Calendar of Events
Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.
Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.
Across the Atlantic
Across the Atlantic
American Impressionism Through the French Lens
This extraordinary exhibition, drawn from the collection of the Reading Public Museum, explores the path to Impressionism through the 19th century in France. The show examines the sometimes complex relationship between French Impressionism of the 1870s and 1880s and the American interpretation of the style in the decades that followed. More than 65 paintings and works on paper help tell the story of the “new style” of painting which developed at the end of the 19th century—one that emphasized light and atmospheric conditions, rapid or loose brushstrokes, and a focus on brightly colored scenes from everyday life, including both urban and rural settings when artists preferred to paint outdoors and capture changing effects of light during different times of day and seasons of the year.
Across the Atlantic: American Impressionism through the French Lens is organized by the Reading Public Museum, Reading, Pennsylvania.
Generous support for this project provided by Art Bridges and The Maurer Family Foundation.
| 11:00 | Advocacy 101- 2021 Agenda – Nate McGaha, Executive Director, Arts North Carolina |
| 11:40 | Networking Lunch |
| 12:30 | Welcome to ARTS Day – Arts NC Board Chair, Tim Scales, Nate McGaha, & BD Wong |
| 1:00 | ARTS Day: Everyday – Nnenna Freelon |
| 1:30 | Performance |
| 1:40 | 20 Minute Break |
| 2:00 | Steps Beyond the Statements: Context, Commitment, and Change-Making for Racial Justice – Janeen Bryant |
| 3:00 | Performance |
| 3:10 | 20 Minute Break |
| 3:30 | Federal and State Legislative Update and NC Arts Agenda – Ken Melton, Lauren Cohen(AFTA) & Nate McGaha |
| 4:30 | Shana Tucker |
| 5:00 | Networking Happy Hour |
The Asheville Art Museum announces Meeting the Moon, an exhibition featuring prints, photographs, ceramics, sculptures, and more from the Museum’s Collection. This exhibition will be on view in the Asheville Art Museum’s McClinton Gallery February 3 through July 26, 2021.
2021 marks the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the Apollo space program at NASA, but its inception was hardly the beginning of humankind’s fascination with Earth’s only moon. Before space travel existed, the moon—its shape, its mystery, and the face we see in it—inspired countless artists. Once astronauts landed on the moon and we saw our world from a new perspective, a surge of creativity flooded the American art scene, in paintings, prints, sculpture, music, crafts, film, and poetry.
This exhibition, whose title is taken from a 1913 Robert Frost poem, examines artwork in the Asheville Art Museum’s Collection of artists who were inspired by the unknown, then increasingly familiar moon. Meeting the Moon includes works by nationally renowned artists Newcomb Pottery, James Rosenquist, Maltby Sykes, Paul Soldner, John Lewis, Richard Ritter (Bakersville, NC), and Mark Peiser (Penland, NC). Western North Carolina artists include Jane Peiser (Penland, NC), Jak Brewer (Zionville, NC), Dirck Cruser (Asheville, NC), George Peterson (Lake Toxaway, NC), John B. Neff (NC), and Maud Gatewood (Yanceyville, NC).
“Meeting the Moon offers the opportunity to combine science and popular culture with works of art in the Museum’s Collection,” says Whitney Richardson, associate curator. “I think all visitors will find something that draws them into this exhibition, whether it’s the artwork, poetry, music, or science of space travel. It’s such an affirmation of humanity to find these mysteries, like the moon, which enchant us all.”
This exhibition is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Whitney Richardson, associate curator. Visit ashevilleart.org for more information about this and other exhibitions.
This exhibition features archival objects from the Theodore Dreier Sr. Document Collection presented alongside artworks from the Museum’s Black Mountain College Collection to explore the connections between artworks and ephemera. This exhibition is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by lydia see, fall 2020 curatorial fellow, with support from a Digitizing Hidden Collections grant through the Council on Library and Information Resources.
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The Asheville Art Museum presents Fantastical Forms: Ceramics as Sculpture on view at the Museum November 4, 2020 through April 5, 2021. The 25 works in this exhibition—curated by associate curator Whitney Richardson—highlight the Museum’s Collection of sculptural ceramics from the last two decades of the 20th century to the present. Each work illustrates the artist’s ability to push beyond the utilitarian and transition ceramics into the world of sculpture.
