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, September 8, 2022
Ethno USA 2022 applications are open!
Sep 8 all-day
online

 

Ethno is JM International’s program for folk, world and traditional music. Founded in 1990, it is aimed at young musicians (up to the age of 30) with a mission to revive and keep alive global cultural heritage.

Present today in over 40 countries and on all 6 continents, Ethno engages young people through a series of annual international music camps as well as workshops, concerts and tours, working together with schools, conservatories and other groups of youth to promote peace, tolerance and understanding.

Applications are open for the second edition of Ethno USA, from October 11-23 in beautiful Black Mountain, NC. We are so excited to be back there, and we hope you’ll join us.

We expect to welcome up to 40 musicians. Will you be one of them? Apply now!!

 

The artistic mentors are:

Anh Phung — Flute, Vocal (Canada)
Dal’Suhu Not-Afraid — Voice, Guitar, Drums(Hopi Nation, USA)
Helen Forsythe — Accordion, Banjo (USA)
Justin Golden — Guitar, Voice (USA)
Fifth mentor TBA!

Sign up! Applications are approved on a rolling basis!

Grassroots Arts Grant
Sep 8 all-day
online

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.

Hawk Watch
Sep 8 all-day
Grandfather Mountain
A red-tailed hawk soaring over Grandfather Mountain

All throughout September, guests are invited to join the mountain’s naturalists as they count and celebrate the annual spectacle of fall raptor migration. Participants can observe the migration daily at Linville Peak, across the Mile High Swinging Bridge, weather permitting. Included with admission.

Hello Death, Where Have You Been All My Life?
Sep 8 all-day
Center for Craft

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.

Hunger Action Month
Sep 8 all-day
online w/ MANNA FoodBank
JourneyPerson Farmer Program Applications open!
Sep 8 all-day
online

The Journeyperson Program is designed for farmers who have been independently farming for three or more years and are serious about operating farm businesses in the Southern Appalachian region. This program will give you the space and time to work on your business while making connections that deepen your peer-to-peer support.

Early bird discount: $100 off if you apply by September 1st, 2022.

journeyperson program insgtagram
Moonlight Mountaintop Zip Line Tour
Sep 8 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

Zip line lights on the Moonlight Mountaintop Zip Line Tour trip

Nantahala Outdoor Center’s premier Mountaintop Zip Line Tour takes the heart-pounding intensity up a notch when it’s under the night time sky! On dates near a full moon, NOC offers limited trips on this stunning Moonlight Mountaintop Zip Line Tour.

Zip under the night sky while taking in the sights and sounds of the calm Blue Ridge Mountains. NOC’s expert aerial guides use glow sticks to signal you, and you use glow sticks to paint the night sky. This adventure truly feels magical.

NOC’s Moonlight Mountaintop Zip Line Tour consists of two-miles of mountaintop-to-mountaintop zip lines, culminating in the heart-pounding 1/2 mile Mega Zip underneath the stars – silhouetting stunning 360-degree views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Highlights

  • NOC’s Moonlight Mountaintop Zip Line is an unparalleled experience of mountaintop-to-mountaintop zips under a full moon.
  • Glow sticks are used by Aerial Guides to signal you forward through the course.
  • Participants use glow sticks to paint the star-filled sky.
  • The 1/2 Mile Mega Zip is the true gem of the trip – offering silhouetted 360-degree views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the starry night sky.

What to Expect

Please check-in for your trip 30 minutes prior to your reservation at the Adventure Deck. All guests should have prior zip lining experience. Once being fitted for equipment, guests will shuttle to a ground school where they will receive instructions on how to use glow sticks to signal with the Aerial Guides. Guests will be required to demonstrate proficiency in zip lining including breaking.

Need Help With Water Bills? New Water Assistance Program Could Offer Help.
Sep 8 all-day
online

If you’re behind on your water bill or afraid your water might get cut off, a new resource might be able to help you. On Jan. 4, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved more than $450,000 in federal funding for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). The initiative is aimed at preventing water disconnections and helping reconnect drinking and wastewater services.

The LIHWAP will be administered by Buncombe County-based Eblen Charities. The nonprofit will make payments directly to utilities on behalf of qualifying households. The program is slated to run through Sept. 30, 2023 or until funds are exhausted.

Eligibility requirements

Households that currently receive Food and Nutrition Services (FNS), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Work First services, or those that received Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP) services from Oct. 1, 2020-Sept. 30, 2021, are automatically eligible to receive this benefit if their water services have been cut off or are in danger of being cut off.

