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.
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.
Building Community One Tune at a Time
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Join us for a Craft Research Talks program, featuring an intriguing discussion with potter, researcher, and Craft Research Fund recipient, Mark Shapiro, about his research on the complex history of potter Thomas W. Commeraw. Commeraw, who was born enslaved, rose to prominence as a free Black craftsman in the early decades of the nineteenth century. Shapiro recently presented his research in the first-ever exhibition on Commeraw at the New-York Historical Society, on view January 27 – May 28, 2023. He will be in conversation with his co-curators from the New-York Historical Society, Vice President and Museum Director Margi Hofer, and 2020 Craft Research Fund recipient and Mellon Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in Women’s History and Public History, Allison Robinson. The panel will be joined by Center for Craft Grant Program Manager and craft practitioner Mellanee Goodman as the program moderator. Their conversation will be followed by an audience Q&A. Follow the link to learn more about the exhibition Crafting Freedom: The Life and Legacy of Free Black Potter Thomas W. Commeraw. https://www.nyhistory.org/exhibitions/crafting-freedom-thomas-commeraw1
Featured Participants:
Mark Shapiro, Researcher and Potter
Margi Hofer, Vice President and Museum Director, New-York Historical Society Museum & Library
Allison Robinson, Ph.D., Mellon Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in Women’s History and Public History, New-York Historical Society Museum & Library
The Craft Research Talk will feature an intriguing discussion with potter, researcher, and Craft Research Fund recipient, Mark Shapiro, about the complex history of potter Thomas W. Commeraw. Shapiro recently presented his research in the first-ever exhibition on Commeraw at the New-York Historical Society, on view January 27 – May 28, 2023. He will be in conversation with his co-curators from the New-York Historical Society, Vice President and Museum Director Margi Hofer, and 2020 Craft Research Fund recipient and Mellon Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow in Women’s History and Public History, Allison Robinson
The panel will be moderated by the Center for Craft Grant Program Manager Mellanee Goodman. Their conversation will be followed by a Q&A.
Craft Research Talks are virtual and free to the public. Please register through the link in our bio.
Enjoy a night out with the WNC Nature Center! Start off with a champagne toast, followed by a step-by-step creative painting of one of our river otters!
EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 6:30 pm ~ FREE!
AGES 18+ ADULTS ONLY ~ NO KIDS ALLOWED
ON OUR HUGE SCREEN IN THEATER 2!
ENJOY DINNER & DRINKS (FULL BAR) WHILE PLAYING
There are 3 rounds with new winners each round so you can show up late, miss a round and still be a winner. Plus, we have mid-round prizes to create as many winners as possible.
The questions are presented by a hilarious host on our giant movie screen and includes fun videos in each round. You haven’t played a trivia night like this one!
This is a casual meetup for developers, tech-minded pros, and geeks at any experience level. All are welcome and newcomers are welcome. Hope to see you there.
Mills River Brewing has a permanent food truck onsite.
Beat the mid week grind with some fun trivia! Win a $25 gift card for our taproom along with a $25 gift card from our resident kitchen, Bears Smokehouse BBQ!
Rita Felski, the John Stewart Bryan Professor of English at the University of Virginia, will present a lecture, “On Resonance,” at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 22, via Zoom.
Could the idea of resonance offer another slant on what’s defended, though also derided, as a “love of literature,” while also clarifying how critical theory can animate and captivate? Felski’s talk draws out affinities between the ideas of sociologist Hartmut Rosa and two novels—Stoner, by John Williams, and Theory, by Dionne Brand—that capture moments when words reverberate and come alive, portraying the transformative aspects of intellectual life as well as the alienating aspects of academic institutions.
The traditional music of the mountains of North Carolina traces its roots back to the Celtic music of Ireland and Scotland. Traditional Celtic music is still played on the porches and in the pubs of the Celtic lands… and also throughout the southern Appalachian mountains.
