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.
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Paul Wong, Carbon, silver and gold, 2016, pigmented linen and cotton pulp, publisher: Dieu Donné, New York, edition 3/25, 18 × 11 inches. Gift of Dieu Donné, New York, 2022.27.06. © Paul Wong. |
On View March 8 through July 24, 2023
The Van Winkle Law Firm Gallery • Level 1
Paper is an essential part of the art-making process for many artists, serving as the base for drawing, painting, printmaking, and other forms of art. As a substrate, paper can vary in weight, absorbency, color, size, and other aspects. Since industrialization, paper has primarily been produced through mechanical means that allow for consistency and affordability.
What happens, then, when an artist chooses to return to the foundations of paper, wherein it is made by hand using pulps, fibers, and dyes that reflect the human element through variations, inconsistencies, flaws, and surprises? Certain artists have sought out these qualities and embraced them, making paper not just a support on which to work, but fully a medium in and of itself.
Pulp Potential: Works in Handmade Paper is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Hilary Schroeder, former assistant curator, with assistance from Alexis Meldrum, curatorial assistant. Special thanks to Dieu Donné, New York, NY.
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In the past 50 years in the United States and beyond, artists have sought to break down social and political hierarchies that include issues of identity, gender, power, race, authority, and authenticity. Unsurprisingly, these decades generated a reconsideration of the idea of pattern and decoration as a third option to figuration and abstraction in art. From 1972 to 1985, artists in the Pattern and Decoration movement worked to expand the visual vocabulary of contemporary art to include ethnically and culturally diverse options that eradicated the barriers between fine art and craft and questioned the dominant minimalist aesthetic. These artists did so by incorporating opulence and bold intricacies garnered from such wide-ranging inspirations as United States quilt-making and Islamic architecture.
Too Much Is Just Right: The Legacy of Pattern and Decoration features more than 70 artworks in an array of media from both the original time frame of the Pattern and Decoration movement, as well as contemporary artworks created between 1985 and the present. The artworks in this exhibition demonstrate the vibrant and varied approaches to pattern and decoration in art. Artworks from the 21st century elucidate contemporary perspectives on the employment of pattern to inform visual vocabularies and investigations of diverse themes in the present day.
Artworks drawn from the Asheville Art Museum’s Collection join select major loans and feature Pattern and Decoration artists Valerie Jaudon, Joyce Kozloff, Robert Kushner, and Miriam Schapiro, as well as Anni Albers, Elizabeth Alexander, Sanford Biggers, Tawny Chatmon, Margaret Curtis, Mary Engel, Cathy Fussell, Samantha Hennekke, John Himmelfarb, Anne Lemanski, Rashaad Newsome, Peter Olson, Don Reitz, Sarah Sense, Billie Ruth Sudduth, Mickalene Thomas, Shoku Teruyama, Anna Valdez, Kehinde Wiley, and more.
This exhibition is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and guest curated by Marilyn Laufer & Tom Butler.
During this weekend art experience, we will explore how to use natural dyes to create a limitless array of colors, hues, and values on fabric. Using natural indigo, madder, and weld, we will create an entire rainbow of colors!
We will dye both silk and cotton fibers and you will discover how to mordant (prepare) these different fibers for dyeing. You are welcome to bring in your own small natural fiber items to dye.
In this two-day course, you will create a color wheel using natural indigo, madder, and weld. You’ll learn to create resists on fabric using wooden shapes and shibori techniques and use pH to shift colors. Learn to measure out and start a dye pot based on the weight of fiber. This Adult Studio is supportive programming for our exhibition Pulp Potential: Works in Handmade Paper.
Reserve your spot soon; there’s only capacity for 12 participants per class.
In this weekend, we will explore how using natural dyes we can create limitless different colors, hues, and values on fabric. Using natural indigo, madder, and weld, we can create an entire rainbow of colors! We will dye both silk and cotton fibers and you will learn how to prepare these different types of fibers for dyeing. You are welcome to bring in your own small natural fiber items to dye.
Learn to mordant (prepare) natural fibers for dyeing. Create a color wheel using these 3 natural dyes. Learn to create resists on fabric using wooden shapes and shibori techniques. Use pH to shift colors. Learn to measure out and start a dye pot based on weight of fiber.
Reserve your spot soon; there’s only capacity for 12 per class. Pre-registration is required.
