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.
Tuesday, April
16, 2024
Sponsor a Tree for Arbor Day
SURVEY: Visioning the Future of LEAF Global Arts
The AgSouth Growing Our Communities Grant
The Disney Cruise Raffle
The Mountain Institute for Lifelong Learning: adultone-week courses
VOICES OF THE RIVER CONTEST
XP League Summer Camps
YWCA Racial Justice Challenge
Nature’s Blueprints: Biomimicry in Art and Design
New Park Pavilion Reservation Software
Less Plastic Asheville Challenge
NC Arboretum Hiking Trails
TSA PreCheck® mobile enrollment
Art Exhibition: Hammer and Hope
Preservers, Innovators, and Rescuers of Culture in Chiapas
Sand Hill Nursery Workday
Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred
Tuckasegee River Excursion
Joseph Fiore: Black Mountain College Paintings
Vera B. Williams / STORIES Eight Decades of Politics and Picture Making
Estate Planning Lunch + Learn
ONEmic Open Studio Hours with Paul
FREE Chamber Challenge Trainings
Glen Arden ES – Spring Musical Finding Nemo Kids
THANK YOU NIGHT service industry friends
Baby Story Time
Mid-Century House– Party
Bereavement Support Group
Buncombe Young Dems Monthly Meeting
One Book, One Buncombe Presents: Black Fiddlers of America
Individuals, groups, and businesses are invited to honor a loved one or show your commitment to environmental stewardship by sponsoring a tree for the Sand Hill community orchard. This April, join others from the community in celebrating Arbor Day by helping GreenWorks plant additional native fruit trees in the space. Each year, the community orchard provides fresh fruit for local food pantries, and access to learning and volunteering opportunities.
If your family or business is interested in sponsoring a tree for our April 26th Arbor Day event, please call us at 828-254-1776 to learn more.
Happy Spring! Did you know LEAF is going to be 30 years old in 2025?! As we dream of how to BE our BEST LEAF and WORLD CHANGERS in this next chapter – we value YOU. Thank YOU for being part of LEAF in your way, and taking 5 minutes+ to vision. *News flash: LEAF book coming in 2025 — if your LEAF story is included YOU get a FREE BOOK!*
Keeping the future of agriculture bright
Each year, AgSouth Farm Credit supports non-profit organizations and farmers markets with grants of up to $5,000 to help in their endeavors and to further the future of agriculture in our region of Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
Grant Mission & Objectives
The AgSouth Growing Our Communities Grant’s mission is to build strong partnerships and alliances, leveraging the resources within our grant program to preserve and promote the farmer, the family, and our communities. The grant has three main objectives:
- Invest in the future of agriculture.
- Enhance and impact the quality of life in the AgSouth territory.
- Be recognized as a leading corporate citizen in the AgSouth territory.
Applications
The AgSouth Growing Our Communities Grant operates on an application-based grant system. Grants will be awarded for up to $5,000 per organization per year. To be considered for funding, organizations’ values and purpose must align with the grant program’s mission. Applications must be submitted online. You will be asked to attach a copy of your organization’s W9 to the application prior to submission. Incomplete applications cannot be accepted. Please make sure you complete all fields prior to submission.
Project Guidance
As part of the application, organizations must submit a project the grant will help fund. Examples of previously funded projects include but are not limited to:
• Providing farmers market programming for children
• Purchasing fans for a livestock arena to help cool the animals
• Developing a comprehensive chick hatching program to give tools and resources to those wanting to raise backyard flocks
• Opening a demonstration farm in conjunction with a local school district
• Purchasing grain bin rescue equipment for fire and rescue teams
• Funding a bee-keeping education program for vulnerable youths
• Purchasing an irrigation system at a local Farmers Market
• Expanding a local church garden space and adding fencing
• Hosting an annual agricultural event
• Purchasing a cargo trailer to transport livestock equipment
• Building a school greenhouse
Eligibility Considerations
Grants will be considered for programs only in the 147 counties and geographic areas where AgSouth Farm Credit conducts business. Grants will only be awarded to non-profit organizations and farmers markets and will not be awarded to individuals or private farms.
Funding Cycle
Grant applications will be accepted from April 1 to June 30th, 2024. Proposals will be reviewed and grants will be awarded in Nov-Dec of 2024. Funds awarded maybe utilized by recipients during the 2025 calendar year.
Application Deadline
The 2025 Grant Application period is now open. Applications can be received from April 1 to June 30th, 2024.