In true pub fashion, White Horse Black Mountain hosts a traditional Irish style session twice a month, on the second and fourth Wednesdays, starting at 7pm….
……..and there is NO COVER CHARGE.
Sessions are in many ways the heart and soul of Irish traditional music, a place for players to share tunes and socialize. It’s not a performance, but rather an informal situation in which listeners are welcome to participate, whether offering encouragement, singing along on a chorus, or asking questions about the music and instruments. White Horse sessions regularly draws players from as far away as Waynesville, Cullowhee, Rutherfordton and even Clayton, Georgia.
The sessions are hosted by Richard and Melinda Halford.
Drop by for a beer or a cup of tea and get uplifted by some great traditional tunes and a few new songs.
Come join us in a long musical tradition spanning hundreds of years.
Every Wednesday
Trivia Night
Alexis Castor, associate professor of Classics at Franklin & Marshall College, will present a lecture, “More Than Glitter: Ancient Jewelry in Greece and Italy” at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 22, in Highsmith Student Union, rooms 225-226.
Castor will address the multiple uses of jewelry and personal ornament in the ancient world. While such prestige goods have often attracted attention due to their material or craftsmanship, portable objects of gold, silver, amber and other materials often had a multiplicity of meanings for ancient people. Such objects could be used to express status but also frequently age, gender, and ethnicity. She will also discuss how people of all ages wore personal ornaments as protective amulets against harm, to show badges of office, to enchant, and as wearable wealth that could be melted down in times of crisis.
For more information, contact Laurel Taylor, assistant professor of art and art history, and president of the Western North Carolina Archaeological Institute of America Chapter, at [email protected].
ERIC JOHNSON PLANS EXTENSIVE U.S. TOUR FOR 2023 TITLED “TREASURE TOUR”
60+ Show Run Kicks Off in February
Austin, Texas…Eric Johnson has been traveling on a prolific odyssey over the course of more than four decades. Along the way, his creations have encompassed repertoire that cross pollinates genres which include rock, blues, jazz, fusion, soul, folk, new-age, classical and even country. Inevitably, E.J. says it best in sharing, “It really boils down to the music and the song at the end of the day”, he explains, “If it doesn’t have that it gets boring for me. The most important thing for me is to grow musically and make a more expansive and meaningful artistic statement with every new project”.
During the pandemic, the Grammy-winning guitarist, vocalist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist released weekly donation-based “Mini Guitar Lessons” benefiting Food Banks across the country and worked in the studio on previously un-released tracks and new recordings. These tracks resulted in the release of new 2 records entitled “The Book Of Making” and “Yesterday Meets Today” in July of 2022 on Blue Élan Records. The purchase of both albums includes the keys to a third album, “Takeouts” which includes unreleased and alternate recordings of songs available as an exclusive download.
Throughout his career, Johnson has approached music as a healing force, a way to enhance the listener’s consciousness, and conjure joy and inspiration. More than a year into the Pandemic, and because of the Pandemic, he reflects that this approach has become reinforced and more enhanced.
The 2023 Treasure Tour will feature some of his previously unreleased gems, some older classics and some new soon-to-be favorites.
By Christopher Durang
Winner of the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play.
Middle-aged siblings Vanya and Sonia share a home in Bucks County, PA, where they bicker and complain about the circumstances of their lives. Suddenly, their movie-star sister, Masha, swoops in with her new boy toy, Spike. Old resentments flare up, eventually leading to threats to sell the house. Also on the scene are sassy maid Cassandra, who can predict the future, and a lovely young aspiring actress named Nina, whose prettiness somewhat worries the imperious Masha.
Discretionary Content: Adult themes and Language
– ALL AGES
– STANDING ROOM ONLY
SWEET PILL
Philadelphia’s Sweet Pill write eruptive emo songs that embrace the edges of pop and hardcore. The kind of band whose members are fully immersed in their local scene—through a handful of notable side projects and the show-promoting Philly staple 4333 Collective—the quintet’s sound takes wide-spectrum influence from its environment. The result is an amalgam of complex song structures and flourishes of technical acumen, wholly unconcerned with genre, yet evoking the specific styles of touchstones such as Paramore and Circa Survive.