For additional eligibility information or to apply, please contact Eblen Charities at (828) 255-3066.

Online Giving Day: Pisgah Legal Services Domestic Violence Prevention Program
Sep 8 all-day
online

Pisgah Legal Services invites you to participate in our Giving Day – a day to raise funds and awareness for justice and safety from domestic violence.

Thanks to a generous donor, gifts made on the Giving Day will be matched dollar for dollar up to $5,000!  Please join us for an exciting day filled with virtual events and opportunities to get involved in the fight against Domestic Violence.

Outpace Hunger Feed People and Your Passion
Sep 8 all-day
Online w/ Manna FoodBank

OUTPACE HUNGER

FEED PEOPLE AND YOUR PASSION!

What Is Outpace Hunger?

Looking for a way to make a real impact this spring and summer? Feed people while pursuing your passion through Outpace Hunger, an action-based fundraising campaign that turns a favorite activity into meals!

For decades, MANNA FoodBank has been working to outpace hunger and food insecurity all across 16 counties of Western North Carolina, including the Qualla Boundary. The 2022 campaign runs May 1 through September 30, and we invite you join the growing community of folks who are Outpacing Hunger alongside of us!

How It Works

Participating in Outpace Hunger is easy!

You decide your level of commitment, so every participant can create their own path to helping provide food to our community. Participants also decide how, when, and where they complete their goal, any time now through the campaign end on September 30.

Outpace Hunger participants:

(1) Register to be a part of MANNA’s Outpace Hunger community. The $20 registration fee includes a t-shirt for you and provides 80 MEALS for neighbors facing food insecurity in WNC.

(2) Choose a favorite activity (run, walk, roll, stroll, hike, bike, paddle, climb, float, skate, golf, and everything in between!) to complete individually, or as a family/group/team.

(3) Set a goal to reach. This can be an activity-related goal, a fundraising goal, or both.

(4) Invite friends and family to support your fundraising efforts through your own, personalized Outpace Hunger webpage.

Whether running a 5K, walking your neighborhood, hiking the Mountains to Sea trail, or paddling the French Broad River, Outpace Hunger participants play a vital part in ensuring our WNC neighbors have access to healthy food

READY TO OUTPACE HUNGER WITH US?

REGISTER NOW!

ALREADY AN OUTPACE HUNGER PARTICIPANT?

VISIT YOUR PAGE

 NEED MORE INFORMATION?

OUTPACE HUNGER HOW-TO GUIDE

RAFFLE FOR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS: Revolve + Bob Moog Foundation
Sep 8 all-day
online

Make a $20 donation or more to either REVOLVE or the Bob Moog Foundation (or both), and be entered into a raffle to win wonderful prizes such as our new Sync T-Shirt, Records and Tapes from the Make Noise Crew, and an XPO! For every $20 you donate, you’ll receive a raffle ticket. Donations must be made September 9-September 27 10AM EST directly to the org using the links provided (coming soon), and you must include Make Noise in the memo line. These orgs will send us a list of all donors & donations on the 27th, and we will announce the winners live in person at our Closing Party September 29th. Items will be mailed the following week, unless the winner is there to receive it. People who come to the pop-up for a demo will receive an extra raffle ticket after they donate.

 

Why do these organizations mean a lot to the Make Noise Crew?
REVOLVE is a place we go to often–to play, to see each other play, to immerse ourselves in sound, to experience installations, to gather with other artists. REVOLVE provides inclusive programming centered around sound experiments, and that’s joy for us!

The Bob Moog Foundation creates hands-on opportunities for folks of all ages to explore the science of sound. We especially love the work they do teaching children about the intersection of music and tech, preparing them for a lifetime of sonic adventures!

The 11th Annual ReStore ReUse Contest
Sep 8 all-day
online

Reuse Contest 2022 1236x728 Web Page No Url

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)
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP): reduce internet service costs
Sep 8 all-day
online

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) allows qualifying households to reduce their internet service costs by up to $30 a month (or $75 a month on Tribal lands). This program also provides a one-time financial support for purchasing a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet.

ACP-eligible households may include those who:

– Utilize SNAP or WIC benefits

– Receive Social Security Income (SSI)

– Receive Medicaid

– Utilize Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)

– Participate in Free and Reduced-Price School Meal Programs

– Participate in Tribal assistance programs

– Meet the eligibility criteria for existing broadband provider’s low-income internet program

The Master of Science in Sustainability Studies program 
Sep 8 all-day
Lenoir-Rhyne University --Asheville

Lenoir-Rhyne University Call to Action

  Earn a Master of Science in Sustainability Studies!

