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.
Ushers Needed
Volunteer ushers are a vital part of the theatre’s Front of House operations.
Ushering is such an easy way to support Local Theater, and to see a show for free! Whether it’s collecting tickets or tidying up after the performance, your help is greatly appreciated and rewarded with free admission. Sign up today, it is a great way to support local theatre!
“LIFE ART LIFE William Bernstein 50 year retrospective” exhibition August 6-October 9, 2022 at the Toe River Arts’ Kokol Gallery, Spruce Pine, NC, features the paintings and glass of this artist who has been on the forefront of the studio glass movement.
Graduating 1968 from the Philadelphia College of Arts and just married, Bernstein moved to Penland School of Crafts to be their second glass resident artist from 1968-70. He was a co-founder of the Glass Arts Society (GAS) that formed to bring together the glass community so people could work together and learn from each other. Receiving numerous awards, fellowships and grants, he has exhibited internationally and has artwork in many private and public collections. Bernstein has lived most of his professional life in the rural Celo community of Yancey, North Carolina along with his family and artist wife, Katherine Bernstin. This retrospective provides a great opportunity for one to imagine a life surrounded by art.
This has been not only been a year-long process of curating pieces for an exhibit, but a lifetime of making art that connects with all things about one’s life. Bernstein’s work in glass and paint showcases just that: his family, his pets, friends, his environs, his moods and so much more. A life well-lived in creating art. More on Bernstein Glass www.bernsteinglass.com
William Warmus (A Fellow and former curator of Modern Glass at the Corning Museum), writes for the exhibition catalog, “Bernstein is a minimalist whose style is based upon the dedication to the concepts of honesty, modesty, and humility. It has a feel of its surroundings and of the people of the region.”
The Toe River Arts Kokol Gallery is located at 269 Oak Avenue, Spruce Pine, NC 28777. The exhibition dates: August 6 – October 9, 2022. Hours: Tuesdays-Saturdays from 10:30 – 5:00 pm. 828-765-0520, www.toeriverarts.org
Public receptions on Fridays: August 12 and October 7, both 5:00-7:00 PM. Artist gallery talk Friday, August 12, 4:00 pm. The exhibition travels to Cary Arts Center November 30 – January 21, 2023.
Coinciding with the United Nations’ Year 2022 as the Year of Glass and the 60th Anniversary of the Studio Glass Movement, this has been made possible by Toe River Arts, the North Carolina Arts Council, the Cary Art Center, Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass, the Blumenthal Foundation, and Mountain Electronics in Micaville, NC.
Jessie B. Telfair, Freedom Quilt, 1983, cotton with pencil, 74 × 68 inches. Collection American Folk Art Museum, NY, gift of Judith Alexander in loving memory of her sister, Rebecca Alexander, 2004.9.1. © Estate of Jessie. B. Telfair, image Gavin Ashworth.
American Perspectives: Stories from the American Folk Art Museum Collection showcases over 80 stellar works of folk and self-taught art including assemblages, needlework, paintings, pottery, quilts, and sculpture. Organized by the American Folk Art Museum in New York, this exhibition will be on view in the Explore Asheville Exhibition Hall at the Asheville Art Museum from June 18 through September 5, 2022. Everyone has stories to tell from both the private and mutual experiences encountered throughout their lifetime. American folk and self-taught artists capture these stories in powerful visual narratives that offer firsthand testimonies to chapters in the unfolding story of America from its inception to the present. Beautiful, diverse, and truthful; the art illuminates the thoughts and experiences of individuals with an immediacy that is palpable and unique to these expressions. These artworks held meaning in the makers’ worlds filtered through their own perceptions.
The artworks are organized into four sections—Founders, Travelers, Philosophers, and Seekers—that respond to such themes as nationhood, freedom, community, imagination, opportunity, and legacy. Evocative visual juxtapositions and accessible contextual information further reveal the vital role that folk art plays as a witness to history, carrier of cultural heritage, and a reflection of the world at large through the eyes, heart, and mind of the artist.