On their debut longplayer Where the Heart Is, Sweet Pill’s unbound, raucous energy presents through ten autobiographical tracks that hinge on singer Zayna Youssef’s elastic, enrapturing voice—at times belting and controlled, at others textural and guttural. Supporting Youssef are guitarists Jayce Williams and Sean McCall, bassist Ryan Cullen, and drummer Chris Kearney. Their blistering lead single “Blood” sees Youssef exploring a deteriorated friendship over Williams and McCall’s trudging riffs and tactful counterpoint, with Cullen and Kearney rumbling nimbly in the song’s foundations.
Second single “High Hopes” counters with introspective, melodic punk that reshapes anxiety rather than succumb to it. But third single “Diamond Eyes” momentarily slows the pace, with McCall joining Youssef on vocals for a breakup lament laden with acoustic sentimentalism and an emotive flurry from guest flutist Jill Ryan. Such range is the central facet of Where the Heart Is, where Sweet Pill’s penchant for combining punkish tropes enlivened with the vibrance of math-rock and the aggression of post-hardcore sweetened with pop sensibility compound into something stylistically new yet still familiar.
Sweet Pill is Zayna, Jayce, Chris, Sean & Ryan
KEROSENE HEIGHTS
Kerosene heights is an emo band from Asheville North Carolina and make loud exciting emo punk that carries the torch of earlier emo bands. The energy of a sweaty basement show comes through even in their recordings with distorted twinkly riffs, yelled vocals, and raw production. Their debut LP comes out this summer on No Sleep Records.
Hosted by The Heart of the Healer Foundation (THOTH)
Join us on the THOTH Facebook Page and contribute to a concentrated global intention for the healing of Pachamama as well as the collective psyche. This is a wonderful opportunity to energetically connect in soul presence with the circle of Pachakuti Mesa Practitioners worldwide, strengthening the Great Work of our shamanic planetary tribe. The power that is being harnessed and transmitted is deep and sentient nourishment for the Earth.
Learn more about the Pachakuti Mesa Tradition Link-Up HERE.
NOTE: If you cannot attend this ceremony live, the video recording will be posted on THOTH’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
FB Livestream link to join: www.facebook.com/theheartofthehealer
Ceremonialist: PMT Sanctioned Teachers

Raffle: Trip to NYC 2023
Enter to win a fabulous trip for two to New York!
Raffle tickets on sale through Sunday, August 6, 2023!
Tickets are $50 and only 500 will be sold.
Travel package for Thanksgiving 2023, with check-in on Wednesday, November 22, 2023 and check-out on Sunday, November 26, 2023.
Prize includes:
- Two round-trip Business Class tickets to New York from Asheville Regional Airport
- Transfers to and from the airport to your hotel
- Accomodations for four nights in Midtown at The Lotte New York Palace, with a choice of one king bed or two double beds
- VIP Macy’s Parade Day experience, including brunch and complimentary drinks, access to indoor and outdoor VIP viewing areas, and access to the Inflation Celebration of parade balloons on Wednesday afternoon
- Orchestra seating tickets to the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular
- Tickets to a Broadway show
- Up to $500 to spend on guided tours or additional theatre tickets
- Personal consultation with Foothills Travel to customize your trip
- On-site concierge provided through MyBucketListEvents
The drawing will take place the week of August 7, 2023. Winner will be notified by phone call and email.
Spring at Biltmore, one of the estate’s most glorious seasons, invites you to experience a spring break mountain escape with all the charm of a European retreat. Immerse yourself in thousands of colorful tulips as Biltmore Blooms transforms our gardens and grounds. Explore Italian Renaissance Alive and Ciao! From Italy. Savor our Winery’s award-winning vintages and, of course, the timeless elegance of Biltmore House.