Here’s your chance! Asheville Community Theatre is thrilled to offer you the opportunity to win a magical 4-day Disney Cruise for four. By purchasing a raffle ticket, not only do you get a shot at an unforgettable family vacation, but you also support the arts in our community.
Prize Details:
- A Dream Cruise: The winner and three guests will embark on a 4-day journey to the Bahamas aboard a Disney Cruise ship. You’ll stay in a Veranda Cabin with breathtaking views and top-notch amenities.
- Customized Experience: Work with our travel agent, David Lloyd of Foothills Travel, to tailor your trip to perfection. Whether it’s exciting onboard activities or exploring the ports, your adventure will be exactly what you’ve dreamed of.
- Travel Support: We’ve got you covered with an additional $500 to help with transportation to and from Port Canaveral, ensuring a smooth start and end to your magical journey.
- Complete Assistance: From the moment you win to the end of your cruise, you’ll have personalized support to ensure your trip is seamless and unforgettable.
- Tickets are just $50 each, making this the perfect opportunity to potentially win a trip valued at $8,800, while supporting Asheville Community Theatre’s mission to enrich our community through the arts.
Don’t miss out on this chance to create lasting memories with your loved ones. Get your tickets now!
Click here to view the complete set of rules.
Want to learn how to process old clothing into pulp to make paper? Weave on a loom using local fiber? Forage and identify wild mushrooms?
The Mountain Institute for Lifelong Learning at Warren Wilson College is offering a full lineup of one-week courses for adult learners this May and July. These intensive short courses take place on the college campus (701 Warren Wilson Rd.), and are taught by Warren Wilson faculty and staff, local artisans and craft folk. Course topics include painting, podcasting, knitting, film making, natural history, fiber arts, birding, mushroom foraging, and fine woodworking, among many others.
“The Mountain Institute for Lifelong Learning is a vessel for community building, exploration, adventure, place-based learning, and the ignition of new passion for lifelong learners,” said Anna Welton, associate dean of community and global engagement at Warren Wilson. “These courses highlight the unique strengths of Warren Wilson College, which has been a hub of experiential learning since its founding as the Asheville Farm School in 1894.”
Adults of all ages (18+) are encouraged to apply. For information on course offerings, fees and registration, visit www.mountaininstitute.warren-wilson.edu or email [email protected].
Calling All Young Artists, Poets, and Creative Souls
We invite you to get inspired by the French Broad River and her watershed. Show off your creativity by submitting 2D art, 3D art, and poetry that reflect your connection with nature. Your work serves as a reminder of the beauty of Western NC and the impact it can have on us all.
We are now accepting submissions for our 17th annual Voices of the River Art and Poetry Contest. Children in grades K-12 are invited to submit original creative works that reflect their personal experiences, observations, and/or feelings regarding the river.
2024 Theme | “What is your favorite memory from beside the river or in the water?”
Local environmental advocates, artists, and poets will review entries and select three winners from each category and age group. The winners will receive prizes from some generous local businesses. All submissions will be displayed at a special gallery event on May 11 from 10 AM – 1 PM at Black Wall Street AVL.
Submission Deadline | April 19,2024
XP League Camps are designed to engage kids at many different levels. Not only do kids get to meet new friends and improve their skills in the games they love to play, but they will learn about teamwork, communications, sportsmanship, esports health, nutrition, esports psychology, stretching and exercise, mindset and motivation, boosting focus, and so much more.
Led by trained coaches and staff
Designed with on-screen and off-screen activities that focus on teamwork, communication, problem solving, leadership, and critical thinking
Open to all gamers regardless of skill level
Open to gamers ages 7 to 17
CHOOSE XP LEAGUE
WE BUILD CHARACTER, NOT AVATARS.
XP League’s professional coaches teach important skills such as sportsmanship and strategic thinking. Our gamer athletes experience all the benefits of being a part of a youth sports team. XP League is the first esports program to partner with the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) to ensure that our coaches set the highest standard for competitive youth gaming.
ALL ABILITIES WELCOME
Our programs are designed to fit athletes at all levels. From recreational players to advanced competitive teams, all athletes receive the positive influence and guidance of our experienced coaches.
DOUBLE-GOAL CERTIFIED COACHES
Our coaches aren’t just focused on winning. They want their teams to learn important life lessons as well. Our partnership with PCA, and XP League’s proprietary coach training certification process, equip our coaches with the tools to coach better play while being positive role models for our athletes.