“While the Asheville Art Museum exhibits many folk and self-taught artists, most are local to the Southeast,” says Whitney Richardson, associate curator. “American Perspectives adds a national voice to the conversation by adding New England, Midwestern, Southwestern, and West Coast artworks that the Museum could never achieve alone. The amount of creative output from folk and self-taught artists was (and still is) on a national level and this exhibition helps to put that into a clear context. Traveling to Asheville from the collection of the American Folk Art Museum in New York, this exhibition will complement and expand the Museum’s ongoing conversations around American history and storytelling through works of art.”
This exhibition has been organized by the American Folk Art Museum, NY, with support provided by Art Bridges. Originally curated for installation at the American Folk Art Museum February 11, 2020–January 3, 2021 by Stacy C. Hollander, independent curator. Tour coordinated by Emelie Gevalt, Curator of Folk Art and Curatorial Chair for Collections, the American Folk Art Museum.
 |
| Richard Misrach, Wall, Jacumba, California, 2009, pigment print, 60 × 80 inches. Courtesy the Artist. © Richard Misrach, courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco.. |
|
|
 |
| Draped and Veiled: 20×24 Polaroid Photographs by Joyce Tenneson showcases Joyce Tenneson’s Transformations series, which she began in 1985 and engaged with through 2005. Transformations features partially or fully nude figures poetically presented; Tenneson’s photographs have always been interested in the magic of the human figure, contained within bodies of all ages and emotions in a broad range that are both vulnerable and bold. This exhibition features 12 large Polaroids from the poetic series. Draped and Veiled will be on view May 25–October 10, 2022. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Useful and Beautiful: Silvercraft by William Waldo Dodge features a selection of functional silver works by Dodge drawn from the Museum’s Collection. Organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Whitney Richardson, associate curator, this exhibition will be on view in the Debra McClinton Gallery at the Museum from February 23 through October 17, 2022.
William Waldo Dodge Jr. (Washington, DC 1895–1971 Asheville, NC) moved to Asheville in 1924 as a trained architect and a newly skilled silversmith. When he opened for business promoting his handwrought silver tableware, including plates, candlesticks, flatware (spoons, forks, and knives), and serving dishes, he did so in a true Arts and Crafts tradition. The aesthetics of the style were dictated by its philosophy: an artist’s handmade creation should reflect their hard work and skill, and the resulting artwork should highlight the material from which it was made. Dodge’s silver often displayed his hammer marks and inventive techniques, revealing the beauty of these useful household goods.
The Arts and Crafts style of England became popular in the United States in the early 1900s. Asheville was an early adopter of the movement because of the popularity and abundance of Arts and Crafts architecture in neighborhoods like Biltmore Forest, Biltmore Village, and the area around The Grove Park Inn. The title of this exhibition was taken from the famous quotation by one of the founding members of the English Arts and Crafts Movement, William Morris, who said, “have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” Not only did Dodge follow this suggestion; he contributed to American Arts and Crafts silver’s relevancy persisting almost halfway into the 20th century.
“It has been over 15 years since the Museum exhibited its collection of William Waldo Dodge silver and I am looking forward to displaying it in the new space with some new acquisitions added,” said Whitney Richardson, associate curator. Learn more at ashevilleart.org.
Chapter Two is presented as readers theatre by The Autumn Players.
In life, love and loss can intertwine in sometimes painful, sometimes funny ways. Recent widower George Schneider finds that especially true when he re-enters the dating world at the insistence of his interfering brother. The road to love is bumpy, and for George it’s a bittersweet journey towards hope and finding someone worth fighting for…again.
RTS: Chapter Two
By Neil Simon; Directed by Elliot Weiner
The Prep Program is a pre-conservatory style program for those students who are excited to dive deeper into musical theatre. Each Prep Program student takes a variety of classes to help develop the groundwork for further arts education. This program is designed for beginning/intermediate artists in Elementary and Middle School.
Rehearsals: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 4:30pm – 7:30pm; Saturdays 10:00am-2:00pm (when called)
The Company is an individualized pre-professional performing arts conservatory for intermediate/advanced artists in Middle and High School who are committed to deepening their performing arts education in American Musical Theatre.