- Daytime access to 8,000 acres of gardens and grounds, including:
- 75+ Acres of formal and informal gardens
- 20+ Miles of hiking, biking, and walking trails
- Antler Hill Village & Winery
- Complimentary Wine Tasting
- Complimentary Parking
Gardens & Grounds admission does NOT include Biltmore House entry.
Symphonic MasterpiecesOpening Night + Season Finale: BMC Principal Guest Conductor JoAnn Falletta, named by Gramophone as one of the 50 Greatest Conductors of All Time, kicks off the season with Opening Night! on Friday, June 23 performing Carl Orff’s epic audience favorite for orchestra and choir, Carmina Burana. With Keith Lockhart on the podium, Verdi’s Requiem will thrill and delight patrons for the Season Finale on Sunday, August 6. Scored for double choir, full symphony orchestra, and featuring four soloists, Verdi’s Requiem is one of the world’s most beloved choral works, bringing drama and grandeur to the concert stage.Symphonic music highlights planned for this summer include Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6, Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra, Gershwin’s An American in Paris, Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, Vaughan Williams’s “A London Symphony”, Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Strauss’s Till Eulinspiegel’s Merry Pranks, Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, “Titan”, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio espagnol, Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor, Liszt’s Les Préludes, Hanson’s “Romantic” Symphony, Nielsen’s Symphony No. 5, and many more. BMC’s tradition of performing movie scores live to full length feature films continues in 2023 with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in Concert.Legendary Artists Series with Patti LuPone and Audra McDonald + Guest Artist HighlightsLegendary Artist Patti LuPone, a true Broadway legend and three-time Tony Award winner, performs a special BMC Presents concert on Saturday, June 24. Ms. LuPone explores her lifelong love affair with Broadway through indelible interpretations of classic Broadway show tunes. On July 25 and 26, Emmy, GRAMMY®, and record-breaking six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald comes to Brevard Music Center for a double-header with two legendary performances. Ms. McDonald brings her luminous voice and dramatic incisiveness to two programs of beloved Broadway classics, as she presents popular standards and lesser-known treasures in both the intimate setting of Parker Concert Hall, and with full orchestra on the big stage. These performances are made possible by 2023 Legendary Artists Series Sponsors,Drs. Joanne and Tom Parker, and the Robinson-Hill Humanitarian Fund.2023 Summer Festival Season Guest Artist Highlights:Artistic Director Keith Lockhart leads five programs this summer featuring works by Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, Strauss, and Prokofiev. Maestro Lockhart closes the season with Verdi’s monumental Requiem. Principal Guest Conductor JoAnn Falletta returns to conduct two core symphonic programs, Carmina Burana and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6. Internationally acclaimed pianist Jeremy Denk makes his long-awaited Brevard debut with two concertos on two nights, performing Brahms’s 2nd Piano Concerto and Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4. Renowned violist Roberto Díaz, a BMC alumnus and President of the famed Curtis Institute of Music, visits Brevard to play Bright Sheng’s new viola concerto written specially forMr. Díaz. Mr. Denk and Mr. Díaz are the inaugural honorees of The Thomas C. Bolton Distinguished Artist Chair, a newly-established program supported by The Payne Fund. Norwegian conductor Rune Bergmann conducts two programs of orchestral favorites including Stravinsky’s Petrushka and Grieg’s beloved Piano Concerto. Virtuoso violinist Simone Porter performs Bruch’s soaring Scottish Fantasy, and superstar flutist Anthony Trionfo plays two showpieces for flute and orchestra with Ken Lam and the Brevard Concert Orchestra. Performance Today’s ‘Classical Woman of the Year’ Lara Downes returns to the Brevard Music Center for two concerts, including a preview performance of a new work by the dean of American composers Adolphus Hailstork, and a recital of music from her upcoming album, Love at Last.OperaWith fully staged productions of La Traviata, The Turn of the Screw, and Into the Woods, PLUS An Evening of George Gershwin, 2023 is a