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
Wortham Center names new education and engagement director
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.
Celebrate Black History Month in Asheville with these events
See our list of events and programs celebrating Black history and culture in Asheville during Black History Month and longer.
Is there a new artist space coming to Weaverville?
This new facility would be an arts-based hub, and it comes after Hurricane Helene devastated much of the region's arts community.
Cotton Mill Studios reopens 16 months after Helene
The landmark studio was devastated by Helene, but after much remediation and restoration, the studios are filled with local art and welcoming visitors once again.
National Arts and Crafts summit to commence at Grove Park Inn this weekend
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.
Billy Strings Receives Key To The City Of Asheville During Valentine’s Day Show
Asheville, North Carolina and Billy Strings have forged a close bond over the years - And tonight it grew even tighter.
Photo tour: Inside the renovated and reopened Cotton Mill Studios
Take a photo tour of the newly renovated and reopened Cotton Mill Studios, highlighting updated spaces and the return of the creative hub.
AVLFest retires as founders launch two new Asheville music festivals
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.
New street paper lets Asheville homeless community tell their stories
The Intersection, a new community-produced street paper, was launched this winter to amplify Asheville voices that often go unheard.
River Arts District nominated for best U.S. arts district. How to vote
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.
An Appalachian hotel that's a part of American art history
A luxury hotel that has served as artistic inspiration for over 100 years.
Black Mountain Center for the Arts Announces 2026 Summer Camp Lineup
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.
Southern Highland Craft Guild offers emerging artists program
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 earns several spots on USA Today's 10 Best nomination list
Asheville has several notable mentions on USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards.
Summer Camp Guide: Arts and crafts camps
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
Andie MacDowell joins cast of movie filmed in Asheville. What to know
Go behind the scenes of Hallmark's new Christmas movie, "A Grand Biltmore Christmas," film at Biltmore House and across Asheville.
BMCA to present 'Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged'
"The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged" will open at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts Feb. 20.
Asheville Art Museum exhibit spotlights American Impressionism
The Asheville Art Museum will soon display a new exhibit featuring American Impressionism.
N.C. Arboretum gets a Little Crafty with nature-based market
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 is reinventing Asheville art supply one fabric snake at a time
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.
Local artist ‘Tall Greg’ selected for inaugural residency at The Wyre
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.
Asheville Poetry Review’s founder reflects on journal’s finale and his difficult new chapter
When you ask poet Keith Flynn about early influences, he doesn’t give you names. Instead, he starts reciting lines from Wiliam Blake.
Let the good times roll at Asheville Mardi Gras parade
Life is a carnival at Asheville’s annual Mardi Gras parade, coming to downtown on Sunday, Feb. 15.
RADA Foundation shares plans for a new "cultural anchor" in the River Arts District
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.
Love is in the air during Art Walk
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.
Asheville voice actors confront the rise of AI-generated speech
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.
River Arts District artists plan new 'Creative Campus' after Helene losses
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.
Honoring the Handmade- The National Arts & Crafts Conference Returns
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.
Asheville City Council approves $15.5M in funding for Small Business Support Program
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.
Not their last rodeo: White Horse plans new shows after building collapse
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.
LEAF founder Jennifer Pickering steps away from organization
Jennifer Pickering, LEAF founder and former executive director, has stepped away from the organization.
Summit Coffee returns as new music listening lounge opens in RAD
River Arts District will welcome new and familiar businesses as a coffee shop returns and a listening lounge debuts with a chef-led menu.
Hikes of WNC: South Slope Mural Trail
Sometimes you don't want to travel too far for a good hike. Fortunately, downtown Asheville is home to a two mile urban trail, the South Slope Mural Trail, home to many local businesses covered with interesting artwork. It's like taking a hike and visiting an art gallery at the same time!
Answer Man: August J. Dachshund has passed? Lipinsky Hall getting huge renovation?
Before I get to today’s round of questions, my smart-aleck replies and the real answers, I’d like to note that local free speech hero August J. Dachshund, aka Auggie the Dachshund, has passed on to that great dog park in the sky. Owner Virginia Harding announced his transition Sunday via an Instagram post featuring a […]
‘Love, Marquee’: Art gallery to host 4th anniversary Valentine’s bash
Next month, Marquee Asheville will ring in four years of Asheville community with a Valentine's celebration.
Create your own Asheville holiday Hallmark movie
We're taking a page out of Mad Libs' book to create our own holiday Hallmark films set in Asheville in honor of the new flick being filmed in our neck of the woods.
New outdoor venues are coming this year to two areas devastated by Helene floodwaters
The projects were among those highlighted Monday at the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority’s Year Ahead event.
Sisters in Stitches: Afghan women cultivate community through craft and cuisine
The Afghan Women’s Craft Collective is a program that creates economic opportunities for Afghan craftswomen in Asheville as they rebuild their lives in an unfamiliar and sometimes disorienting land.
UNC Asheville removes ‘Batland’ art installation from Five Points woods
Early this morning, just two weeks after the public installation was erected, University of North Carolina Asheville officials took down "Batland," an outdoor art gallery and scavenger hunt featuring hand-painted bats by over 25 local artists.
You'll Fall In Love With This Tiny Version Of Asheville From The First Moment You Visit
About 15 miles from Asheville, North Carolina, smaller but equally energetic Black Mountain is ready for its day in the sun. Keep reading for our favorite things to do in the charming mountain town.