PLAY LIKE THE PROS
All our programs include pro-level game training on professional equipment. We’re the real deal even down to our jerseys.
ACCOUNTABLE, NOT ANONYMOUS
Our athletes are coached to respect the rules and their fellow players. Forget about that anonymous player hiding behind their avatar. We compete hard AND compete fair.
THE HOTTEST GAMES. EPIC EXPERIENCES.
OUR CAMPS
ESPORTS ENTRPRENEUR: RUN YOUR OWN ESPORTS EVENT
Run your own esports event from plan to production and learn how to organize brackets, plan events, create marketing materials, and stream!
MINECRAFT REDSTONE ENGINEERING
Learn how redstone works in Minecraft and how it connects to electrical engineering in real life by building devices!
GAME DESIGN WITH FORTNITE CREATIVE
Learn game design concepts like collision, functions, and conditionals by building games using Fortnite’s Creative mode.
CONTENT CREATION FOR YOUTUBE & TWITCH
Learn how to record and edit video, create your own stream overlays, and learn how to write a script to turn your awesome video ideas into reality!
ESPORTS BOOTCAMP: BETTER PLAYER, BETTER PERSON
Learn the psychology behind rapid improvement and growth while gaining confidence in your skills in your favorite game.
DATES
JUNE 17-21 = Esports Bootcamp: Better Player, Better Person (Featuring Fortnite)*
JULY 8-12 = Esports Entrepreneur: Run your own Esports Event*
JULY 15-19 = Esports Bootcamp: Better Player, Better Person (Featuring Rocket League)*
JULY 22-26 = Game Design with Fortnite Creative*
AUGUST 5-9 = Content Creation for YouTube & Twitch*
AUGUST 12-16 = Esports Bootcamp: Better Player, Better Person (Featuring Fortnite)*
AUGUST 19-23 = Minecraft Redstone Engineering*
*SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO DEMAND
$199 for 5 days of a HALF-DAY morning camp: 8am-12pm
$199 for 5 days of a HALF-DAY afternoon camp: 12:00pm-4:00pm
$349 for 5 days of a FULL-DAY camp – save $50! 8am-4:00pm, bring their own lunch!
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Baker Exhibit Center
In an age of complex environmental challenges, why not look to the ingenuity of nature for solutions? The forms, patterns, and processes found in the natural world—refined by 3.8 billion years of evolution—can inspire our design of everything from clothing to skyscrapers. This approach to innovation, called biomimicry, is becoming increasingly popular.
Nature’s Blueprints is supported in part by The North Carolina Arboretum Society, The Laurel of Asheville, RomanticAsheville.com Travel Guide, and Smoky Mountain Living Magazine.
Buncombe County Parks & Recreation is announcing the launch of its new online reservation system for park pavilions.
ACTIVENet, the new online reservation system, allows for a hassle-free user experience for Buncombe County park visitors. With just a few clicks, visitors can make and cancel reservations from the comfort of their home, in addition to checking real-time availability of the pavilions. Park pavilions are located at Lake Jullian, Charles D. Owen, and the Buncombe County Sports Park. Field rental is also available through this new portal.
Key takeaways of the new reservation system include:
Seamless Interface: The user-friendly layout of the reservation system allows for hassle-free bookings and cancelations.
Real-time Park Pavilion Availability: Users are able to check the availability of the park pavilions at their favorite park, and on their preferred date and time.
Secure Payment: ACTIVENet’s secure payment portal ensures data protection and encryption with Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant technology.
Email confirmations: Once a reservation is made or canceled, users will receive a confirmation email with the details of their booking.
Click here to view a tutorial on how to book a park pavilion.
To access the new park pavilion reservation system, please visit www.buncombecounty.org/parks. There is a “Reserve & Register” button that will take users directly to the reservation portal. Please note that users must create an account prior to booking a park pavilion. For any inquiries or additional information, please contact [email protected] or call (828) 250-4260.
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This City of Asheville is launching the Less Plastic Asheville Challenge to encourage residents to reduce their consumption of single-use plastics. The campaign has two key features, a social media challenge called Less Plastic Bingo and a Pass on Plastic Pledge. The City will provide information on the impacts of single-use plastic on our community and tips for how our residents can understand and reduce their consumption of single-use plastics at tabling events around town and on our social media platforms. Those participating in the social media challenge can post photos and videos of themselves taking action to reduce single-use plastic consumption. Those who take the pledge will make commitments to sustainable lifestyle choices such as using reusable grocery bags and refusing single-use plastics. Residents who participate in either the Less Plastic Bingo Challenge or Pass on Plastic Pledge will win great prizes! The Less Plastic Asheville Challenge will begin in February 14, 2024 and end May 31, 2024. Follow the link at the top of the page to learn more about how you can participate and win these great sustainable items.
