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.
THURSDAY, APRIL 1 – FRIDAY, APRIL 30
The dormancy of winter is coming to an end, and life is beginning to return to the forests. Wildflowers blooming and buds on trees are an indication that spring and warmer weather are right around the corner. This is the perfect opportunity to capture some beautiful images of the Park’s spring blooms and enter them into our “Buds & Blooms” Photo Contest. We’ll use the winning entries on our website and Facebook album, and you’ll win some fun prizes. Photos must be taken within the Chimney Rock section of the Park.
GREAT PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED TO 3 WINNING ENTRIES
Unique outdoor sculptural works by environmental artist Patrick Dougherty, known as “Stick Man,” will reside in Antler Hill Village. Renowned worldwide for his monumental creations, Dougherty weaves saplings and branches into intricate artworks, fashioning whimsical forms ranging from gigantic snares and cocoons to sculptural interpretations of notable buildings. The visual appeal of these large-scale artworks may be appreciated up close as guests are encouraged to walk through and around the creations, affording the opportunity to admire the artistry and technical skills required to make the sculptures.
Studio 52 is seeking a diverse group of young singers between the ages of 8-18 to be featured in an upcoming virtual performance! Virtual rehearsals will take place on Zoom on Wednesdays, April 14, 21, and 28 from 7:15 – 8:15 PM EST. To join the choir, please fill out the form linked below by Friday, April 9.
Singers must attend all rehearsals and memorize 2-3 musical theatre songs. Following rehearsals, choir members will be asked to submit a video of their songs. Singers will need access to reliable internet, headphones, and a device to film (smart phones work best.) These videos will be edited together and presented in a virtual cabaret in early June celebrating young artists and benefitting Flat Rock Playhouse.
The choir will be directed by Director of Education Anna Kimmell and Music Directed by Artistic Associate Matthew Glover. No auditions are necessary. Former, current, and future Studio 52 participants or any young person who loves singing are welcome to participate! A Studio 52 staff member will then be in touch with more information, music, listening tracks, and Zoom links.
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Show Us What the River Means to You!
Every spring we host our Voices of the River: Art & Poetry Contest. We ask kids to use the river as a source of inspiration to showcase their creativity. Each year we are so amazed by the talent of these young artists, poets, and performers. Submissions can include 2D and 3D works in various mediums, poems and creative writings, and video compositions of songs, dances, or skits. Winners are selected by a council of judges made up of local artists, writers, and community leaders. Many generous businesses also donate prizes for winners from each age group and category.
This year we want you to show us “How has the river helped you during this time of isolation?”
All entries are due by Thursday April 22nd
Included with admission
A unique-to-Biltmore, large-scale outdoor sculpture will be crafted and installed in Antler Hill Village this spring by Patrick Dougherty. Over the last three decades, this internationally-acclaimed artist has combined his carpentry skills and love of nature to build over 300 of these wondrous works, captivating the hearts and imaginations of viewers worldwide.
Image: Close Ties (2006) Scottish Basketmakers Circle, Dingwall, Scotland. Photo: Fin Macrae
NOTE: This is an example of Patrick Dougherty’s work; the artist will create Biltmore’s unique structure in Antler Hill Village this spring.
April is National Poetry Month and we invite all poets, would be poets and poetry fans to celebrate with Buncombe County Public Libraries. We’ll be hosting the following free events at libraries all over the county. For more information on any of these programs, contact your friendly neighborhood library.
Black Out Poetry Kits Available at the Library
All Month Long
Every Library
Come to any library and pick up a free kit to create a black out poetry masterpiece. Black out poetry doesn’t start with a blank page, it starts with a page of words taken from an old book. Poets will eliminate words to create a poem composed of the words left on the page. Visit any branch of Buncombe County Public Libraries in April to pick up your very own black out poetry kit featuring markers, inspiration and pages of print to begin your creation. When you’re finished, photograph your creation and upload it to facebook or instagram. Tag your library’s account and we’ll feature it as a post! You can also drop your poem by the library and we’ll post it for you. Kits are available while supplies last.
American Folk Art presents: The 9th Annual Face Jug Show:
April 6th – April 20th, 2021
Opens on our Website/Sales Begin: Tuesday April 6th at 11AM EST
Opens in the Gallery, 64 Biltmore Ave: Thursday April 8th – Tuesday April 20th, 2021
2021 marks the 9th consecutive April that American Folk Art will devote to the regional tradition of Face Jugs. These jugs began to appear in these parts in the very early 1800’s. The addition of the Faces, snakes and other foreboding iconography was added to Moonshine jugs as a clever way to keep children from drinking the hooch stored within.
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.
“Take a Woolworth Walk on the Wild Side” – Participating local
artists will donate a percentage of sales of art depicting native wildlife in
a variety of mediums.