Workshop meets for 3 hours on 2 consecutive Saturdays: April 22nd & 29th, 1:30 – 4:30 pm
$145, all supplies and materials included
A hands on exploration of cold wax medium techniques and its numerous applications for your mark making tool box and art making practice.
This cold wax workshop is for both those who are new to cold wax, as well as those who want to further explore the versatility of this popular medium. Cold wax may be used as a stand-alone medium in collage or mixed media, but is most frequently mixed with oil paints & other pigmented media. Incorporating cold wax medium into oil paint is also a great way to enhance your understanding of color theory, pigment and the lightfast (opacity & transparency) qualities of paint.
We will also discuss traditional and non-traditional tools for application, substrates and surfaces, studio safety and drying agents. Come see how to make this medium work for you in your own art practice, or just to try something new!
Email [email protected] for more extensive details and registration. All attendees will receive a printed summary of the class – including materials/techniques/topics covered.
From the songbook of Johnny Cash comes this unique musical about love and faith, struggle and success, rowdiness and redemption, and the healing power of home and family. More than two dozen classic hits including “I Walk The Line,” “A Boy Named Sue,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and, of course, “Ring of Fire.” Performed by a multi-talented cast, Ring of Fire paints a musical portrait of ‘The Man in Black’ that promises to be a foot-stompin’, crowd-pleasin’ salute to a unique musical legend!
From the songbook of Johnny Cash comes this unique musical about love and faith, struggle and success, rowdiness and redemption, and the healing power of home and family. More than two dozen classic hits including “I Walk the Line,” “A Boy Named Sue,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and, of course, “Ring of Fire.” Performed by a multi-talented cast.
Director Ben Hope adds “Having spent many years working on various productions of Ring of Fire (this production will be my personal 10th!), The most extraordinary thing I keep finding about Mr. Cash is how unanimously loved he is, even now, 20 years since his death. No other project seems to attract such a varied and enthusiastic crowd as the music of Johnny Cash. I think it’s because he wrote for the ordinary. His words and music are authentic and simple, and he speaks plainly about things we all connect with. He was fallible, with personal demons and shortcomings. He makes us feel like our own imperfections are normal and mundane, and he teaches us that there’s beauty and hope, even in despair. I love Johnny Cash, and I know Flat Rock audiences are going to love Ring of Fire’.”
Don’t miss this inspiring story, all the great music, and an evening of iconic Johnny Cash!
Ring of Fire is presented by WHKP and Carolina Ace Hardware. Flat Rock Playhouse’s 2023 Season is supported by Charlotte & Bob Otto, Optimum, WHKP, and WTZQ as well as the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. www.NCArts.org
For a complete lineup with show descriptions and to purchase tickets, visit www.flatrockplayhouse.org.
“This is a phenomenon.”- New York Magazine, Sara Holdren
All rise for Academy Award® winner Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork. The New York Times Critic’s Pick TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is “the most successful American play in Broadway history” (60 Minutes). With direction by Tony Award® winner Bartlett Sher, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD — “the greatest novel of all time” (Chicago Tribune) — has quickly become “one of the greatest plays in history” (NPR).
Emmy Award®-winning actor Richard Thomas will play the role of Atticus Finch in the National Tour.
From the songbook of Johnny Cash comes this unique musical about love and faith, struggle and success, rowdiness and redemption, and the healing power of home and family. More than two dozen classic hits including “I Walk The Line,” “A Boy Named Sue,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and, of course, “Ring of Fire.” Performed by a multi-talented cast, Ring of Fire paints a musical portrait of ‘The Man in Black’ that promises to be a foot-stompin’, crowd-pleasin’ salute to a unique musical legend!

DIFFERENT STROKES! PERFORMING ARTS COLLECTIVE PRESENTS
THREE SIX NINE MONOLOGUE AND SHORT PLAY FESTIVAL features a curated selection of original pieces written by emerging Black Playwrights, primarily from our emerging Black Playwright’s program, A Different Myth. Join us for nine evenings of heart-warming, dramatic, funny, heart-breaking, and provocative short plays and monologues. Three Six Nine features represents 3 weekends, 6 short plays, and 9 monologues. No two weekends will be the same, and neither will you. Join us as we mix and match 12 pieces over the course of 90 minutes on 9 very different evenings.