North and South Carolina artists featured include Elma McBride Johnson, Neil Noland, Norm Schulman, Virginia Scotchie, Cynthia Bringle, Jane Palmer, Michael Sherrill, and Akira Satake. Works by American artists Don Reitz, Robert Chapman Turner, Karen Karnes, Toshiko Takaezu, Bill Griffith, and Xavier Toubes are also featured in the exhibition.
Spend an hour hiking one of our six different trails with a naturalist. This is educational excursion will give you a better understanding of the flora and fauna that can be found in the Park. You may even learn some of the Park’s history as well.
March is Red Cross Month, and for more than 130 years, heroic American Red Cross volunteers have provided hope and urgent relief to families in communities across the country.
This March the community is invited to join in the lifesaving mission of the Red Cross and be
someone’s hero by rolling up a sleeve to give blood.
According to the Red Cross, someone in the U.S. needs blood every two seconds to respond to
patient emergencies. Accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients,
and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease may all require blood.
All blood types are needed.
Be a hero in your community by rolling up a sleeve….
To make an appointment or to learn more, download the American Red Cross Blood Donor
App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood
Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device. Completion of a RapidPass® online health history
questionnaire is encouraged to help speed up the donation process. To get started, follow the
instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App. A blood donor card
or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who
are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh
at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High
school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height
and weight requirements.
Join us for Animoday! Every Monday all day. Listen to anime music, play anime games, watch anime, and talk anime!
The Blood Connection’s (TBC) local blood supply is low because the wintry weather has caused consecutive days of low donor turnout. In order to best serve local hospital patients who rely on blood donors, TBC needs a stable blood supply.
In addition, winter weather is wreaking havoc in many communities across the country. Thousands of people are being impacted in states like Texas and Louisiana where some blood centers have had to completely shut down, creating a critical need for blood donations. Despite the winter weather, patients in those impacted hospitals are still in great need of blood products, and blood donors in this community can become a lifeline for them.
The Blood Connection has received several pleas for help from blood centers in Texas, who are struggling to meet their local hospitals’ needs because of the continued winter weather. TBC wants to be in a position to help if more donations start to come in.
Spend your afternoons creating in the bright and spacious studio at the Museum! Explore a range of artistic processes using artwork on view from the Museum’s Collection and special exhibitions for inspiration. Space is limited to small groups of up to eight students; face coverings and social distancing are required. Generous support for this program is provided by Walnut Cove Member Association. More info and register by March 1 at
Come join the amazing Chris Martin on a fun filled improv journey through all of our favorite improv games and some new surprises. Don’t miss the chance for some hilarious and silly rounds of Waiter, Waiter!, Changing Channels, Night at the Museum, and so much more! The class includes fun warm-ups, “Yes And” exercises, and a showcase during the last class.
A limited number of scholarships are available for this class. CLICK HERE TO APPLY. Please do not purchase registration prior to applying. Applications must be received by 2:00pm on Monday, March 8, 2021 for consideration. Please contact Amanda at [email protected] with questions.
Virtual Platform: Zoom
Instructor: Tania Battista
January 25 – March 22
A play from away! Explore improvisation, characterization, voice and speech, costume design, and more as you create an original virtual play! With an emphasis on creativity and personal expression, students will meet in weekly live online classes to develop, memorize, and film their role in the play. At the end of the semester, each actor’s part will be edited together to create a virtual performance!
Mondays from 5:30 – 6:15 PM EST
Grades: 3rd – 5th
Virtual Platform: Zoom
Instructor: Tania Battista
Tuition: $150*
REGISTRATION OPENS DEC. 10
10% off before Jan. 1
This six-part class follows the path of Impressionism through watercolor. Examine works by French and American Impressionists, both historical and contemporary, and explore watercolor techniques to interpret light and atmosphere in the iconic Impressionist style. Presented in conjunction with Across the Atlantic: American Impressionism Through the French Lens. This program takes place via Zoom; space is limited. Generous support for exhibition programming provided by Art Bridges. More info and register at ashevilleart.org/events.