powerhouse season for vocal music at Brevard Music Center!Verdi’s La Traviata is a tale of romance, tragedy, passion – and parties! Filled with enduring melodies, iconic arias, and an unforgettable score, Violetta and Alfredo’s love story will transport opera goers to a bygone era. Join BMC’s Janiec Opera Company to see why Verdi’s La Traviata is the world’s most popular opera.Britten’s The Turn of the Screw is a timeless ghost story based on the Henry James novella of the same title. Regarded by many as the finest of all Benjamin Britten’s works for stage, it is a fable of good versus evil, natural versus the supernatural, and possession and exorcism, creating an astonishing dramatic power that has a shattering impact in the theater. This is a rare chance to see and hear this melodic and scary masterpiece!Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Tony-winning triumph Into the Woods takes everyone’s favorite storybook characters and brings them together for a timeless, yet relevant, piece. With a book and score that are both enchanting and touching, the Brothers Grimm hit the stage and come to life in an epic fairytale about wishes, family, and the choices we make.An Evening of George Gershwin is a glorious tribute to a true American genius known for such classic songs as “Embraceable You,” “I Got Rhythm,” and “S’Wonderful.” Members of Brevard’s Janiec Opera Company will take audiences on a grand tour of these favorites from the Great American Songbook.BMC PresentsRelax into the groove of easy summer nights with specials featuring artists we all know and love and the nostalgic music we crave. International avatar of contemporary artistic excellence, jazz master Branford Marsalis joins Jazz@Brevard on Friday, June 16, for a swinging night to remember. Broadway, television, and film legendPatti LuPone shares her lifelong love affair with Broadway through indelible interpretations of classic Broadway show tunes when she performs on the big stage on Saturday, June 24. Revolution: The Music of the Beatles is a symphonic celebration of the world’s most famous foursome. With songs like “Penny Lane,” “Hey Jude,” “All You Need is Love,” everyone will be singing and dancing in the aisles on Tuesday, June 27. The 2023 BMC Presents lineup also includes the second annual North Carolina Guitar Celebration hosted by guitarist Bryan Sutton in partnership with the Blue Ridge Guitar Camp and Mountain Song Productions on June 3. The BMC Presents season would not be complete without the tradition of Béla Fleck’s Blue Ridge Banjo Concert, with Béla Fleck and over 110 banjos on stage, to close out the summer season on August 19. A wide variety of programs are planned, with more announcements expected soon!Chamber Music HighlightsPrepare to be enchanted inside the intimate and elegant Parker Concert Hall. Highlights include Beethoven’s Archduke Trio, Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet, Dvořák’s Serenade for Winds, Schubert’s String Quintet, Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, A Steinway Piano Celebration, and much more. BMC’s distinguished Artist Faculty will be joined by celebrated guest artists such as pianist Lara Downes, the Seraph Brass, the Jasper String Quartet, and violist Roberto Díaz.New World EncountersThis season’s “festival within a festival,” is New World Encounters, which has been curated to explore the influences of American Jazz on some of the most important European composers of the 20th century. Part of the summer’s focus on Americana programming, New World Encounters uses music from the past and present to illuminate connections through the voices of a variety of composers: Igor Stravinsky, Paul Hindemith, Maurice Ravel, Woody Herman, and more. Multimedia program “New World Encounters,” designed and written by cultural historian Joseph Horowitz, will be an engaging highlight of the festival.The Weinstein EraBrevard Music Center celebrates the decade-long tenure of President & CEOMark Weinstein, who is retiring at the end of 2023. Under Weinstein’s leadership, Brevard Music Center has achieved unprecedented growth in fundraising, infrastructure, curriculum, and programming. Critical building projects and renovations, a multitude of new programs, and a multi-genre roster of internationally acclaimed artists have cemented BMC’s reputation as a foremost, international treasure that is fortified by the warmth and support of the Brevard community. Join us as we celebrate Mark’s leadership and delight in this