The Company at the APAA is an individualized pre-professional/pre-collegiate performing arts conservatory, for artists committed to deepening their performing arts education in American Musical Theatre.
The Company program is for rising 6th-12th graders who show a love for being on stage. This conservatory program offers weekly classes in Dance, Acting, and Music. The Company students also put on a fully produced musical and attend theatrical performances/conferences.
Please note, students must apply and be accepted into the program before Registering.
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 4:30pm – 7:30pm; Saturdays 10:00am-2:00pm (when called)
The Company is an individualized pre-professional performing arts conservatory for intermediate/advanced artists in Middle and High School who are committed to deepening their performing arts education in American Musical Theatre.
The Company at the APAA is an individualized pre-professional/pre-collegiate performing arts conservatory, for artists committed to deepening their performing arts education in American Musical Theatre.
The Company program is for rising 6th-12th graders who show a love for being on stage. This conservatory program offers weekly classes in Dance, Acting, and Music. The Company students also put on a fully produced musical and attend theatrical performances/conferences.
Please note, students must apply and be accepted into the program before Registering.
Explore Downtown Asheville’s vibrant art scene with First Fridays returning on September 2nd from 5 PM – 8 PM. Open galleries & studio plus light refreshments. Inspiration to every corner.
Blood at The Root written by Dominique Morisseau – BLOOD AT THE ROOT is a striking ensemble drama based on the Jena Six; six Black students who were initially charged with attempted murder for a school fight after being provoked with nooses hanging from a tree on campus. This bold new play by Dominique Morisseau (Sunset Baby, Detroit ’67, Skeleton Crew) examines the miscarriage of justice, racial double standards, and the crises in relations between men and women of all classes and, as a result, the shattering state of Black family life.
“Bursting with youthful exuberance, critical race issues, emotional authenticity, and astonishing beauty. It is powerfully auspicious“-DC Theater Arts
“Blood at the Root vividly illustrates the near impossibility of getting through one’s teenage years-fraught in the best-case scenario-unscathed when also having to tackle larger societal problems. It’s a necessary and evocative production all-around.” – Chicago Reader
Directed by Kristen Hedberg
Jo Marsh wants to be a writer, and as she struggles to get published, she begrudgingly takes the advice of a friend to write about something more personal. Through soaring melodies and an unforgettable score, Jo weaves the stories of herself and her sisters, Meg, Beth and Amy, and their experience growing up in Civil War America. Based on Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel, Little Women is filled with adventure (both lived and imagined), personal discovery, heartache, and a deep sense of hope. This timeless, captivating story encompasses a true night at the theatre providing you with laughter, tears, and a lifted spirit.
Directed by Kristen Hedberg
Jo Marsh wants to be a writer, and as she struggles to get published, she begrudgingly takes the advice of a friend to write about something more personal. Through soaring melodies and an unforgettable score, Jo weaves the stories of herself and her sisters, Meg, Beth and Amy, and their experience growing up in Civil War America. Based on Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel, Little Women is filled with adventure (both lived and imagined), personal discovery, heartache, and a deep sense of hope. This timeless, captivating story encompasses a true night at the theatre providing you with laughter, tears, and a lifted spirit.
Suitable for all audiences.
A WNC PREMIERE! by Catherine Bush Directed by Rodney Smith Opening 8/19/2022 – 9/17/2022
Set in the 1960s, a progressive white couple’s proud liberal sensibilities are put to the test when their daughter brings her Black fiancé home to meet them in this fresh and relevant stage adaptation of the iconic film Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner that starred the inimitable and great Sidney Poitier. Blindsided by their daughter’s whirlwind romance and fearful for her future, Matt and Christina Drayton quickly come to realize the difference between supporting a mixed-race couple in your newspaper and welcoming one into your family. However, they’re surprised to find they aren’t the only ones with concerns about the match, and it’s not long before a multi-family clash of racial and generational difference sweeps across the Drayton’s idyllic San Francisco terrace. At the end of the day, will the love between young Joanna and John prevail? With humor and insight, Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner begins a conversation sure to continue at dinner tables long after the curtain comes down.