Hendersonville Racquet Club is offering a six week series of classes for adult beginner tennis players. Try Tennis is a tennis instruction program for beginners. The Monday night classes are 6 pm. The cost is $40 for the six weeks and includes six hours of instruction, a tennis racquet and a Try Tennis t-shirt.
“Try Tennis is a great program we do in partnership with the NC USTA. Their help allows new players to get from couch to court in six weeks at less than half the price it would normally cost…plus participants get a t-shirt and racquet! We will teach you the right way to play with certified tennis pros. This is a great program to get into tennis for adults.” stated HRC Director of Adult Programs Cre Still.
Hendersonville Racquet Club is a six acre complex that includes 7 outdoor tennis courts, 3 arena tennis courts, four racquetball courts, three pickleball courts, an outdoor swimming pool, fitness center, group fitness room and outdoor leisure area by Shaw’s Creek and pond.
Are you a Mountain Transplant? Did you recently move to Hendersonville from some other part of the country? Then, learn to garden in western North Carolina by attending these online classes offered by Henderson County Cooperative Extension.
Mountain Mushrooms – March 22, 2021 – 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Back by popular demand! Interested in wild mushrooms? Ever walk through the woods and wonder if the mushrooms you see are edible? Then attend this wild mushroom. The online lecture will include mushroom biology, wild mushroom identification and mushroom cultivation.
Cost – $10 per person class due one week prior to class start -cash or check only (make checks out to Henderson Co. Coop. Ext.; mail to 100 Jackson Park Road, Hendersonville, NC 28792)
Read more at: https://henderson.ces.ncsu.edu/2021/01/home-gardening-series-2021/
Lights… Camera… Acting! Explore the fundamentals of on-camera acting in a nine week course led by professional actor and producer Marlane Barnes. Best known for her work on Sons of Anarchy and Mad Men, Marlane will coach actors through scenes from real-world TV and film scripts. Learn on-camera tips and technique, scale your performances from stage to screen, explore your type, and hone your on-camera and self-tape skills. No experience required.
Hundreds of baby kittens are expected and Blue Ridge Humane Society staff are getting ready with a Kitten Shower to gather items needed to care for the most vulnerable.
The Kitten Shower will be March 21-27 and feature donation drop-off locations around Henderson County. Individuals can purchase items from the BRHS Kitten Registry at local pet supply stores or online. Items include vital supplies like kitten formula and food, kitten warmers, bottles, and supplements that give foster kittens a boost to grow into healthy adults.
Supplies can be dropped off at the following locations during the week of March 21-28:
- Barker’s Anonymous: 401 Kanuga Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28739
- PetCo Hendersonville: 118 Highlands Square Dr, Hendersonville, NC 28792
- PetSmart Hendersonville: 213 Greenville Hwy, Hendersonville, NC 28792
- Pet Source: 1927 Spartanburg Hwy, Hendersonville, NC 28792
- Wag! A Unique Pet Boutique: 231-A N. Main Street, Hendersonville, NC 28792
- BRHS Thrift Store: 1214 Greenville Hwy, Hendersonville, NC 28792
- BRHS Admin Office: 100 Chadwick Square Court, Suite B, Hendersonville, NC 28739
- BRHS Adoption Center: 88 Centipede Lane, Hendersonville, NC 28792
The full kitten supply list is available on the Blue Ridge Humane Society website at https://www.blueridgehumane.org/donate/wish-list/. There are also options available for items to be purchased online and shipped directly to Blue Ridge Humane.
Kitten lovers will also have the opportunity to Name a Kitten as part of the event with a $10 donation. As names are used over the year, donors will receive a photo of the kitten they named. Naming donations can be made online, over the phone, or via mail.
The week will include a “foster happy hour” for interested individuals to virtually meet Morgan Harrell, the Foster Program Manager, and learn more about becoming a BRHS foster parent. Registration info will be listed online on the BRHS calendar.
