"The Dark City Speaks: An Evening of Poetry" will be held at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts April 18.

There’s a story that floats around Western Carolina University’s English department: Years back, W.H. Auden was brought in as a guest author. He was, at the time, perhaps the most famous living poet. Students and faculty alike were thrilled, couldn’t wait to hear him read, talk to him.

Burial Beer is planning a new location in Asheville's River Arts District, helping to revitalize the area after Tropical Storm Helene.

Asheville Regional Airport issues call for artist submissions for permanent public exhibition in new terminals.

Asheville Junior Theater is changing its name to The Performing Arts Company of Asheville: a rebrand that better reflects the nonprofit’s commitment to inspiring creativity and confidence in local youth.

Tickets Now on Sale for the Region’s Most Beloved Celebration of Art and Nature The Black Mountain Center for the Arts (BMCA) is thrilled to announce that Art in Bloom 2026 returns this June, marking the 20th anniversary of Western North Carolina’s most anticipated union of fine art and floral design.

AVL Sounds Fest will bring live music back to Asheville in August 2026.

Put down the tech and pick up one of these hands-on hobbies by joining a local club or class.

“For the past year and a half, I have photographed different places in and around Asheville and Western North Carolina, looking at the long term ecological impacts of climate change and Hurricane Helene,” said Natalie Akins, a BFA student at UNC Asheville and the featured artist for her senior capstone solo show.

New ArtsAVL-backed studies show a $436M economic impact, but a leaner, more independent workforce is reshaping how the region’s music economy operates.

While facing a $14.2 million budget gap, the city is also considering raising property taxes while hoping to give its nearly 1,400 employees a raise for the sixth year in a row.

Asheville filed a lawsuit March 19 against the firm it says was responsible for designs that led to HVAC failures at the Harrah's Cherokee Center.

Preview Biltmore Estate's new, large-scale, outdoor exhibition, including lighted projections on the historic Biltmore House.

Proposal aims to engage local neighborhoods before any final decisions are made

Five Points neighbors invite residents to help build towering corn sculpture

Each year, Xpress publishes its Kids Issue series, which includes original artwork and writings by local students, K-12. As part of the special two-part edition, we also feature a variety of reporting on issues related to area youths. The following Q&A is one of several you can find in our latest print edition.

Asheville author Tommy Hays’ last novel, What I Came to Tell You, was published 13 years ago. For those of us who treasure his fiction, this is a long time. But his new novel, The Marriage Bed — set to be released on Tuesday, March 24 — is well worth the wait.

The Biltmore Estate is preparing for its opening night of "Luminere."

The “Notorious RBG” comes alive on stage at Wortham Center in a new solo play, “All Things Equal: The Life & Trials of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.”

The Museum of the Cherokee People, the tribal museum of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, has unveiled "Unrelenting: Cherokee People and the American Revolution," an exhibit platforming Cherokee artwork, perspectives and reminiscences on the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.

Buncombe County farmers markets are opening and returning to regular hours as spring arrives.

Editor’s note: Each year, Xpress publishes its Kids Issue series, which includes original artwork and writings by local students, K-12. As part of the special two-part edition, we also feature a variety of reporting on issues related to area youths. The following Q&A is one of several you can find in our latest print edition.

After 16 years as frontwoman of Different Strokes! Performing Arts Collective, company founder Stephanie Hickling Beckman has selected writer, director, actor and producer Rodney Smith as the company's new production manager.

The red-haired social media phenomenon is making waves for his hot takes on real estate, local politics and everything in between.

A popular, free concert series is returning to Pack Square Park with a brand-new artist line up to start on April 17. See the list.

The North Carolina Symphony is returning to the mountains and is set to perform in the spring at a local university.

Led by powerhouse vocalist Melissa McKinney, Asheville’s MAMA added to its award shelf by winning second place at the world’s largest gathering of blues musicians.

Explore designs for French Broad Riverfront Parks + Azalea Park and share your feedback to inform the final designs.

Resilience has long been part of the Amazing American story: surviving hardship, rebuilding, and thriving again against the odds.