Celebration and education of Blue Ridge Mountain culture, arts, & nature.
jacksonartsmarket.com for more information
Visitors to the Asheville Gallery of Art will be able to view Anne Marie Brown’s show from September 1st through September 30th.
Anne Marie Brown started her career as a florist in New Jersey in her 20’s. “I owned a shop with a boyfriend who was into houseplants, and I loved flowers! I would do an arrangement and fall so in love with it, that I would do a small watercolor of it.” Many careers later, Anne Marie again picked up a brush and started painting when, as a realtor in Florida in 2007, the market tanked. “I’m not sure how I started painting again, I guess it was sheer boredom.”
She started doing outdoor art shows with the Delray Art League in Delray Beach, Florida. And to her surprise and delight, the pieces were selling. Thus started a 10 year journey of the outdoor art circuit. She attended shows all over Florida, and eventually started travelling up the east coast.
“I went from watercolor to acrylic, and finally to oil. By the time I got to oil painting, I had moved to Asheville, North Carolina, and started participating in plein air events.” The rolling mountain ranges were exceptionally inspirational to her after all the ocean scenes she’d been exposed to. “I went up to the Blue Ridge Parkway in October, 2014, and that was it! I had to move here!”
Anne Marie’s first and strongest passion is painting, particularly flowers and landscapes. “I also create needle felted animals, and do jewelry work in silver, but painting is my first love, and I devote most of my time to it.” She has won numerous awards, participated in multiple juried shows, and even ran an artists’ cooperative in Delray Beach called “The Arts Arena”.
Now, her heart is settled within these Blue Ridge Mountains, and she hopes that the scenes that touch her heart, will touch yours, and thus, the circle is complete!
Anne Marie’s artwork can be found under “Fine Art by Anne Marie Brown” on Etsy, Fine Art America and Facebook and her website is www.anne-marie-brown.pixels.com
ince 2003, the Bearfootin’ Art Walk has helped raise funding for Downtown Hendersonville and a variety of local non-profits. In addition to raising funds, the bears offer a window into good work being done by community organizations in Henderson County.
The Bearfootin’ Bears arrive as blank slates before local artists transform each in a spectacular fashion, with creative themes ranging from Mona Lisa to Blue Ridge Mountain scenery. After the “Reveal” event in early May, the bears then take up residence in downtown Hendersonville for the duration of the summer and fall, up until auction. Participants bid during the auction to raise funds for local non-profits and Downtown Hendersonville. Winning bids up to $3,000 are split evenly between the downtown program and the nonprofit chosen by the sponsor, while bid amounts exceeding $3,000 are directed entirely to the non-profit. In 2021, the Bears raised more than $100,000, and in 2022 we hope to continue the tradition of giving.
The Omni Grove Park Inn, an award-winning, 513-room resort set in the idyllic Blue Ridge Mountains just minutes from downtown Asheville, N.C., is celebrating The 30th National Gingerbread House Competition™, which is the nation’s largest, hosted at the resort annually. Beginning July 6, 2022 the competition registration is officially now open here through November 14, 2022. The competition will be held and winners will be announced on November 21, 2022.
New elements for The 30th National Gingerbread House Competition™ include:
- Introduction of 10th Judge, Ashleigh Shanti, chef/owner of Good Hot Fish & 2020 James Beard finalist.
- Addition of six brand-new specialty awards and increased prizes (60% increase to years past) across the four age categories, which include Best Use of Sprinkles, Most Unique Ingredient, Longest Standing Competitor, Best Use of Color, Pop Culture Star, Most Innovative Structure, and Best Use of Spice.
- All registered competitors will have the opportunity to vote on their favorite piece of the entire competition to determine the winner of the new People’s Choice: Best in Show award.
The full press release announcing the official rules and entry forms can be found here and below, and a highlight reel and hi-res imagery from last year’s competition can be found here. Please let me know if you will consider the news on behalf of The Omni Grove Park Inn!
Since 1977, the North Carolina Arts Council’s Grassroots Arts Program (GAP) has provided North Carolina citizens access to quality arts experiences. Using a per capita based formula, the program provides funding for the arts in all 100 counties of the state through partnerships with local arts councils. The Grassroots Grant Program is made possible by the Grassroots Arts Program of North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources, and Buncombe County Government.