As the weather warms up, the birds, bees, and cats get busy. Soon, kittens start to appear in local animal shelters, “rescued” by well-meaning animal lovers. “We are coming on that time of year when animal lovers begin finding kittens outside,” says Angela Prodrick, Blue Ridge Humane’s Executive Director. “It is important to remember that the amount of community or feral cats in our county far outnumbers the number of people living in our community. If all the kittens were brought to a local shelter, the shelter would quickly become overwhelmed. If you find a kitten, there are a few simple things that you can do to help us save lives.”
Once kittens are about 6-8 weeks old, a finder can look to get them spayed or neutered and adopted into new homes. If you find kittens that are in need of care and need supplies or advice, contact the BRHS Foster and Community Outreach Team at [email protected] or (828) 393-5832. Animal lovers can also view additional resources about what to do when kittens are found at https://www.blueridgehumane.org/resources/lost-found/kittens/.
Blue Ridge Humane offers kitten care support for volunteers, as well as comprehensive training and support for fosters in the BRHS foster program. To learn more about fostering, visit https://www.blueridgehumane.org/get-involved/foster/ or contact Harrell at [email protected].
The Blue Ridge Humane Society, Inc., is a 501(c)3 animal welfare organization started in 1950 dedicated to ensuring the highest quality of life for animals in Henderson County and our neighboring communities. BRHS cares for pets awaiting adoption and in foster homes; offers low-cost vaccine clinics, animal education programs, pet training classes, and youth education and projects; coordinates community pet food assistance, emergency vet assistance, and the Spay Neuter Incentive Program (SNIP), which is a collaboration with Henderson County, the City of Hendersonville, and the Henderson County Animal Services Center.
If you believe in our cause, consider making a donation or learning how to volunteer by visiting the Blue Ridge Humane Society’s website at www.blueridgehumane.org or call (828) 692-2639.
We are offering you and your friends the opportunity to join us and refresh your musical and associated skills.
We are asking everyone who joins us to contribute $50 to pay for expenses and help raise funds in order to resume auditions and rehearsals in September. Please send a check for $50 to Carolina Concert Choir, P.O. Box 962, Hendersonville, NC 28793 or use the PayPal link below.
Spring Agenda:
March 1: Intro to Stephen Paulus’ “Prayers and Remembrances” for the 9/11 Concert**
with Dr. Michael Lancaster
March 8: “The Vocal Mechanism and How to Care for It”
with Dr. Neuenschwander, ENT
March 15: “Lyrics Methodology – Ken Burns Civil War Theme put to Psalm”
with Aloha Smith
March 22: “The World History of Music in 30 Minutes”
with Virginia Erwin
March 22: “The Sacred Harp and the American Shaped Note Tradition”
Alan Bowen
April 5: Intro to René Clausen’s “Memorial” for the 9/11 Concert**
Dr. Michael Lancaster
April 12: “Breathing and Vocal Stretching Exercises”
with Katie Cilluffo
April 19: “Creating Artistic Videos on your Smart Phone”
with Diane Dean, Pres. Henderson Arts League Member
April 26: “Your Instrument as Your Voice”
with the Hendersonville Symphony
May 3: “The Role of Your Arts Council in Promoting the Arts”
with Hannah Duncan, ED Arts Council
**It is very helpful to purchase the CDs to learn and read the lyrics for the “Prayers and Remembrances” concert classes.
CD for René Clausen – “Memorial” – Concordia Recordings
CD for Stephen Paulus – “Far in the Heavens” – True Concord Voices & Orchestra with Eric Holtan, Conductor
“Guggisberg and Baldwin have laid a new avenue. By joining Italian coldworking to the Swedish overlay, they have embarked upon an innovative sequence of experimentation and research not only on surfaces, but also on color and the interplay of color and texture through surface treatment. These explorations have increasingly drawn them to probe the expressive fields of textural elements. Initially soft and tactile, with the new strong angles, facets and deep cuts, the surface itself takes on a kind of fourth dimension, something sculptural that moves beyond the limits set by height, width, and volume.”