BackgroundIn October 2022, Asheville City Council directed the Sustainability Department to take a phased approach to reduce the consumption of single-use plastic. The first phase included an update to Chapter 15 of the City Code to prohibit the use of plastic bags in curbside brush and leaf collection. This ordinance change was approved by City Council on January 10, 2023 and was implemented August 1, 2023. For more information about this change and resources available check out this sanitation webpage. The second phase included further analysis and stakeholder engagement with area businesses, residents and city staff to inform a recommendation on additional single-use plastic reduction strategies surrounding plastic bags at point of sale and expanded polystyrene (StyrofoamTM) disposable foodware products. To see the results of this engagement read this blog post. On September 22, 2023 the North Carolina General Assembly approved the state budget that included a law prohibiting local governments from banning single-use plastic products. Due to this regulation, the City cannot adopt an ordinance banning plastic bags or expanded polystyrene (StyrofoamTM) takeout containers. Instead, the City is providing information and resources to residents and businesses to reduce single-use plastic consumption voluntarily through the Less Plastic Asheville Challenge. For more information on the previous plastic-reduction projects go to this webpage.
Less Plastic Asheville ChallengeTo reduce single-use plastic consumption and litter in our community it will take all of us! We invite you to join us, have a little fun and earn some prizes in the process! There are two ways to participate in the Less Plastic Asheville Challenge. You can take the Pass on Plastic Pledge and/or play Less Plastic Asheville Bingo. The pledge asks for you to commit to changes in your life to reduce your own plastic footprint, and the Bingo Challenge asks you to spread the word and help educate and inspire others about the issue through social media. The Pass on Plastic PledgeThe Pass on Plastic Pledge asks you to look at your own habits regarding single-use plastics and commit to practices that cut down your consumption, simple acts that improve our community and the environment. By taking this pledge, you are taking the charge to reduce your own plastic consumption. You can do this in a number of ways and the City of Asheville is here to inspire, support and cheer you on! When you commit to any one of the sustainable practices in the pledge, you will win plastic reducing prizes from the City. Your actions alone can reduce hundreds of pounds of plastic waste every year! By taking this pledge, you are showing that you care about the health, cleanliness, and pristine environment of our home in Asheville. It’s a big deal, and the City of Asheville thanks you. Take the Pass on Plastic Pledge
Less Plastic Asheville BingoThis bingo game is a social media challenge. It’s a fun way for you to help spread the word about single-use plastics, and to inspire the people around you to make changes and support sustainable businesses and habits. When you sign up, you will be emailed a bingo card. Once you have your card, follow the steps below in order to earn your swag.
Sign up below to receive your Less Plastic Bingo Card. |
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Located within the wildly-popular and botanically beautiful Southern Appalachian Mountains, The North Carolina Arboretum offers more than 10 miles of hiking trails that connect to many other area attractions such as Lake Powhatan, the Pisgah National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Visitors of all ages and abilities can enjoy their hiking experience at the Arboretum as trail options include easy, moderate, and difficult challenge levels. All trails are dog-friendly and visitors are asked to adhere to the proper waste disposing procedures for pets.
Part of a running group that would like to use the Arboretum as a starting point or parking location? Please review our Running Group Guidance and email [email protected] with any questions.
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Historians estimate that skilled Black artisans outnumbered their white counterparts in the antebellum South by a margin of five to one. However, despite their presence and prevalence in all corners of the pre-industrial trade and craft fields, the stories of these skilled workers go largely unacknowledged.
Borrowing its title from a Black culture and politics magazine of the same name, Hammer and Hope celebrates the life and labor of Black chairmakers in early America. Featuring the work of two contemporary furniture makers – Robell Awake and Charlie Ryland – the pieces in this exhibition are based on the artists’ research into ladderback chairs created by the Poynors, a multigenerational family of free and enslaved craftspeople working in central Tennessee between the early nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Through the objects featured in Hammer and Hope, Awake and Ryland explore, reinterpret, and reimagine what the field of furniture-making today would look like had the history and legacy of the Poynors – and countless others that have been subject to a similar pattern of erasure – been celebrated rather than hidden. Hammer and Hope represents Awake and Ryland’s attempts, in their own words, “at fighting erasure by making objects that engage with these long-suppressed stories.”