April 6-8, 2023
April 13-15, 2023
April 20-22, 2023
at 7:30 p.m. each evening

Music, Book, & Story by Steve Martin; Music, Lyrics, & Story by Edie Brickell
Set in our very own Blue Ridge Mountains, Bright Star tells the story of Alice at two different points in her life: as a young girl in the mountains, and 22 years later as the well-to-do editor of a successful Asheville magazine. A serendipitous encounter inspires Alice to face her past, and a stunning realization changes her life forever. Bright Star is based on the Grammy Award-winning bluegrass album, Love Has Come for You, and centers particularly on the song “Iron Mountain Baby.” Be sure to listen also for the song with our namesake – “Asheville”!
Content Warning: Bright Star contains swearing, language that some may find blasphemous, incidental drinking and smoking, and kidnapping.
Accessibility:
All performances: Accessible wheelchair/scooter seating available.
Saturday, May 6, 2023: ASL-Interpreted Performance
Directed and adapted by Aaron Snook for the Drama Department from a new translation of Euripedes’ Electra by the Ancient Mediterranean Studies Department, and infused with original Appalachian roots music composed by the Music Department, this production of Elektra aims to spark a conversation around the cycles of violence that inherited hate produces.

The Civil War may have ended, but the blood that was spilled sowed the Appalachian soil with loss and grievance. In the succeeding years, the Conservative cause nurtured those seeds with violence and intimidation, creating an inheritance of hate to be passed down to the younger generation. In the sleepy mountain town of Mycenae, North Carolina this legacy is tearing at the heart of a young girl named Elektra. Fatherless at the hands of her mother’s new husband, Elektra awaits her brother’s return and prays for vengeance.
La Sylphide (translated to “The Sylph”) is a magical morality tale about the pitfalls of temptation. Set in Scotland, the ballet tells of James, his fiancé Effie, and a beautiful Sylph who first appears as a dream, ultimately luring James into the woods, abandoning friends and his bride. La Sylphide features exquisite classical technique, intriguing characters, and leaves questions for the audience to ponder about the choices we make. La Sylphide is one of the oldest full length classical ballets still in repertoires of major ballet companies across the globe.
International Ballet’s La Sylphide will feature Greenville Native Ekaterina Nechayeva as the Sylph.
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Lies By Jerry Slaff A young Jewish lawyer is asked to represent a German-American WWII radio propagandist, imprisoned for treason. The only trouble is that she doesn’t want to leave. This intriguing play hits close to home, since history does, in fact, tend to repeat itself. Don’t miss it. Lies, by Jerry Slaff April 21-30, 2022 Attic Salt Theatre Arts Space Directed by Jeff Catanese Starring: Christy Montesdeoca |
From the songbook of Johnny Cash comes this unique musical about love and faith, struggle and success, rowdiness and redemption, and the healing power of home and family. More than two dozen classic hits including “I Walk the Line,” “A Boy Named Sue,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and, of course, “Ring of Fire.” Performed by a multi-talented cast.
Director Ben Hope adds “Having spent many years working on various productions of Ring of Fire (this production will be my personal 10th!), The most extraordinary thing I keep finding about Mr. Cash is how unanimously loved he is, even now, 20 years since his death. No other project seems to attract such a varied and enthusiastic crowd as the music of Johnny Cash. I think it’s because he wrote for the ordinary. His words and music are authentic and simple, and he speaks plainly about things we all connect with. He was fallible, with personal demons and shortcomings. He makes us feel like our own imperfections are normal and mundane, and he teaches us that there’s beauty and hope, even in despair. I love Johnny Cash, and I know Flat Rock audiences are going to love Ring of Fire’.”
Don’t miss this inspiring story, all the great music, and an evening of iconic Johnny Cash!
Ring of Fire is presented by WHKP and Carolina Ace Hardware. Flat Rock Playhouse’s 2023 Season is supported by Charlotte & Bob Otto, Optimum, WHKP, and WTZQ as well as the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. www.NCArts.org
For a complete lineup with show descriptions and to purchase tickets, visit www.flatrockplayhouse.org.
FISH
By Cyndi Williams
Directed by Ashleigh Goff
When two characters connect unexpectedly in a lonely bar, they wind up playing a dangerous game. Who will survive, and how can they forgive themselves in the process? Shifting timelines and unearthing skeletons, Fish is a fever dream twisting through memory, fantasy and the present.
“This is a phenomenon.”- New York Magazine, Sara Holdren
All rise for Academy Award® winner Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork. The New York Times Critic’s Pick TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is “the most successful American play in Broadway history” (60 Minutes). With direction by Tony Award® winner Bartlett Sher, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD — “the greatest novel of all time” (Chicago Tribune) — has quickly become “one of the greatest plays in history” (NPR).