A quote from Louise Berndt, writing in “Battuto 2002: Philip Baldwin and Monica Guggisberg”
Costume Drama 2021: Designer Application
Costume Drama: A Fashion Show is an eclectic evening of inventive fashion that is one of the highlights of the Asheville summer! It is a fundraiser that supports Asheville Community Theatre (ACT). For 2021, we will again present Costume Drama as a filmed show that will be streamed.
Costume Drama: A Fashion Show is currently scheduled to be filmed on the ACT stage on Monday, August 9 and Tuesday, August 10 and broadcast on Saturday, September 11, 2021.
We are seeking 20 designers (5 designers per category) for Costume Drama 2021. Submitting an application does not guarantee a spot in the show. Please fill out the application below in order to be considered for a spot. If selected, you will be notified by April 23rd. Designers who are selected will receive free hair and makeup services for their model, free entry to watch the show, professional photos of their designs, and a chance to compete for cash prizes.
If you have any questions, please contact director Sara Fields Bridges ([email protected]).
Completed applications should be submitted on or before April 10, 2021.
Design Categories
This year’s categories are:
Toybox – Garments for this category should be made from items one might find in a toybox. Think board games, puzzles, dolls, blocks, LEGOS, matchbox cars, balls, musical instruments, art supplies, etc. Please, no guns or toys that promote violence.
Garage Sale – Garments for this category should be made from items one might find in a garage or basement. Think recycling, tools, patio furniture, camping gear, vintage dishes, exercise equipment, old technology, appliances, etc. Please, no repurposed clothing items.
Knots Landing – Garments for this category should be made of rope, ribbon, cording, etc. Could be related to nautical themes or braiding/knot work, or macrame. Rope could be the material or rope could be made from other materials. Must be made with unconventional, non-clothing materials rather than a garment made from conventional yarn or fiber.
Mix and Match Throwback – In honor of Costume Drama’s 10 year anniversary, garments for this category should be created from items from 2 of the 4 categories featured in our first show – tape, feathers, paper, and flowers.
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Buncombe County has opened the application cycle of the Community Recreation Grants program for projects taking place from July 2021-June 2022. The grants are part of other countywide initiatives that help make Buncombe County a place everyone from infants to retirees has the opportunity to be strong, healthy, and successful. The program is intended to help community nonprofits make immediate improvements and jump-start long-term progress that align with the Buncombe 2025 plan. Grants range in amounts from $500-$6,000, depending on the number of qualifying applicants.
Eligibility
Eligible entities include Buncombe County nonprofits focused on providing equitable access to recreational, fitness, cultural, and wellness activities to the public at no- or low-cost. These funds are intended to be a leveraging tool that promote partnerships between the County and area nonprofits and are not a donation, funding stream, or sponsorship opportunity. Programs applying for funding should align with the Buncombe 2025 plan’s focus areas, as well as embody the spirt of Buncombe County Recreation Services’ mission: Connect Communities. Preserve Culture. Change Lives.
Projects funded in the past have included creative placemaking, increasing safe connections to a wider range of play and wellness activities for underserved residents, supporting access to experiences that preserve regional and international cultures, improvements to public athletic fields and fitness courses, expanding environmental education, building food security through community gardens, and establishing multigenerational outdoor spaces for neighbors to connect with each other and foster community pride.
Want to apply?
Application, guidelines, and a list of 2020 recipients are available online. Questions should be directed to [email protected].
The grant application deadline is 5 p.m. on Fri., Mar. 26, 2021. Late applications will not be accepted.
Buncombe County has opened the application cycle of the Community Recreation Grants program for projects taking place from July 2021-June 2022. The grants are part of other countywide initiatives that help make Buncombe County a place everyone from infants to retirees has the opportunity to be strong, healthy, and successful. The program is intended to help community nonprofits make immediate improvements and jump-start long-term progress that align with the Buncombe 2025 plan. Grants range in amounts from $500-$6,000, depending on the number of qualifying applicants.
To apply, click here.
