ArtsAVL Town Hall: Thomas Wolfe

Arts AVL Hosts Discussion of Thomas Wolfe Auditorium

The first of this year’s Town Halls will focus on the current state and future of the performing arts center

July 20, 2023 | ArtsAVL announces its first Town Hall of 2023-24, which will focus on the current state and possible futures of Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. The panel and discussion will be held on Monday, August 21 from 3-4:40 p.m. at Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville. The event is free and open to the public (registration required).

Mounting maintenance needs at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium have forced the City to reduce the venue’s operating capacity, resulting in major revenue losses and questions about the future of the performing arts in Asheville and Buncombe County. The Town Hall will convene a panel of speakers to share their insight and perspective on the space. Panelists include:

  • Mayor Esther Manheimer
  • Chris Corl, Director of Community and Regional Entertainment Facilities for the City of Asheville
  • Steph Monson Dahl, Urban Design and Place Strategies Manager for the City of Asheville
  • Daniel Crupi, Executive Director of the Asheville Symphony
  • Vic Isley, President and CEO of Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority
  • Robert Long, Conceptual Planner for Theatre Consultants Collaborative

A Q&A following the panel will explore creative solutions to the crises faced by the performing arts center. Attendees are invited to submit questions in advance for the panelists here.

Town Hall attendees are also invited to take a tour of Thomas Wolfe with Corl and the facility’s Assistant General Manager. Two time slots will be available: the first at 2:15 p.m. and the second at 4:45 p.m. Sign up for a tour using the registration link.

Town Halls are participatory events connecting members of Asheville and Buncombe County’s arts community with experts on the topics that most affect our creative economy. ArtsAVL, in partnership with the Arts Coalition, selected the most relevant topics as themes for the Town Halls after polling the community. All Town Halls are free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required.

ArtsAVL will host three other town halls for 2023-24. The remaining topics are: Thomas Wolfe (August 21, 2023), Arts Data (November 10, 2023), Arts Marketing (February 9, 2024), and Creative Spaces (May 10, 2024). These three Town Halls will be held at Center for Craft (67 Broadway St.).

Find out more about each Town Hall here. Interested in sponsoring a Town Hall? Contact Rebecca Lynch (rebecca@artsavl.org) for more information.