Innovative curriculum designed around you to meet the needs of the world around us.

The Master of Science in Sustainability Studies program at Lenoir-Rhyne University helps to develop leaders in the field who will tackle future challenges in the world around us as they relate to sustainability.  In doing so, we seek to develop advocates for change. What makes our program unique? Read on.
  • Innovative program designed with you in mind.  We use your experience and interests to shape our curriculum.
  • Non-cohort based course delivery, meaning a flexible schedule at your own pace.
  • Traditional and career track admission, giving students more than one way to be admitted.
  • Involved and engaging faculty with extensive experience in the field of sustainability.
Curriculum Snapshot
Take the program at your own pace, whether that is part time or full time.  Here are some highlights of what you need to know:
  • M.S. in Sustainability Studies is offered only at our Asheville campus
  • 33 hours total
  • Focus areas include: Sustainability, Business, Public Policy, and Research
  • Elective options in topics of interest to you
  • Flexible format for classes being either fully online, hybrid (partially online, partially in class), in the evening, or on weekends
Request information from one of our admission staff »
How to Apply 
Visit the program website »
Application requirements and all you need to know to apply »
Find us on Facebook and Twitter!
Volunteer Opportunities at Carl Sandburg Home: Shuttle Driver
Sep 8 all-day
Carl Sandburg Home
VIP logo

Do you have excellent people skills and a safe driving record? Would you enjoy driving people around a small historic farm landscape? Well then we have just the volunteer position for you! We are looking for friendly folks to provide transportation to park visitors during the fall season on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. There are two shifts available: Mornings from 9 -12 and afternoons from 12 – 3.

The vehicles we use as shuttles are either a six passenger hybrid Chrysler Pacifica. or a six passenger golf cart depending on weather and availability.

Please reach out and we will conduct a short interview and get you signed up, and trained!

The National Park Service Volunteers-In-Parks Program (VIP) was authorized and enacted in 1970. The primary purpose of the VIP program is to provide a vehicle through which the National Park Service can accept voluntary help and services from the public. The major objective of the program is to use this voluntary help in such a way that is mutually beneficial to the National Park Service and the volunteer.

Our volunteers are, without a doubt, Very Important People! In Fiscal Year 2005, 137,000 volunteers donated 5.2 million hours to your national parks at a value of $91.2 million. Volunteers come from all over to help preserve and protect America’s natural and cultural heritage for the enjoyment of this and future generations. Young and old alike give of their time and expertise to assist in achieving the National Park Service mission.

Volunteer opportunities at Carl Sandburg Home NHS are very diverse and attract all types of people. Volunteer experiences can be developed in many areas depending upon individual interest. Volunteers are accepted without regard to race, creed, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability. Please note that volunteers are not considered to be federal employees for any purposes other than tort claims and injury compensation. Volunteer service is not creditable for leave accrual or any other benefit. However, volunteer service is creditable work experience.

Youth Tennis Classes
Sep 8 all-day
Hendersonville Racquet Club

Registration is now open for the next session of youth tennis classes starting September 13th at Hendersonville Racquet Club.  Kids are put in groups based on age and ability with seven levels available.  The session is six weeks long and is $79 for members or $99 for non-members for one class a week plus a play day at the end of the session.  Two days a week (12 sessions) is $129/169.

“Our youth tennis program has something for any child who wants to play.  From beginner to high performance player, we put them into situations where they will be challenged and can succeed while having a fun time doing it.” stated HRC Director of Junior Tennis Carlista Mo.

The format for this session is having classes once or twice for six weeks. Maximum six kids per class.  Each level of class is offered during the weekday and again on Saturday afternoon.  Then the session concludes with a fun “Play Day” where they can get match experience.  All classes are taught by certified tennis professionals and will be held on HRC’s arena courts.  For more info go to www.hvillerc.com or contact 828-693-0040 or [email protected].

Hendersonville Racquet Club is a six acre complex that includes 6 outdoor tennis courts, 3 arena tennis courts, 5 pickleball courts, four racquetball courts, an outdoor swimming pool, fitness center, group fitness room and outdoor leisure area by Shaw’s Creek and pond.