The Grassroot Arts Program provides programmatic and operating support for nonprofit arts organizations in Buncombe County. Grants for FY23 will range from $2,500-7,500 dollars depending on the size of the organization. The deadline to apply is September 15, 2022.
Multicultural programs and organizations located outside of the City of Asheville will receive special consideration. To be considered a multicultural organization the mission of the organization must be focused on supporting African American, Asian American, Latino, or Native American cultures. For a program to be considered multicultural it must be conducted by artists, ensembles, or organizations of color.
Over the past two years, artist-researcher, community organizer, and Center for Craft grant recipient, Macon Reed has built Hello Death, Where Have You Been All My Life? an immersive installation that harnesses the social function of ritual space to reflect, process grief, heal, and envision alternative futures.
The art gallery at Asheville Regional Airport is showcasing 3 local artists in its newest exhibit. Revive highlights a variety of creations from sculpture and pottery to mixed media pieces.
The artists each bring a unique perspective of new life to their work. Mark Crossley’s botanical studies are realized in copper sculptures. Mark Flowers’ mixed media designs tell stories that are a cause for reflection. Akira Satake’s pottery uses traditional Japanese firing and glazing methods to create classic and unique forms.
“As hundreds of thousands of travelers pass through our airport during this exhibit, we are proud to show off these local artists and give visitors and residents a taste of the creativity in our region,” said Alexandra Ingle, Brand and Experience Designer at AVL and curator of the gallery.
Artwork can be purchased from the gallery by emailing [email protected]. Details about the program and how to apply can be found on the airport’s website at flyavl.com.
Contact Marianne at 828-859-8322 or email [email protected] to learn more.
ReUse Contest Guidelines
WHEN
The contest begins on August 1, 2022 and ends on September 30, 2022. Winners will be announced in October.
WHO
Anyone! (Except employees of Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity)
WHAT
The Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity ReStore is hosting the 11th annual ReUse Contest to showcase innovative building projects constructed predominantly of used building materials.
Winners will be selected in the following categories:
- Furniture: $200 ReStore gift card
- Homesteading (i.e. chicken coop, raised bed): $200 ReStore gift card
- Live and/or work space: $200 ReStore gift card
- Art: $200 ReStore gift card
- Home Decor: $200 ReStore gift card
- Vans & Vehicles: $200 ReStore gift card
- Best in Show: $500 ReStore gift card
Winners will be announced in a press release, on Asheville Habitat’s website and social media pages, and featured in the Asheville Habitat ReStore.
OTHER DETAILS
- Entries must be submitted electronically using the form provided.
- Projects should have been completed within the last 2 years.
- You may submit up to three separate projects (individually).
- Re-submission of a project submitted in previous years will not be accepted.
- Incomplete entries will not be considered.
- Questions? Email [email protected].
JUDGING
There will be 5 judges, assessing entries based on:
- Quality of design and execution
- Replicability of concept
- Clarity of description
- Quality of photos (if we can’t see it well, we can’t judge it fairly)
Ushers Needed
Volunteer ushers are a vital part of the theatre’s Front of House operations.
Ushering is such an easy way to support Local Theater, and to see a show for free! Whether it’s collecting tickets or tidying up after the performance, your help is greatly appreciated and rewarded with free admission. Sign up today, it is a great way to support local theatre!
Bender Gallery is excited to present “A Clear Choice,” a solo exhibition of stunning abstract sculptures by internationally recognized master glass artist Karsten Oaks. “A Clear Choice” opens on Saturday, September 3rd with an artist’s reception with Oaks present from 6 – 9 PM, and runs through September 25th. Using specialized optical glass, Oaks creates sculptures that bend light and color via their unique forms. Reminiscent of graffiti marks, his forms are instantly recognizable and are made with meticulous perfection. When viewing, a discernible object often appears from a momentary perspective creating a vision that allows the viewer to connect on a more personal level with the piece. This mystery inspires a deeply personal relationship between viewer and object and sets Oaks’ work apart from that of his contemporaries. We hope to see you there!
Mon – Sat 10 – 6 Sun 12 – 5