exceptional finale season.How to Get Tickets for BMC’s 2023 Summer Festival2023 Price Freeze!: To help ease the sting of inflation everyone is feeling right now, BMC has decided to freeze all ticket prices this season in gratitude for its valued patrons. There will be no changes in pricing from last year!Tickets: Subscriptions to the 2023 Summer Festival are available with a variety of benefits including savings of up to 25% off single ticket prices, same seat benefits, advance access to popular programs, add-on discounts for guests, and more. The Golden Ticket Subscription provides the ultimate in reserved seats to all Symphony, Opera and Chamber Music Series performances and also includes BMC’s Opening Night and Season Finale— a full summer of musical inspiration with tickets to 35 concerts! Subscriptions may also be purchased to the Symphony Series (17 concerts), the Opera Series (4 concerts), or the Chamber Music Series (12 concerts). Flexible Subscription options like “Compose Your Own” and “Flex 6” provide the opportunity for you to curate your own custom series with as few or as many events as you want based on your schedule and musical preferences.On Sale Dates: Subscription sales and renewals begin February 6. Single ticket Donor Presale for all Brevard Music Center contributors of $150+ begins March 13. All single ticket sales to the general public will open on April 17. Complete details about the 2023 Summer Season is available at brevardmusic.org.2022-23 Parker Concert Hall SeriesParker Concert Hall is Brevard Music Center’s state-of-the-art, intimate 400-seat concert hall overlooking scenic Lake Milner. The new hall plays host to an 18-concert series from October through May featuring a varied lineup of classical, jazz, vocal, and fusion artists. The series continues Thursday, February 9, with the legendary folk singer Tom Rush accompanied by Matt Nakoa, Valentine Romance with award-winning British vocal ensemble Gesualdo Six on Thursday, February 16, singer-songwriters Woody Platt and Shannon Whitworth on Tuesday, February 28, St. Patrick’s Day revelry with Irish music icons Dervish on Tuesday, March 14, award-winning piano trio Sitkovetsky Trio on Thursday, March 30, cellist Benjamin Hughes in recital on Tuesday, April 18, Rodney Marsalis and the Philly Big Brass on Thursday, April 27, the renowned Barcelona Flamenco Ballet on Thursday, May 4, and Mostly Mozart at the Parker Concert Hall on Monday, May 15, part of the Asheville Amadeus Festival. Great seats remain for these performances; tickets are priced from $35.To find out more about the 2023 Summer Festival Season at Brevard Music Center and remaining 2022-23 Parker Concert Hall Series performances, please visit brevardmusic.org/tickets. You can also contact the BMC Box Office at (828) 862-2105 or at [email protected].ABOUT BREVARD MUSIC CENTER | SUMMER INSTITUTE & FESTIVALFounded in 1936, the Brevard Music Center stands as one of this country’s premier summer classical music training programs and festivals. Each summer, over 700 gifted students come to the Music Center from across the United States and around the world to study with a distinguished faculty and renowned guest artists. Brevard’s hallmark is the powerful sense of community that re-emerges each year as faculty and students present remarkable concerts and events to summer audiences.
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.
The City of Asheville is seeking feedback from businesses and residents on how we can curb the use of single-use plastics, particularly plastic bags and styrofoam foodware containers, in our community.
This short survey should take less than ten minutes to complete and will ask residents and businesses to share their experiences with these products, what actions they would like to see the City take and what kind of support would be necessary to reduce the consumption of these single-use plastic products.
The survey will remain open through April 30 and results will inform City Staff’s recommendation on next steps to City Council in October, 2023. Staff will also share results and any additional engagement opportunities with the community on the project page.
WNC Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) is a farmer-led effort to bring established farmers, farm apprentices, and aspiring farmers together for year-long training in the art and science of sustainable agriculture, straight from the hearts, mouths, and fields of seasoned local farmers in Western North Carolina.
