Center is celebrating its 90th Anniversary this summer with 80+ concerts, from orchestra and chamber music to jazz and bluegrass.
PHOTOS: Thousands turn out for Sourwood Festival in Black Mountain
Check out scenes from the annual festival featuring local artisans, food, music, shopping and sourwood honey
'We’re going to conquer it': Asheville community turns Helene flood line into art
A local art studio is leading a community art project of healing.
Need alterations? New community sewing space, free boutique opens in Asheville
Today, the founder of The Prom Dress Exchange opened a new space for the Asheville community.
Asheville City Schools cancels orchestra program despite outcry
Asheville City Schools has ended its orchestra program, citing the size of the program.
Habitat for Humanity launches ReUse contest for creative upcycling
The 15th annual contest invites Asheville residents to show off innovative furniture, dwellings and art projects made of used building materials. Winners in all three categories, voted on by the public, will receive a $200 Habitat for Humanity ReStore gift card.
AVL Sounds Fest returns to Asheville, bringing hundreds of musicians
More than 240 bands are set to perform across Asheville as AVL Sounds Fest returns, bringing thousands of music fans to the city.
7 trending activities to try in Asheville right now
We turned Google's latest search trends into a local guide to finding your next hobby.
Asheville, WNC artists creating the heartbeat of the local music scene
Asheville and Western North Carolina musicians and venue operators are optimistic about the local music community, and AVL Sounds Fest's part in it.
Local playwrights enjoy success with Asheville-area theater companies
A live theater production is the result of numerous actors and technicians joining forces in the pursuit of a common goal. But it all begins with one person: the writer.
Around town: Local photographer’s Helene images featured at global conference
Asheville-based photographer Michael Freas’ images of Tropical Storm Helene were selected by the National Weather Service (NWS) for presentation at the Esri User Conference. Held July 13-17 in San Diego, the conference is described in a press release as “a premier event in environmental science and geospatial technology.”
Dizzying array of quilts on display
The Asheville Quilt Show will showcase more than 300 quilts Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 13-15, at the WNC Agricultural Center in Fletcher.