Double Your Donation: September to Honor Childhood Cancer, Sickle Cell Disease Awareness w/ The Blood Connection
Sep 8 @ 7:00 am – 6:45 pm
The Blood Connection-Asheville

Those who donate with The Blood Connection, the non-profit community blood center, are directly impacting the lives of people in this community; people like children battling cancer, or a neighbor suffering from Sickle Cell Disease.  Those people rely on community blood donors every day to ensure lifesaving blood products needed for treatments are available in local hospitals.  That is why TBC is partnering with local and national organizations to shed light on Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Sickle Cell Awareness Month.

 

Both causes have a close tie to blood centers, as blood products are vital for the treatment and management of these diseases.  TBC’s September campaign will give community members an opportunity to double their donation by donating blood to the community and donating their reward points to organizations that support childhood cancer and sickle cell patients.

TBC is also looking for organizations, companies, and groups to host blood drives to benefit these causes.
Blood drive coordinators can pick local chapters and organizations, and TBC will make a monetary donation
per donor. To speak with a TBC representative about hosting a blood drive in September, go to
thebloodconnection.org/host and fill out the form.

WNC Farmers Market
Sep 8 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
WNC Farmers Market

NCDA&CS - Marketing Division - Western North Carolina Farmers Market

The WNC Farmers Market is the premier destination for buying and selling the region’s best agriculture products directly from farmers & food producers to household & wholesale customers in an environment that celebrates the region’s diverse culture, food & heritage.

House of Operation:

WNC Farmers Market: 24/7, 361 days a year market access for farmers
Office: Monday- Friday, 8am-5pm
Market Shops: 7 days a week, 8 am-5 pm
Wholesale and Truck Sheds: 7 days a week

YOGA
Sep 8 @ 8:00 am – 9:00 am
Rabbit Rabbit

Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’-By World® – Building Resources for a Better Life
Sep 8 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
YWCA Asheville

Financial Empowerment for Women

Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’-By World® – Building Resources for a Better Life. YWCA’s Getting Ahead program aims to provide financial empowerment for low-income women of all ages and backgrounds to make choices that positively impact themselves, their families and their community.

Knowledge is Power

A series of “kitchen table” discussions that investigate the causes of poverty, the hidden rules of class, and resources needed by all. Participants will assess individual situations as well as the condition of our community to achieve economic self-sufficiency.

“Going through the program made me realize that I wasn’t in this by myself. I was surrounded by people just like me who were humble enough to say ‘I need help.”

“The class has re-shaped my thinking process- the way I approach situations as possibilities, not obstacles”

Participants Receive

  • Childcare and meals at each session
  • A $20 stipend for each session attended
    Received once the program is completed
  • A workbook to keep track of learning and personal goals
  • One-on-one case management for 18
    months to support personal success
  • Transportation support is available
Tours: Thomas Wolfe Memorial State Historic Site
Sep 8 @ 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
The Thomas Wolfe Memorial

Old Kentucky Home -The Thomas Wolfe Memorial

American Novelist Thomas Wolfe (1900-1938)

American Novelist Thomas Wolfe (1900-1938)

Considered by many to be one of the giants of 20th-century American literature, Thomas Wolfe immortalized his childhood home in his epic autobiographical novel, Look Homeward, Angel. Wolfe’s colorful portrayal of his family, his hometown of “Altamont” Asheville, North Carolina, and “Dixieland” the Old Kentucky Home boardinghouse, earned the Victorian period house a place as one of American literature’s most famous landmarks.

House tours are offered daily at half past each hour. Last tour leaves at 4:30 pm.
Group tours by reservation.

Adult – $5.00
Student (ages 7-17) – $2.00
Adult Group (10+) – $2.50 each
Student Group – $2.00 each
6 & under – Free

Hours of Operation

9:00am – 5:00pm
Tuesday – Saturday
Sunday & Monday: CLOSED
Closed State Holidays

“A Clear Choice” Karsten Oaks’ Solo Exhibition
Sep 8 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Bender Gallery

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

“We Built This: Profiles of Black Architects and Builders in North Carolina” Exhibit at Pack Memorial Library
Sep 8 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Pack Memorial Library
PSABC is excited to be co-hosting the “We Built This: Profiles of Black Architects and Builders in North Carolina” travelling exhibit with the Buncombe County Special Collections.
The exhibit was put together by Preservation North Carolina and highlights the history and legacy of Black builders and craftspeople from throughout the state.
Have a Gardening Question? Call the Helpline
Sep 8 @ 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
online

The Garden Helpline is open March 2 through October 27 in 2022.