Farmers learn best from other farmers, and aspiring farmers learn best from hearing how successful farmers in the region run their farms. Farm Tours form the core of the WNC CRAFT training program.
WNC CRAFT is a membership program, and its fees cover a whole year of learning and networking opportunities. More details on tours will be provided upon joining CRAFT. Tours & benefits are only available to CRAFT Members.
CRAFT Tour Schedule 2023:
- March 19th: Lambing at Black Thorn Farm & Kitchen
- March 30th: Mental Health First Aid Training with NC Agromedicine Institute at Creekside Farm & Education Center
- April 2nd: Farmer Social at Olivette Farm
- April 16th: Mechanical Weed Control and Tractor Implements for Cultivation at Gaining Ground Farm
- July 30th: Silvopasture at Wild East Farm
- October 29th: Land Access Model and Winter Growing at Olivette Farm
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library®
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library impacts the pre-literacy skills and school readiness of children under the age of 5 in Buncombe County. The program mails a new, free, age-appropriate book to registered children each month until they turn five years old. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library creates a home library of up to 60 books and instills a love of books and reading from an early age. If you have any questions about the program, please send an email to [email protected].
A national panel of educators selects the Imagination Library titles, which include: The Little Engine that Could, Last Stop on Market Street, Violet the Pilot, As an Oak Tree Grows, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Llama Llama Red Pajama, Look Out Kindergarten, here I come, and many more (take a look at all the titles).
Register your child now!
Program Launch and Expansions
Literacy Together became a Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library affiliate in November 2015 with support from the Buncombe Partnership for Children. Through this program, registered children in Buncombe County receive a free book in the mail each month. Their parents also have the opportunity to attend workshops to learn how to build their children’s early literacy skills. Parents in need of literacy assistance are encouraged to receive tutoring through Literacy Together’s adult programming.
The program served 200 children during the 2015/16 fiscal year. The program expanded to serve 400 children in July 2016, and 600 in August 2017. In July 2018, capacity increased to 1,900 thanks to a special allocation in the North Carolina state budget. We’re now serving 4,600 kids in Buncombe County.
Food Scraps Drop Off
The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in two locations for all Buncombe County residents. This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Register for Food Scraps Drop Off
Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin? Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.
Locations
Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the east side of the parking lot
749 Fairview Road, Asheville
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- Dawn – Dusk
Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot
30 Washington Carver Avenue, Asheville
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- Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Sunday, 12 – 4 p.m.
West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building
942 Haywood Road, Asheville
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- Library open hours
- Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center
85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander
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- Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm
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AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, in cooperation with the IRS, NC Department of Revenue, Buncombe County Library System, and Council on Aging, Inc. will offer free tax preparations for taxpayers of low and moderate income, with special attention to those aged 60 and older.
You will need an appointment to speak with a tax help aide. At your appointment, you can drop off your tax documents and you’ll be given another appointment in about 2 weeks to pick up your paperwork and completed tax form.
How it works
- Pick up a tax record envelope and instructions at Black Mountain, West Asheville, Weaverville, or Pack Library during library hours.
- Complete the Intake/Interview Booklet in your envelope by answering all questions. Then sign and date the last 3 pages. Place all your tax forms and any information relating to your tax return in your envelope.
- Make an appointment to drop off your Tax Record Envelope and meet with a Tax-Aide volunteer.
Schedule and appointments
Black Mountain Library
Mondays and Thursdays, appointments are available between 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
To make an appointment, either email [email protected] with your name and telephone number, or call (828) 669-8610 between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday. An AARP volunteer will contact you to set up your appointment. You can pick up a tax packet at the library. At your appointment, a tax volunteer will check all documents and give you a follow-up appointment to pick up your completed tax return and documents.