Woolworth Walk and participating local artists join to support
Appalachian Wild’s mission to help save injured and orphaned wildlife.
Appalachian Wild provides care for approximately 2,000 animals
annually.
Featuring more than 40 paintings and works on paper, Beauford Delaney’s Metamorphosis into Freedom examines the career evolution of modern painter Beauford Delaney (Knoxville, TN 1901–1979 Paris, France) within the context of his 38-year friendship with writer James Baldwin. The works in this exhibition bring into special focus Delaney’s intensified experiments with abstraction sparked by the artist’s 1955 move to the Paris suburb of Clamart, as well as the ways that the artist and Baldwin’s ongoing intellectual exchange shaped one another’s creative output and worldview from their first meeting in 1940 until Delaney’s death in 1979. This exhibition also calls attention to Baldwin’s role as “witness” to the painter’s evolution, which he deemed “one of the most extraordinary personal and artistic journeys of our time.”
Featuring more than 40 paintings and works on paper, Beauford Delaney’s Metamorphosis into Freedom examines the career evolution of modern painter Beauford Delaney (Knoxville, TN 1901–1979 Paris, France) within the context of his 38-year friendship with writer James Baldwin (New York 1924-1987 Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France). The exhibition will be on view in the Asheville Art Museum’s Explore Asheville Exhibition Hall April 2 through June 21, 2021. The works in this exhibition bring into special focus Delaney’s experiments with abstraction sparked by the artist’s 1955 move to the Paris suburb of Clamart, as well as the ways that the artist and Baldwin’s ongoing intellectual exchange shaped one another’s creative output and worldview from their first meeting in 1940 until Delaney’s death in 1979. |
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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.
Desire Paths looks at makers within the discourse of craft and those existing on the periphery of the craftscape who focus on the movement of the body towards something desirable. These desires of the body are in relationship to nature, technology, self, and society. Using architectural theory and queer curatorial strategies, Desire Paths examines the possibilities and futures of bodies, revealing connections between the corporeal and craft.
“Desire paths,” a term taken from urban planning, are lines trodden in the landscape when constructed walkways do not provide a direct or desired route. Through action, repetition, and intentionality, desire paths are crafted modifications to the landscape that allow for a body to move towards a horizon. The format of the works include traditional craft media, performance, video, and interactive web-based work. Through this variety of media and performative tactics the makers in Desire Paths consider how we view, value, and ascribe meaning to a body/the body/the others body. They show us the power and agency held in body and present us with crafted visions of the body that confront and expand expectations
The works in this exhibition reclaim the concept of craft from its historical associations with the decorative, frivolous, feminine, indigenous, and the other. The makers use the medium of craft, and the action of crafting, to produce powerful representations and counter narratives to dominant culture.
Two Ways to View
Virtual Tour
Online visitors can register to attend a virtual tour of this exhibition. This is a free event. A $5-10 donation at time of registration is recommended.
In-Person
The Center is offering free, unguided visits and affordable tours of its exhibitions to the public. Guests can reserve a 30-minute visit to explore the current exhibitions, learn more about the Center’s national impact in their Craft Research Fund Study Collection, and enjoy interactive activities. The Center is open to the public Tuesday-Friday, 11 am -5 pm. Hours of operation may be subject to change.
Center for Craft is monitoring the effects of COVID-19 on the community and following the instruction of federal, state, and local health departments. Our top priority is always the health and safety of our staff, coworkers, and visitors. At this time, the Center can only allow a maximum of five guests in its public space at once and will require the use of masks or face coverings by all visitors, including children. The Center reserves the right to refuse entry to any visitor that will not comply.
Soft pastel is the purest medium for painting with vibrant colors, ability to blend or layer, and a variety of strokes and techniques. In this four-part virtual class, explore color, texture, and design to create beautiful finished paintings. Review the pastel medium and tools, color theory, and design; focus on individual expression; and use creative interpretations for paintings. This program takes place via Zoom; space is limited. More info and register at ashevilleart.org/events.
FABRICated presents an intergenerational look at new boundaries in art and craft through works that merge fiber-based processes with other media, like painting, sculpture, and blacksmithing. Each of the seven artists explores ideas of the body, identity, and their unique, personal stories by using a medium with a rich history of craft. Stitching, in and of itself, is slow and methodical and invites the audience to slow down and look carefully at the physicality of the thread, the textures of the fabric, and the paint and the found objects that are introduced into the mix. The result is an exhibition that questions the nature of what constitutes women’s work, the relationship of fine art and craft, and how these elements can come together to form a new kind of community conversation. FABRICated presents the work of two established artists, Virginia Derryberry (Asheville, NC) and Marcia Goldenstein (Knoxville, TN), along with five emerging artists who are exploring new boundaries in art and craft and, by so doing, open up an exploration between an older and a younger generation.