Emmy Award®-winning actor Richard Thomas will play the role of Atticus Finch in the National Tour.
Performances are coordinated with and performed for audiences in non-traditional spaces such as homeless shelters, correctional facilities, community centers, low income senior centers and locations throughout rural Western North Carolina. For schools, the Community Tour offers student workshops with teaching artists from the Ensemble.
The Community Tour also includes a series of ticketed performances for audiences at NC Stage. Performances at NC Stage are staged in an intimate setting with all the lights on so our audiences may enjoy the performances as it is experienced at each tour location.
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Celebrate with us by contributing to the future of the arts in Western North Carolina.
Make your 75th Anniversary Spring Annual Fund donation today! |
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! The Diamond Anniversary is a time to honor our rich heritage and—more importantly—envision our future as the premier visual arts organization in this vibrant, creative region.
Founded in 1948 by a group of local artists to showcase the scope and depth of creativity in Western North Carolina (WNC), the Museum brings art of international significance to the region and encourages lively, diverse dialogue.
The Museum’s original home was a modest, unheated, three-room building on Charlotte Street in the former sales office of Dr. E.W. Grove. The building was designed by Richard Sharp Smith and provided to the Museum by the City of Asheville. Exhibitions by local painters and sculptors could only be staged in warmer weather, and Sunday afternoon receptions gave the community an opportunity to view original art and to listen to artists talk about their work. By the 1950s, the Museum had become an invaluable part of Asheville’s cultural life. It also began acquiring artworks for its Collection.
Three quarters of a century later, the Museum has evolved into the preeminent cultural and educational hub for WNC—welcoming tens of thousands of visitors annually, hosting several major exhibitions each year, holding scores of special programs, and housing its Collection of more than 7,500 works in its state-of-the-art Pack Square location. From its humble beginnings on Charlotte Street to its breathtaking permanent home in the heart of downtown Asheville, the Museum has remained dedicated to Its mission to engage, enlighten, and inspire individuals and enrich the community through dynamic experiences in American art of the 20th and 21st centuries.
The Asheville Art Museum was built, cherished, and supported by the community throughout the past 75 years. Our anniversary celebration will give back through community partnerships and special programs, and by creating new reasons to visit or become a Member. We hope you’ll join us at one (or all) of our Diamond Anniversary special events: the 2023 Gala on June 17th, the 75th Anniversary Community Day Celebration in August, and the 75th Anniversary Dance Party in November!
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Edge, the newest exhibit showing in the airport art gallery, is open to the public now through July 21, 2022. The local art is unique, bold and is sure to capture the imaginations of its viewers.
The local artists’ work featured in this exhibit consist of many different mediums. Diane Bronstein creates complex and mesmerizing pieces with photographs, embroidery floss and other materials. Susan Devitt uses bold colors and vivid details to capture the beauty and possibilities of nature with her acrylic paintings. Jen Pacicci crafts peaceful and majestic collages of landscapes using watercolor and torn paper. Kurt Ross designs clay vessels of varying materials and glazes that are each unique in their thoughtful and clean design. Paul Silverman presents ceramic figures of various tools and vintage items that trick the eye in their realistic appearance and awe with their attention to detail.
“The Edge exhibit welcomes travelers and residents to Asheville with a vibrant and unique display this spring at AVL,” said Alexandra Ingle, Brand and Experience Designer at AVL and curator of the gallery. “We are excited at each gallery opening to bring a fresh taste of our talented WNC art community into the airport.”
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.
Offered for BIPOC, LGTBQIA+, and individuals from other historically marginalized communities—the residency invites artists to present a three-week performance featuring the core elements of storytelling through art, collaboration, and exploration of the human condition.
Applications due April 30.
About the STORY/ARTS RESIDENCY
Story Parlor’s residencies exist to champion the creative work of locally-based artists and art groups hailing from BIPOC, LGTBQIA+, and other historically marginalized communities in the quest to amplify and bridge together the diverse fabric of voices in Asheville.
Specifically, the Story/Arts residency aims to provide a platform that showcases the transformative and healing powers of storytelling through all art mediums, while tending to the core values of Story Parlor’s mission, which include:
• Connecting audiences and artists from varying creative backgrounds and interests
• Informing, inspiring, and invigorating through the arts
• Promoting and fostering self-inquiry and mindfulness
• Cultivating creative exchange and cultural insight
• Fostering authenticity and inclusiveness
In addition to public performances and/or workshops, artists-in-residence receive dedicated rehearsal time in the space; an artist stipend; creativity coaching sessions; marketing and promotion; and more.