Robell Awake and Charlie Ryland are recipients of the Center for Craft’s 2022 Craft Research Fund Artist Fellowship. This substantial mid-career grant is awarded to two artists to support research projects that advance, expand, and support the creation of new research and knowledge through craft practice.
Preservers, Innovators, and Rescuers of Culture in Chiapas features eleven textiles by acclaimed Indigenous artisanas (artists) from Chiapas, Mexico commissioned by US-based fiber artists and activist Aram Han Sifuentes. As part of their 2022 Craft Research Fund Artist Fellowship, Han Sifuentes traveled to Chiapas to understand the function of garments and textiles within the social and cultural context of the area and to learn the traditional practice of backstrap weaving. Through the works on view, combined with a series of interviews Han Sifuentes conducted during her research, visitors learn about the artisanas and their role as preservers, rescuers, and innovators of culture and as protectors of Mayan ancestral knowledge. Together, these works present an approach to connecting and learning about culture through craft practices.
Han Sifuentes is interested in backstrap weaving because it is one of the oldest forms used across cultures. The vibrant hues and elaborate designs of each textile express the artisanas identities and medium to tell their stories. To understand how these values manifested in textiles made in Chiapas, Han Sifuentes invited the artisanas to create whatever weaving they desired over the course of three months. This is unique because most textiles in the area are created to meet tourist-driven and marketplace demands. Incorporating traditional backstrap weaving and natural dye techniques, some artisans created textiles to rescue or reintroduce weaving practices that are almost or completely lost in their communities, while others were created through material and conceptual experimentation. This range of approaches reflects how artistanas are constantly innovating while at the same time honoring and keeping to tradition.
Preservers, Innovators, and Rescuers of Culture in Chiapas is on view from November 17, 2023 to July 13, 2024.
Aram Han Sifuentes is a recipient of the Center for Craft’s 2022 Craft Research Fund Artist Fellowship. This substantial mid-career grant is awarded to two artists to support research projects that advance, expand, and support the creation of new research and knowledge through craft practice.
The featured artisanas include: Juana Victoria Hernandez Gomez from San Juan Cancuc, Maria Josefina Gómez Sanchez and Maria de Jesus Gómez Sanchez from Oxchujk (Oxchuc), Marcela Gómez Diaz and Cecilia Gómez Diaz from San Andrés Larráinzar, Rosa Margarita Enríquez Bolóm from Huixtán, Cristina García Pérez from Chalchihuitán, Susana Maria Gómez Gonzalez, Maria Gonzalez Guillén, and Anastacia Juana Gómez Gonzalez from Zinacantán, Angelica Leticia Gómez Santiz from Pantelhó, and Susana Guadalupe Méndez Santiz from Aldama
Join us for weekly workdays in the Sand Hill native tree nursery. Tasks vary and often include repotting, weeding, mulching, and other special projects to improve infrastructure and function.
Need to know
Please come dressed in work clothes with close toed shoes. Bring water and sun protection. All other gear and supplies are provided.
Sigal Music Museum’s current special exhibition, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred, highlights items from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, which hails from all over the world. Showing November 2023 – May 2024, Worlds Apart uses a diverse range of historical instruments, objects, and visuals to bring together musical narratives from seemingly disparate parts of the globe.
Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred aims to increase public access to historical instruments from around the world and improve visitors’ understanding of musical traditions at the global level. Expanding beyond the typical parameters of the Western musical canon, Worlds Apart seeks to expose audiences to musical instruments and customs that are often overlooked or exotified. The instruments and other exhibit materials will offer visitors new perspectives on global music and a chance to consider how music is used for prayer and leisure in cultures around the world. By celebrating these stories, the museum intends to further its mission to collect and preserve historical musical instruments, objects, and information, which engage and enrich people of all ages through exhibits, performances, and experiential programs.
Displaying various objects from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred focuses on international musical instruments and cultures, celebrating rites and traditions with ancient histories and contemporary legacies. Frank Edwinn, a successful basso in the mid-20th century, studied and toured internationally, eventually settling in North Carolina, where he taught music at the University of North Carolina Asheville. Throughout his life, he purchased various objects from around the world, aiming to expose students, and himself, to the wide and wonderful world of musical instruments. This impressive collection occupies a unique position for educating audiences unfamiliar with the vast scope of global music.