Calling all arts workers! Did you get out of the routine of self care or indulge in some stress eating during this last year? Wortham Center for the Performing Arts is looking to help you out. Fill out this brief survey and let them know you are interested in participating in these free weekly workout classes
Legends of Art & Innovation at Biltmore – a year-long series of multi-sensory experiences created to illuminate the remarkable lives of Van Gogh, Monet, and Da Vinci – is coming to Biltmore.
Produced by Grande Experiences, each individual component of this series offers fascinating ties to George Vanderbilt’s collection of treasures in Biltmore House. The series is included with regular daytime admission.
The three inspiring multi-sensory exhibitions at Biltmore include:
• Van Gogh Alive: Nov. 5, 2021 – March 5, 2022
Experience the most visited multi-sensory experience in the world to appreciate the works of Vincent Van Gogh during Christmas at Biltmore. Highlights include savoring the wonders of Van Gogh’s Starry Night and other masterpieces.
• Monet & Friends – Life, Light & Color: March 9, 2022 – July 6, 2022
The works of Claude Monet and famous Impressionist masters such as Pissarro, Cézanne, and Renoir come alive during Biltmore Blooms with an immersive experience that stimulates the senses. Two original Monet paintings from Biltmore’s collection will be on display in Biltmore House for the first time.
• Leonardo Da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius: July 10, 2022–Nov. 20, 2022
Marvel at the genius of Leonardo da Vinci as an inventor, artist, scientist, engineer, architect, and philosopher as you are immersed in his innovative and inspiring mind.
Ticket information
Tickets and required reservations for Van Gogh Alive will be available later this year, followed by the two remaining experiences at later dates. For updates, visit www.biltmore.com.
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We know you love Buncombe County parks! We get tagged in lots of pics on Facebook and Instagram. Why not get a sweet reward for your photo skills?
Each month, we’ll announce a theme. Post your favorite photos to Instagram or Facebook showing the theme in one of our parks. Make sure to tag @BuncombeRecreation and use the hashtag #IHeartBCParks. Be sure your photo is set to “public” and use the hashtag or we won’t be able to find it. (Full rules below.)
Our theme for April is… (drumroll, please) Game On! You play soccer, disc golf, volleyball, kickball, gaga, horse shoes, fishing, bocce, lacrosse, softball, baseball, and more in Buncombe County parks. Post your best pics by Apr. 30; you can submit an unlimited number of photos. Be creative and think outside the box.
The winning photo will receive:
- Cool I Heart Parks swag: rope bag cross body sling, water bottle, compass, first aid kit, pen, and stickers
- Picture set as the cover photo for Buncombe County Recreation Service’s Facebook page for a month
- Bragging rights
Want to get a jump on the competition? Future themes include kids, pets, autumn views, and Leave No Trace.
#IHeartBCParks Photo Contest Rules and Guidelines
- Photos MUST be taken at a Buncombe County park. Tag or identify your location in your post.
- You do not need to be a Buncombe County resident to enter. Everyone is eligible to submit an entry*.
- Photos must be posted on Facebook or Instagram.
- Entry participants must be a follower of Buncombe County Recreation Services on Facebook or Instagram. Non-followers are not eligible.
- To enter, post your photo on Facebook or Instagram tagging @BuncombeRecreation on Facebook or Instagram. Use the hashtag #IHeartBCParks. (If you do not use this hashtag we won’t be able to find your photo.)
- Make sure your photo is set to “public” so we can see it.
- By submitting your photo, you warrant that your entry is an original work of authorship. You understand and agree that Buncombe County Recreation Services can re-post your photo and credit your name/username in any future promotions hereafter.
- All photos must be posted within the time frame to be eligible.
- Individuals may submit an unlimited number of photos.
- Prizes cannot be substituted, transferred, or returned for cash. No purchase necessary to enter or win. A purchase does not increase the chances of winning.
- This contest is not sponsored, administered, or endorsed by Facebook or Instagram.
- Be creative and think outside the box. Get out and enjoy your Buncombe County parks, pools, and open spaces!
*Entries must be submitted by individuals ages 18 or older. Employees of Buncombe County, the contest’s participating sponsors, and members of the immediate family of any such persons are not eligible to participate and win. The term “immediate family” includes spouses, siblings, parents, children, grandparents, and grandchildren, whether it is “in-laws,” or by current or past marriage(s), remarriage(s), adoption, co-habitation or other family extension, and any other persons residing at the same household whether or not related.
To receive the I Heart Parks monthly newsletter, sign up online.
