PUBLIC ART

Current Projects 

Culture of Collaboration: Artists Selected for Buncombe Creative Equity Mural Project
Three blank Buncombe walls will soon be filled with public art.

 

Pack Square Plaza Visioning and Improvements
The City of Asheville and Buncombe County are partnering to document the community’s vision for the future of Pack Square Plaza, including the site where the Vance Monument was previously located.
Art in the Heart
In partnership with the Friends of Buncombe County Special Collections and Asheville’s Public Art and Cultural Commission, the City is kicking off a new temporary public art program to activate Pack Square Plaza and engage with the community in a new way.
African American Heritage Trail
Asheville’s African American Heritage Trail will connect historic Black communities in and around downtown Asheville, presenting sites and stories ranging from well-known landmarks visible in the community today to the unsung heroes and underrecognized achievements and contributions by the Black community in the past.

Previous Projects

2020 AVL Protest Murals | Asheville Area Arts Council
The Asheville Area Arts Council, in partnership with The Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County and Equity Over Everything, presented the 2020 AVL Protest Murals exhibition, which includes a virtual gallery, auction, and event series in 2022. Many thanks to Dogwood Health Trust for their support.
Asheville Black Live Matter Mural
Black Lives Matter Mural
On Sunday, July 19, 20+ artists came together to create a Black Lives Matter mural in the heart of downtown Asheville.
Equity in Creative Placemaking Series
The 2021 Winter Buzz Breakfast series, hosted by Leadership Asheville and the Asheville Area Arts Council, was focused on Equity in Creative Placemaking. This approach uses arts strategies to involve those that live, work, and play in a community a role in the urban design process.
Hope Spring Forth Brightly image
Hope Spring Forth Brightly
In honor of the legacy, heritage and culture of this historical African-American business and residential area of the BLOCK. We invite you to explore the past history of those who lived and breathed in this thriving vibrant community.

Public Art Resources

City of Asheville Public Art Program
Asheville’s Public Art Program aims to strengthen our city’s identity as a work of art. As you explore Asheville, you’ll see a number of sculptures and other pieces of art. The “Energy Loop”; the Deco Gecko in Pritchard Park; the murals in the City Hall chambers; the bronze life-size sculpture of Martin Luther King, Jr. at MLK Park; the more than 30 sculptures and plaques along the Urban Trail are all part of Asheville’s public art collection.
Mural of Dolly Parton by Gus Cutty
Appalachian Mural Trail
Brighten your day, click on 'mural maps' and look at magnificent murals created by passionate mural artists and community groups. Find your favorite murals, then create your own itinerary with directions to travel and see the murals first hand.
Asheville’s Urban Art
This handpicked guide to Asheville’s most celebrated and hard-to-find street art makes driving through town a visual delight. Weave these urban art hotspots into your weekend plans, or take the full tour to see how Asheville’s artists take creativity to the streets.
Appalachian Stage image
Asheville Urban Trail
In a casual two-hour amble about town, a person interested in exploring the city's quirky and magical past, along with getting to know many of its larger-than-life historical characters, can follow a string of 30 sculptural trail stations directly into Asheville lore.

What is Public Art?

“Simply put public art is art in public spaces. Today, public art can take a wide range of forms, sizes, and scales—and can be temporary or permanent. It often interprets the history of the place, its people, and perhaps addresses a social or environmental issue. Public art can include murals, sculpture, memorials, integrated architectural or landscape architectural work, community art, digital new media, and even performances and festivals!” — Americans for the Arts 

 

WHAT IS CREATIVE PLACEMAKING?

“Creative placemaking harnesses the power of arts and culture to allow for more genuine public engagement — particularly in low-income neighborhoods, communities of color and among immigrant populations… Done right, creative placemaking can lead to both a better process and a better product. The end results are streets, sidewalks and public spaces that welcome us, inspire us and move us in every sense of that word.” — Smart Growth America