And, UNCA’s Ramsey Library Special Collections is now processing the Edwinn’s papers and a few recordings that will be accessible next semester!
TAKE A TRAIN RIDE ALONG SIDE THE BEAUTIFUL NANTAHALA RIVER ON OUR NANTAHALA GORGE EXCURSION! DEPARTING FROM BRYSON CITY, THIS 4½ HOUR ROUNDTRIP EXCURSION CARRIES YOU 44 MILES TO THE NANTAHALA GORGE AND BACK AGAIN ARRIVING AT OUR BRYSON CITY DEPOT.
Ride this excursion via Steam or Diesel locomotive power!
Enjoy the sights and sounds of the Great Smoky Mountains while traveling along the Tennessee and Nantahala (nan-tuh-HAY-luh) River. The historic trellis bridge Fontana Trestle takes you across Fontana Lake and into the beautiful Nantahala Gorge. Onboard dining is available in First Class Seating and selecting from our First Class dining menu options OR you can pre-purchase a box lunch option to make this an amazing unique moving dining experience. Arrive at our layover destination in the heart of the Nantahala Gorge for a one-hour layover where you can relax by the river or enjoy sightseeing!
Itinerary
| 30m before departure | Boarding begins at Bryson City Depot |
| See schedule for departure time | Depart Bryson City, NC |
| 1h 45m | Reach top of the line |
| 2h 00m | Begin return |
| 2h 30m—3h 30m | Layover |
| 3h 30m | Depart Layover |
| 4h 30m | Arrive at Bryson City Depot |
| Time from Departure | Activity |
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11am – 5pm Tuesday through Saturday
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Joseph Fiore (1925-2008) first enrolled at Black Mountain College for the Summer Session of 1946, the summer that Josef Albers invited Jacob Lawrence to teach painting at BMC. Over the next three years, Fiore also studied with Ilya Bolotowsky, Willem de Kooning, and Jean Varda. In 1949, after Josef and Anni Albers’ departure, Joe was invited to join the faculty, and he taught painting and drawing until 1956 when the college leaders decided to close.
After BMC closed, Joe and his wife Mary, whom he met and married at BMC, moved to New York City. There he became involved with the 10th Street art scene of the late 1950s and 1960s, a group of galleries that exhibited the work of young artists on the rise. Eventually he resumed his teaching career at the Philadelphia College of Art, Maryland Institute College of Art, and the National Academy.
In May of 2001, Joseph Fiore was awarded the Andrew Carnegie Prize at the National Academy of Design in New York. The Carnegie Prize is awarded “for painting” at the National Academy’s Members’ Show.
This exhibition consists of paintings in our collection donated by the artist and by The Falcon Foundation. All of the paintings were made at Black Mountain College and show Fiore’s distinctive use of color and his ability to work comfortably in the spaces between abstraction and representation.
Curated by Alice Sebrell, Director of Preservation
Exhibition and Public Programming
Vera B. Williams, an award-winning author and illustrator of children’s books, started making pictures almost as soon as she could walk. She studied at Black Mountain College in a time where summer institutes were held with classes taught by John Cage and Merce Cunningham. Williams studied under the Bauhaus luminary Josef Albers and went on to make art for the rest of her life. At the time of her death, The New York Times wrote: “Her illustrations, known for bold colors and a style reminiscent of folk art, were praised by reviewers for their great tenderness and crackling vitality.” Despite numerous awards and recognition for her children’s books, much of her wider life and work remains unexplored. This retrospective will showcase the complete range of Williams’ life and work. It will highlight her time at Black Mountain College, her political activism, and her establishment, with Paul Williams, of an influential yet little-known artist community, in addition to her work as an author and illustrator.
Author and illustrator of 17 children’s books, including Caldecott medal winner, A Chair for My Mother, Vera B. Williams always had a passion for the arts. Williams grew up in the Bronx, NY, and in 1936, when she was nine years old, one of her paintings, called Yentas, opens a new window, was included in an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. While Williams is widely known for her children’s books today, this exhibition’s expansive scope highlights unexplored aspects of her artistic practice and eight decades of life. From groundbreaking, powerful covers for Liberation Magazine, to Peace calendar collaborations with writer activist Grace Paley, to scenic sketches for Julian Beck and Judith Malina’s Living Theater, to hundreds of late life “Aging and Illness” cartoons sketches and doodles, Vera never sat still.