Pack Memorial Library
Wednesdays, appointments are available between 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
To make an appointment on Wednesday at Pack Library, email [email protected] with your name and phone number. An AARP volunteer will contact you to set up your appointment. If you don’t have access to email, the staff at the library can email AARP for you. You can pick up your tax packet at the library. At your appointment, a tax volunteer will check all documents and give you a follow-up appointment to pick up your completed tax return and documents.
Saturdays, appointments are available between 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
To make an appointment for Saturday tax help at Pack Library, email [email protected]. At your appointment, a tax volunteer will check all documents and give you a follow-up appointment to pick up your completed tax return and documents. This tax help is provided by UNCA. Saturday tax help ends on April 1 and there will be no tax help on February 18.
Weaverville Library and Weaverville First Baptist Church
Thursdays, appointments are available between 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
To make an appointment for tax help at the Weaverville First Baptist Church email [email protected] with your name and telephone number OR call the Weaverville Library at 828-250-6482 with questions. If you don’t have access to email, the staff at the library can email AARP for you. An AARP volunteer will contact you to set up your appointment at the Weaverville First Baptist Church. You can pick up your tax packet at the library. At your appointment, a tax volunteer will check all documents and give you a follow-up appointment to pick up your completed tax return and documents.
West Asheville Library
Tuesdays, appointments are available between 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
To make an appointment at the West Asheville Library email [email protected] with your name and telephone number. An AARP volunteer will contact you to set up your appointment. If you don’t have access to email, the staff at the library can email AARP for you. You can pick up your tax packet at the library. At your appointment, a tax volunteer will check all documents and give you a follow-up appointment to pick up your completed tax return and documents in 1 or 2 weeks.
Tax help will start on Feb. 1 and end on April 15.
Bring the following documents and tax forms to your tax help appointment. Photocopies are recommended:
- Photo ID / Driver License for Taxpayer and Spouse
- Social Security Cards for Taxpayer, Spouse and ALL dependents
- Prior year Federal and State tax return
- W-2 (Wages), W-2G (Gambling winnings)
- Amounts of Stimulus Payments you received (EIP-3, IRS Letter 6475)
- Amounts of Child Tax Credit Payment you received (IRS Letter 6419)
- SSA-1099 (Social Security Benefit Statement)
- 1099-R (Retirement), 1099-RRB (Railroad Retirement Benefits)
- 1099-Interest, 1099-Dividend, 1099-OID
- 1099-B (Brokerage Statement, Sale of Stocks and Bonds), 1099-Ks
- 1099-G (Unemployment and State refunds)
- 1099-NEC (Self-Employment), 1099-MISC, PLUS itemized list of expenses
- 1099-S (Sale of Home), 1099-C (Forgiveness of Credit Card Debt)
- 1098- Home Mortgage Interest and Real Estate Taxes
- 1099-T (Education Credits) PLUS Student Account Statement
- 1098-E (Student Loan Interest)
- 1099-SA and/or 5498-SA (HSA = Health Savings Account) PLUS itemized list of expenses
- 1095-A (Health Insurance – Affordable Care Act, Health Insurance Marketplace)
- Schedule K-1 (Form 1065)
- Any other documents or information relevant to preparation of the tax return
- Voided check for direct deposit of any refund to your checking / savings account
The Growing Minds Intern will assist with implementation of ASAP’s Farm to School program. Activities will include traveling with a team member to schools in the WNC region to deliver training to teachers and engage students around gardening, cooking, and other farm to school components. The Intern will also spend time in the office preparing and organizing materials and resources, as well as completing other various project needs.
Qualifications:
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to talk to children and get them excited about trying new local foods
- Excellent organizational skills
- Valid driver’s license and transportation to local schools
- ASAP requires all staff and interns to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to follow office guidelines around masks, based on current recommendations
- Ability to regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds without assistance
- Spanish speaking a plus
Note: A background check will be performed for all Growing Mind interns.
How to apply: Email your résumé and cover letter to intern coordinator Growing Minds Program Director Danielle Raucheisen at [email protected].

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.
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!