Lori Cozzi has stepped down as the executive director of the Black Mountain Center for the Arts after more than seven years.

LEAF Global Arts is moving from Lake Eden for its annual fall festival.

The Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center will present the 14th annual {Re}HAPPENING event featuring immersive arts experiences.

Murphy Campbell is recording hundred-year-old ballads for the first time this summer.

AVLFest, the four-day music festival that took place in August 2023 and 2024 at venues across Asheville, is splitting into two events, with each run by one of its co-founders. And the name AVLFest is officially being retired.

Shaped by Sound reflects a rich musical living history in North Carolina.

Get a look into how Asheville built its architectural identity brick by brick through the 1920s.

Situated on the corner of Haywood Road and Swannanoa Avenue in West Asheville, the AyurPrana Listening Room has become a haven for music lovers and artists well-versed in the sacred art of performance.

The 24th Asheville Fringe Arts Festival returns March 15-22 with a packed lineup of more than 70 strange, wonderful works that live outside the mainstream.

Artists across Western North Carolina can apply to create a temporary installation on downtown Asheville’s Wall Street Steps.

The Orange Peel has announced the name for its new outdoor music venue.

Western North Carolina arts organizations and artists seeking post-Helene recovery aid may be eligible to apply for grant funding through ArtsAVL.

Hellbender by the Orange Peel, a new outdoor concert site located at 151 Thompson Street, is set to open in July 2026.

Asheville's former Moog Music property, now a hub for Helene-displaced businesses, was sold for $9 million to RCG LLC in February.

Nonprofit in South Asheville provides camps, large-scale productions and arts education programs throughout the year.

This Wednesday, Mehfil Indian Restaurant will celebrate Holi, the Indian "Festival of Colors," at their restaurant in the heart of downtown Asheville.

Opera sensation Isabel Leonard joins Asheville Symphony to anchor six events, Monday, March 16-Monday, March 23.

Wilma Dykeman Stokely's book 'The French Broad' helped change how this region talked about river pollution and responsibility. Here’s the story behind her grave and her legacy in Asheville.

Asheville Regional Airport has announced the return of its Art in the Airport Program.

An Asheville musician has organized a multi-venue festival to showcase street performers. Here's what to know about Asheville Buskerfest.

Ownership is changing hands for one of Asheville’s famous art buildings.

A snake named Patches, made from 100 feet of fabric, is set to headline an exhibition at a local YMCA in Candler in March.

The River Arts District in Asheville has landed the number one spot on USA Today’s list of best arts districts in America for a creative escape.

The 24th Asheville Fringe Arts Festival will return to the city March 15-22, bringing more than 70 different experimental, offbeat, always-interesting arts events with it.

Asheville's Riverview Station, a hub for artists, was damaged by Tropical Storm Helene. Now, a new owner plans to restore the historic tannery buildings and bring back the arts community.

This summer, Asheville music fans will have an abundance of concerts to attend.

Pottery studio offers classes, summer camps and programs for veterans and recovery participants.

A new theater company has emerged in Asheville from beyond the veil. Phantom Lamp Theatre Company will bring their first show, "Close Quarters," an original play by local playwright Abby Auman, to the stage for two weekends, Feb. 20 to March 1.

From iconic listening rooms to historic theaters and jazz clubs, here are seven of the South’s most legendary music venues.

“Stitching Stories Reimagined” will be available for viewing at the Black Mountain United Methodist Church from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. from Feb. 21-March 26.

A new documentary, 'Urban Renewal Impact: The Movie,' explores the history of Black resident experiences in Asheville and devastating urban renewal projects from the 1960s.

The full day of events was designed to highlight the diversity of voices that have shaped WNC, state, and US history.

Shana Tucker’s appointment as the new education and engagement director for Wortham Center for the Performing Arts marks the overdue return of a nationally recognized artist, administrator and teacher.

See our list of events and programs celebrating Black history and culture in Asheville during Black History Month and longer.

Today’s round of questions, my smart-aleck replies and the real answers: Question: I have been thinking about this issue for a long time, and I have come to the conclusion that the best location for an outdoor venue would be on the Biltmore Estate back by Antler Village. The nearest residential area is miles away, […]

This new facility would be an arts-based hub, and it comes after Hurricane Helene devastated much of the region's arts community.