Williams arrived at Black Mountain College in 1945. While there, she embraced all aspects of living, working, and learning in the intensely creative college community. She was at BMC during a particularly fertile period, which allowed her to study with faculty members Buckminster Fuller and Josef Albers, and to participate in the famed summer sessions with John Cage, Merce Cunningham, M.C. Richards, and Robert Rauschenberg. In 1948, she graduated with Josef Albers as her advisor and sculptor Richard Lippold as her outside examiner. Forever one of the College’s shining stars, Vera graduated from BMC with just six semesters of coursework, at only twenty-one years old. She continued to visit BMC for years afterward, staying deeply involved with the artistic community that BMC incubated.
Anticipating the eventual closure of BMC, Williams, alongside her husband Paul Williams and a group of influential former BMC figures, founded The Gate Hill Cooperative Artists community located 30 miles north of NYC on the outskirts of Stony Point, NY. The Gate Hill Cooperative, also known as The Land, became an outcropping of Black Mountain College’s experimental ethos. Students and faculty including John Cage, M.C. Richards, David Tudor, Karen Karnes, David Weinrib, Stan VanDerBeek, and Patsy Lynch Wood shaped Gate Hill as founding members of the community. Vera B. Williams raised her three children at Gate Hill while continuing to make work.
The early Gate Hill era represented an especially creative phase for the BMC group. For Williams, this period saw the creation of 76 covers for Liberation Magazine, a radical, groundbreaking publication. This exhibition will feature some of Williams’ most powerful Liberation covers including a design for the June 1963 edition, which contained the first full publication of MLK’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Williams’ activism work continued throughout her life. As president of PEN’s Children Committee and member of The War Resisters league, she created a wide range of political and educational posters and journal covers. Williams protested the war in Vietnam and nuclear proliferation while supporting women’s causes and racial equality. In 1981, Williams was arrested and spent a month in a federal prison on charges stemming from her political activism.
In her late 40’s, Williams embarked in earnest on her career as a children’s book author and illustrator, a career which garnered the NY Public Library’s recognition of A Chair for My Mother as one of the greatest 100 children’s books of all time. Infinitely curious and always a wanderer at heart, Williams’ personal life was as expansive as her art. In addition to her prolific picture making, Williams started and helped run a Summerhill-based alternative school, canoed the Yukon, and lived alone on a houseboat in Vancouver Harbor. She helped to organize and attended dozens of political demonstrations throughout her adult life.
Her books won many awards including the Caldecott Medal Honor Book for A Chair for My Mother in 1983, the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award– Fiction category– for Scooter in 1994, the Jane Addams Honor for Amber Was Brave, Essie Was Smart in 2002, and the NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s Literature in 2009. Her books reflected her values, emphasizing love, compassion, kindness, joy, strength, individuality, and courage.
Images:
Cover of Vera B. Williams’ A Chair for My Mother, published in 1982.
Vera B. Williams, Cover for Liberation Magazine, November 1958.
Plan Now for What Comes Later
Are you interested in learning more about estate planning and planned giving for yourself or someone in your family? We’re pleased to offer a great opportunity to do so in a comfortable, low-key environment.
Join us for a Lunch & Learn Session on Estate Planning at Flat Rock Cinema on April 16th.
Our presenters are Koral F. Alman, an attorney with Van Winkle Law Firm, Logan Bolick, CFA, CFP, Principal, and Senior Wealth Advisor at Beacon Pointe, and Chaplain David Blackmon.
Doors open at 11:30 am, and the program begins at Noon. Lunch will be provided.
RSVP Here or phone 828.233.2700
Join us in LEAF’s ONEmic Studio generously supported by the Ben Gradison Memorial Fund, which was created to carry on Ben’s mission of connecting cultures and building community through recording studios both locally and globally.
Internationally, the Ben Gradison Memorial Fund has been an integral support for setting up ONEmic studios in Haiti and Costa Rica, in conjunction with LEAF International.
Through LEAF’s partnership with Asheville Parks and Recreation, the ONEmic Studio continues to fulll Ben’s mission of creating opportunities for local youth to nd their voice through music and the arts.
In honor of Ben Gradison (1984-2012)
Teaching Artist
Ben Gradison Memorial Fund
To help us in carrying on Ben’s dreams and dedication, please make donations to:
LEAF Schools & Streets
c/o Ben Gradison Memorial Fund
| with YMCA Begin Tuesday, March 19th |
| Join us for Chamber Challenge training designed for ALL fitness levels with YMCA Personal Trainer Suzanne Ion beginning next Tuesday, March 19th!