Extension Master GardenerSM volunteers will be staffing the Helpline as indicated in the schedule below. You may send an email or leave a voicemail at any time and an Extension Master Gardener volunteer will respond during Garden Helpline hours. When emailing, please include a photo if it helps describe your garden question. Soil test kits can be picked up at the Extension office, 24/7, located in a box outside the front door.

Two ways to contact the Garden Helpline
Call 828-255-5522
Email questions and photos to [email protected]

Garden Helpline Hours
March:
  Monday 12:00 – 2:00; Wednesday 10:00 – 12:00
April – September:  Monday and Wednesday 10:00- 2:00; Tuesday 10:00-12:00;
Thursday 12:00-2:00
October:  Tuesday 10:00-12:00; Thursday 12:00-2:00

We are here to help and support you! Please contact us; we look forward to answering your gardening questions.

Haywood Community College’s Professional Crafts Program Graduate Exhibition
Sep 8 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Folk Art Center
Haywood Community College’s Professional Crafts Program Graduate Exhibition
Sep 8 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Folk Art Center
Literacy Together – Online Volunteer Orientation Meeting
Sep 8 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
online w/ Literacy Together

Literacy Together (formerly Literacy Council of Buncombe County) has a determined group of students waiting for volunteer tutors so they can move forward on their goals for a better future. Tutor training is via distance learning, and all tutoring sessions are online. We have programs teaching English to immigrants, adult literacy for folks working on a GED, and youth literacy for kids struggling to learn to read.

Thursday Produce Sorting/Box Prep with Bounty + Soul
Sep 8 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Bounty + Soul

Before you even begin thinking about volunteering, ask yourself – Am I well enough to volunteer?

Your safety and limiting the spread of COVID-19 is everyone’s main priority. We encourage you to review and adhere to the recommendations on the Buncombe County readiness site on how best to avoid COVID-19 and what to do if you think you might have it.


Bounty & Soul is a community-based non-profit with a mission to connect people to food, education and each other.

This opportunity involves sorting and inspecting produce donations from local grocers and placing them into food boxes that are distributed at weekly drive-thru markets. 

Time Commitment:

  • Thursdays 10am-12pm
  • Thursdays 1-3pm

Requirements:

  • Volunteers should agree to adhere to all the safety measures implemented
  • Ability to lift 25 lbs.
  • Bending, stooping, and twisting may be required
  • Closed toed shoes

Health/Safety:

  • We are asking volunteers to wear/bring their own face covering when delivering items
    • Cloth covering nose and mouth
    • Fabric or disposable face mask
  • Asking volunteers to maintain physical distance of 6 feet or more when possible
    • Note: there are times when the volunteer task requires volunteers to engage closer than 6 feet. Please do not sign up if you feel uncomfortable.

 

1 and older
Is Family Friendly
Is Not Outdoors
Is Wheelchair Accessible
Youth Literacy tutor Volunteer Opportunity
Sep 8 @ 10:00 am
online

Our Ideal Volunteer Tutor

The ideal volunteer tutor is someone seeking to make a one-year commitment of two hours per week to help someone else make the change of a lifetime. For our volunteer tutors, an education background is helpful, but not necessary. The most important qualities are patience, an open mind, and resourcefulness. Tutors also need to be non-judgmental and sensitive to cultural differences. A GED or high school diploma is required. Ideal tutors enjoy seeing concrete outcomes from their efforts and sharing in the life-changing successes of others. See our full tutor position description here.

Five Steps to Become a Tutor

1. Contact Literacy Together. Sign up online, call (828)254-3442, or email [email protected] to let us know you are interested in becoming a volunteer. We will get back to you within two business days.

2. Attend orientation. We host two volunteer orientation meetings a month. Sign up online, or send an email to  [email protected].

3. Attend tutor training. Sign up for training at the end of the orientation session. Here you can see the dates of our training.

4. Get matched with a student. The program director for your chosen program will match you with a student or small group of students who corresponds to your preferences. The program director will set the date, time, and location of your first meeting. After that, you will schedule your tutoring sessions directly with your student.

5. Start tutoring. Meet with your student(s) for at least two hours per week for a minimum of six months (Adult Literacy GED track), a year (ESOL,  Adult Literacy Basic Skills track), and a school year (Youth Literacy). Share your success stories with us, and attend periodic in-service training to freshen up your skills.

“Life Art Life” William Bernstein 50 Year Art Retrospective
Sep 8 @ 10:30 am – 5:00 pm
Toe River Arts, Kokol Gallery

“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.