“We are excited to offer these grants to creative local organizations doing the integral work to make our community stronger and more resilient,” says Peyton O’Conner, Director of Buncombe County Recreation Services. “Community Recreation Grant projects represent a primary goal of low-cost, inclusive wellness and therapeutic opportunities that are accessible to all residents regardless of cultural, physical, cognitive, or socioeconomic background. As the coronavirus pandemic shut everything down, the one avenue for maintaining peoples’ physical and mental wellbeing were parks, open spaces, greenways, and trails – and the recreational opportunities that take place within them. When combined with the ability to deliver healthier, happier, equitable communities, parks and recreation’s powerful economic impact highlights the fact that these offerings are not merely a ‘nice-to-have’ luxury government service. Instead, public recreation is an essential core service that transforms our cities, towns, and county into vibrant and prosperous communities for all.”
Eligibility
Eligible entities include Buncombe County nonprofits focused on providing equitable access to recreational, fitness, cultural, and wellness activities to the public at no- or low-cost. These funds are intended to be a leveraging tool that promote partnerships between the County and area nonprofits and are not a donation, funding stream, or sponsorship opportunity. Programs applying for funding should align with the Buncombe 2025 plan’s focus areas, as well as embody the spirt of Buncombe County Recreation Services’ mission: Connect Communities. Preserve Culture. Change Lives.
Projects funded in the past have included creative placemaking, increasing safe connections to a wider range of play and wellness activities for underserved residents, supporting access to experiences that preserve regional and international cultures, improvements to public athletic fields and fitness courses, expanding environmental education, building food security through community gardens, and establishing multigenerational outdoor spaces for neighbors to connect with each other and foster community pride.
Want to apply?
Application, guidelines, and a list of 2020 recipients are available online. Questions should be directed to [email protected].
The grant application deadline is 5 p.m. on Fri., Mar. 26, 2021. Late applications will not be accepted.
Flat Rock Playhouse has launched its capital campaign, Rock Solid, in response to the effects of COVID-19. The campaign aims to preserve the legacy of the Playhouse, ignite the passion for theatre in the community, and revitalize the arts in Henderson County and beyond. The campaign kicks off with a generous match from David Leiman, meaning donors’ contributions will be matched dollar for dollar up to $118,000.
With the pandemic and government mandates still impacting live event venues, the Playhouse remains dark for the safety of patrons and artists. With performances on hold, the Playhouse has announced a capital campaign, Rock Solid, to preserve the viability of the State Theatre of North Carolina. Donations to this campaign will help to sustain the Playhouse through the following:
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Maintain and build back the staff as the Playhouse carefully returns to producing;
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Upgrades to technology;
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Management of the historic facilities and grounds;
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Ongoing operational needs; and
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A “rock solid” infrastructure for long-term sustainability.
- The Rock Solid campaign will be led not only by Playhouse leadership but also by a committee of community members committed to preserving professional performing arts, theatre arts education, and the history of the Playhouse. Dr. Pete and Jan Richards are co-chairing the Campaign Committee. These community members will be sharing their stories about the importance of the arts and their connection to the Playhouse throughout the duration of the campaign.
Plein Air Painting Tips
Don Osterberg has illustrated some of his advice on plein air painting with step-by-step stages of his pastel “Looking Glass Falls in Pisgah Forest.”
The watermedia and mixed media paintings, drawings, and monotype prints of Costanza Knight, also known as Connie Knight, are contemporary expressions that explore and celebrate the human form and the landscape. Poetry and narratives are often her creative touchstone, but she also takes inspiration from the landscapes she loves. Her diverse interests are evident in her varied styles.
Diane Dean talks about the process of painting a commission painting
Acrylic Painter, Diane Dean teaches her technique for creating heavily textured acrylic paintings using heavy gesso for surface texture, fluid and heavy body acrylics, brushes and palette knives.
Mary Alice Braukman presented “Free Up: Collage Surprise,” a workshop that was videotaped for viewing on the League’s YouTube channel. Students: Lisa Casperson, JoAnn Jenson and Sharon Richmond participated. Lynn Padgett and Diane Dean video recorded this event for publication on the Art League website for all members to view.
Braukman was the Director of the Kanuga Watercolor Workshops for 17 years, held at the Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, North Carolina. She teaches workshops throughout the United States, in experimental water media painting and collage for intermediate and advanced painters, consults on workshops, lectures, serves as juror in national, state and regional water media exhibitions.