These free sessions will be held Tuesdays at 5:30 PM through April 23rd at the Asheville Chamber (36 Montford Avenue). The last session will be a preview run/walk of the actual Chamber Challenge 5k course beginning at the Chamber, winding through historic Montford and finishing in the parking lot once again. These training sessions are open to anyone – whether you’ve registered to participate in the event or not! We recommend you bring your own water bottle. The doors to the Visitor Center will be open 5:00 – 5:30 PM on training days so you can come in to get water and/or use the restroom! Meet in the parking lot in front of the building. Thank you to our Training Partner – the YMCA of Western North Carolina!
Our trainer for the second consecutive year is Suzanne Ion, a sixth generation native of Hawaii who grew up on the island of Maui and in the north Georgia mountains. Whether this is your first 5k or your 500th, you’ll be in good hands with Suzanne. No stranger to health challenges, she lost over 70 lbs. after a debilitating illness with a commitment to interval cross training and a determination to teach again. Her motto is “Someday I will not be able to do this. Today is not that day.” She was the only girl on an all-boys soccer team, ran track in high school, and was a basketball cheerleader and member of the drill team/dance corps in high school and college. Suzanne has Three Star Elite Instructor status for spinning and has continued her fitness education with group exercise certifications through AFFA, ACE, TRX, Silver Sneakers, Mat Pilates, and Tabata Boot Camp. An active participant in 5k’s, 10k’s, half and full marathons, she achieved a Top 20 overall women’s finish at the Lake Tahoe marathon. Whether it’s scuba diving, kayaking, sup, hiking, or glacier climbs, Suzanne is always ready for a challenge. |
Spring Musical
Finding Nemo KIDS
2nd-4thGrades
Tuesdays
2:30pm-4:00pm
2/6, 2/13, 2/20. 2/27, 3/5, 3/12, 3/19, 3/26, 4/9, 4/16, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14
No Class: 4/2 Spring Break, 4/23 Early Release
Dress Rehearsal: 5/7 2:30-4:00pm
Performance: 5/14/2024 3:30pm
Tuition: $300
Students will learn all about teamwork as they work together with their classmates and a professional Teaching Artist to perform scenes and songs from a short musical. Each actor will receive their own part with lines and songs to learn. Class time will be used for rehearsal and a performance complete with costumes and props will take place on the final class day.
In Person at Glen Arden Elementary School
50 Pinehurst Cir, Arden, NC 28704
Join us every Tuesday for some sweet sweet deals as a way for us to thank you and all of our fellow service industry friends!
Join us for a lively language enrichment story time designed for children ages 4 to 18 months.
Share experiences with others on a similar journey at this monthly bereavement support group at the Woodfin YMCA. This group is a safe and supportive place for all and is free to the community. Meets on the first and third Tuesday of the month from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
For more information contact [email protected] or call (828) 575-2926.
Join us on April 16th from 6-8pm at White Duck Taco Shop (388 Riverside Drive) for our joint April Monthly Meeting with the Teen Dems!
We’ll be discussing the 2024 primary election results in Buncombe County, our plans to engage young voters this summer, and the upcoming Board of Education elections!
Anybody is welcome to attend our meetings, but eligible members for the Buncombe Young Democrats are registered Dems or unaffiliated voters from the ages 16-35. Eligible members for the Teen Dems are students aged 13-19.
If you have any questions about the meeting or the location, please reach out to BCYD President Brenden Hipps (828-329-2383).
During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries Black fiddlers routinely provided the music for dancing at social events throughout North America. While white musicians performed in formal concerts, it was primarily Black musicians who played for the dances. This was true in the North as well as in the South. In this presentation, we will have a look at the legacy of Black fiddling in America, from its African roots to the present day.
Presenter Phil Jamison is nationally-known as a dance caller, old-time musician, and flatfoot dancer. He has called dances, performed, and taught at music festivals and dance events throughout the U.S. and overseas since the early 1970s. A 2017 inductee to the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame and a 2022 inductee to America’s Clogging Hall of Fame, Phil taught traditional music and dance at Warren Wilson College for close to thirty years, where he also served as coordinator of the Old-Time Music and Dance Week at the Swannanoa Gathering.
This program is brought to you by Special Collections at Pack Library and is part of the One Book, One Buncombe community-wide read. Learn more about the community-wide read here.