Applications for the 2023 summer residency are below and due no later than April 30, with preference given to applicants who cross disciplines, embrace collaboration, and present a residency proposal that embodies the core elements of storytelling through all art forms.
We are excited to bring this special package to you and your loved ones. It’s super easy!
- Pick your show date – June 14, 17, 21, 24 (Evening only)
- Choose 2 Adult Seats and 2 Student Seats
- At Checkout, discount will be applied
Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!
Your wish is granted!
If you have any problems, our Box Office is happy to help!
828.693.0731
High-energy, piano & guitar based alt rock marked by virtuosic musicianship; dark and masterful songwriting; soaring vocals; and a band that crosses nimbly from gritty guitars to pounding piano.
Jesse Daniel Edwards is an alternative rock songwriter from the small mountain town of Cuyamaca, CA where he grew up without TV, internet, or significant exposure to the outside world. Leaving home at 16, he spent his late teens busking on street corners around the US and abroad with his brother. While singing outside of bars on Music Row in Nashville, TN Jesse struck up a friendship with Al Bunetta (John Prine). Bunetta served as a mentor to the young artist, encouraging Jesse to write and tour full-time in the years to follow. His songs have been featured in radio, TV, streaming movies, video games, and film- with his latest album (produced by Joe Chiccarelli- The Shins, The Strokes) releasing in June of 2023.
Instagram:
instagram.com/jessedanieledwards
Facebook:
Facebook.com/jessedanieledwardsmusic
Soundcloud:
Spotify:


The Education program at Flat Rock Playhouse is undergoing a name change! We are excited to streamline our program and we can’t wait to share the news with you!
Our new name will be Playhouse Jr.!

This new name will encompass many things. You might ask….what is Playhouse Jr.?
Playhouse Jr. means many things and we are excited to share this news with our community!

We are introducing a new software system for our Playhouse Jr. families! This new system will make your life easier! Once you have registered you are in our system for good. That means that once you register all you have to do is access your account to purchase any classes and camps moving forward. No need to register every time!
To register for our new system and to enroll in classes please visit this link: https://app.jackrabbitclass.com/regv2.asp?id=548849
Questions? Please email [email protected]!
Want to register over the phone? No problem! You can call our Education Director, Lauren Hopkins at (828)693-0403 ext. 246 starting Monday March 6!
NC State Parks’ Year of the Trail continues with a celebration of how our trails transform each spring. Bring your camera on your next excursion in the park and capture budding wildflowers, spring hikers, or whatever you encounter along the way. You may even win a prize for your efforts!
GREAT PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED TO 3 WINNING ENTRIES
1st Prize: The winning photo will be our Facebook cover photo for two weeks, and the photographer will receive two annual passes to Chimney Rock State Park and lunch for four at the Old Rock Café.
2nd Prize: After the first place photo, the second place photo will be our Facebook cover photo for one week. The photographer will receive one annual pass to Chimney Rock State Park and lunch for two at the Old Rock Café.
3rd Prize: The third place photographer will receive two adult day passes (or one family pack of day passes) to Chimney Rock State Park and lunch for two at the Old Rock Café.

Michelle Tway – fiber
Timothy Bridges – fiber
Martine House – mixed media
Noel Yovovich – metal
Deb Herman – fiber
The Focus Gallery is located on the second level of the Folk Art Center. The Folk Art Center is located at Milepost 382 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, just north of the Highway 70 entrance in east Asheville, NC.
This exhibition is hosted by the Southern Highland Craft Guild. The Guild is a non-profit, educational organization established in 1930 to cultivate the crafts and makers of the Southern Highlands for the purpose of shared resources, education, marketing, and conservation. The Southern Highland Craft Guild is an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.

The Main Gallery is located on the second level of the Folk Art Center. The Folk Art Center is located at Milepost 382 of the Blue Ridge Parkway, just north of the Highway 70 entrance in east Asheville, NC.
This exhibition is hosted by the Southern Highland Craft Guild. The Guild is a non-profit, educational organization established in 1930 to cultivate the crafts and makers of the Southern Highlands for the purpose of shared resources, education, marketing, and conservation. The Southern Highland Craft Guild is an authorized concessioner of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.