THURSDAY, APRIL 1 – FRIDAY, APRIL 30
The dormancy of winter is coming to an end, and life is beginning to return to the forests. Wildflowers blooming and buds on trees are an indication that spring and warmer weather are right around the corner. This is the perfect opportunity to capture some beautiful images of the Park’s spring blooms and enter them into our “Buds & Blooms” Photo Contest. We’ll use the winning entries on our website and Facebook album, and you’ll win some fun prizes. Photos must be taken within the Chimney Rock section of the Park.
GREAT PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED TO 3 WINNING ENTRIES
Unique outdoor sculptural works by environmental artist Patrick Dougherty, known as “Stick Man,” will reside in Antler Hill Village. Renowned worldwide for his monumental creations, Dougherty weaves saplings and branches into intricate artworks, fashioning whimsical forms ranging from gigantic snares and cocoons to sculptural interpretations of notable buildings. The visual appeal of these large-scale artworks may be appreciated up close as guests are encouraged to walk through and around the creations, affording the opportunity to admire the artistry and technical skills required to make the sculptures.
Studio 52 is seeking a diverse group of young singers between the ages of 8-18 to be featured in an upcoming virtual performance! Virtual rehearsals will take place on Zoom on Wednesdays, April 14, 21, and 28 from 7:15 – 8:15 PM EST. To join the choir, please fill out the form linked below by Friday, April 9.
Singers must attend all rehearsals and memorize 2-3 musical theatre songs. Following rehearsals, choir members will be asked to submit a video of their songs. Singers will need access to reliable internet, headphones, and a device to film (smart phones work best.) These videos will be edited together and presented in a virtual cabaret in early June celebrating young artists and benefitting Flat Rock Playhouse.
The choir will be directed by Director of Education Anna Kimmell and Music Directed by Artistic Associate Matthew Glover. No auditions are necessary. Former, current, and future Studio 52 participants or any young person who loves singing are welcome to participate! A Studio 52 staff member will then be in touch with more information, music, listening tracks, and Zoom links.
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Show Us What the River Means to You!
Every spring we host our Voices of the River: Art & Poetry Contest. We ask kids to use the river as a source of inspiration to showcase their creativity. Each year we are so amazed by the talent of these young artists, poets, and performers. Submissions can include 2D and 3D works in various mediums, poems and creative writings, and video compositions of songs, dances, or skits. Winners are selected by a council of judges made up of local artists, writers, and community leaders. Many generous businesses also donate prizes for winners from each age group and category.
This year we want you to show us “How has the river helped you during this time of isolation?”
All entries are due by Thursday April 22nd
Included with admission
A unique-to-Biltmore, large-scale outdoor sculpture will be crafted and installed in Antler Hill Village this spring by Patrick Dougherty. Over the last three decades, this internationally-acclaimed artist has combined his carpentry skills and love of nature to build over 300 of these wondrous works, captivating the hearts and imaginations of viewers worldwide.
Image: Close Ties (2006) Scottish Basketmakers Circle, Dingwall, Scotland. Photo: Fin Macrae
NOTE: This is an example of Patrick Dougherty’s work; the artist will create Biltmore’s unique structure in Antler Hill Village this spring.
April is National Poetry Month and we invite all poets, would be poets and poetry fans to celebrate with Buncombe County Public Libraries. We’ll be hosting the following free events at libraries all over the county. For more information on any of these programs, contact your friendly neighborhood library.
Black Out Poetry Kits Available at the Library
All Month Long
Every Library
Come to any library and pick up a free kit to create a black out poetry masterpiece. Black out poetry doesn’t start with a blank page, it starts with a page of words taken from an old book. Poets will eliminate words to create a poem composed of the words left on the page. Visit any branch of Buncombe County Public Libraries in April to pick up your very own black out poetry kit featuring markers, inspiration and pages of print to begin your creation. When you’re finished, photograph your creation and upload it to facebook or instagram. Tag your library’s account and we’ll feature it as a post! You can also drop your poem by the library and we’ll post it for you. Kits are available while supplies last.
American Folk Art presents: The 9th Annual Face Jug Show:
April 6th – April 20th, 2021
2021 marks the 9th consecutive April that American Folk Art will devote to the regional tradition of Face Jugs. These jugs began to appear in these parts in the very early 1800’s. The addition of the Faces, snakes and other foreboding iconography was added to Moonshine jugs as a clever way to keep children from drinking the hooch stored within.
American Folk Art presents: The 9th Annual Face Jug Show:
April 6th – April 20th, 2021
Opens on our Website/Sales Begin: Tuesday April 6th at 11AM EST
Opens in the Gallery, 64 Biltmore Ave: Thursday April 8th – Tuesday April 20th, 2021
2021 marks the 9th consecutive April that American Folk Art will devote to the regional tradition of Face Jugs. These jugs began to appear in these parts in the very early 1800’s. The addition of the Faces, snakes and other foreboding iconography was added to Moonshine jugs as a clever way to keep children from drinking the hooch stored within.