For nearly four decades, the world of arts and crafts has convened at The Omni Grove Park Inn in North Asheville for an all-out conference. The 39th annual Arts & Crafts Conference and Shows will be held this weekend, Feb. 20-22, at the famous hotel.

Asheville, North Carolina and Billy Strings have forged a close bond over the years - And tonight it grew even tighter.

Take a photo tour of the newly renovated and reopened Cotton Mill Studios, highlighting updated spaces and the return of the creative hub.

AVL Sounds Fest will follow the same venue-based format as AVLFest, while Asheville Busker Fest will spotlight the sounds of our local street artists.

The Intersection, a new community-produced street paper, was launched this winter to amplify Asheville voices that often go unheard.

Asheville's recovering River Arts District is nominated for a USA TODAY 10BEST list honoring the nation's best arts districts. Here's how to vote and more.

A luxury hotel that has served as artistic inspiration for over 100 years.

The Black Mountain Center for the Arts is excited to announce its 2026 Summer Camp lineup, offering a wide range of engaging, arts-based camps designed to inspire creativity, build confidence, and spark imagination in children and teens.

The Southern Highland Craft Guild invites emerging artists of all media to apply for the 2026 Emerging Artist Program, now in its second year.

Asheville has several notable mentions on USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards.

Arts and crafts camps give kids a summer full of making, building, creating, and trying something new. Explore the Arts & Crafts summer camps and locations in Asheville and across Western North Carolina. Camps update schedules throughout the spring, so check back. This directory is refreshed as new camps and dates are announced and submitted

Go behind the scenes of Hallmark's new Christmas movie, "A Grand Biltmore Christmas," film at Biltmore House and across Asheville.

"The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged" will open at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts Feb. 20.

The Asheville Art Museum will soon display a new exhibit featuring American Impressionism.

Following in the footsteps of the recent "Trolls: A Field Study" exhibit and partnering with the organizers behind The Big Crafty, the North Carolina Arboretum will host The Little Crafty, a nature-based craft show, this weekend.

ReMix It, a creative reuse store, will open later this spring on Haywood Road. Read more about the upcoming recycled craft shop in our story.

The Wyre, a new housing complex in the River Arts District, has announced that local painter Greg "Tall Greg" Carr will be its first tenant under the Brian Schick River Arts District Residency.

When you ask poet Keith Flynn about early influences, he doesn’t give you names. Instead, he starts reciting lines from Wiliam Blake.

Life is a carnival at Asheville’s annual Mardi Gras parade, coming to downtown on Sunday, Feb. 15.

The nonprofit is working towards building the RAD Creative Campus, a flood-safe arts space designed to restore the district's creative economy post-Helene.

February is the month to appreciate that which we LOVE. Join in Saturday, Feb. 7, for the monthly Art Walk. Participate in the fun by wearing a HEART (jewelry, clothing, a free heart patch from Lewiston Stamps). Those wearing an external heart and who visit a participating Art Walk venue will be offered a free gift.

Dan Friedman, a longtime Asheville-area voice actor, audio engineer and coach says the industry is seeing clients use synthetic voices for early production work that would once have gone to local talent.

After losing roughly 80% of creator spaces during Helene, one local foundation is now working to ensure Asheville-area artists never suffer the same fate again.

Returning to Asheville for its 39th year, the annual winter National Arts & Crafts Conference transforms the Omni Grove Park Inn into a meeting ground for collectors, historians, and makers drawn to the movement’s enduring ideals.

In an important next step for small business recovery following Tropical Storm Helene, the Asheville City Council approved a $15.5 million funding recommendation on Tuesday, January 27, to support the City’s Small Business Support Program (SBSP), funded through the Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program.

After a section of White Horse Black Mountain collapsed during renovation on the building last week, the music venue has already announced a special series of concerts and events in partnership with The Monte Vista Hotel.

Jennifer Pickering, LEAF founder and former executive director, has stepped away from the organization.