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, June 22, 2023
Cinderella: Enchanted
Jun 22 @ 7:30 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse

A fresh take on a timeless classic, perfect for the whole family. With great warmth and more than a touch of hilarity, the hearts of children and adults alike still soar when the slipper fits. Inspired by the acclaimed teleplay starring Whitney Houston and Brandy, this version of the magical fairy tale is reborn with the Rodgers & Hammerstein hallmarks of originality, charm and elegance.

Friday, June 23, 2023
Asheville Performing Arts Academy Programs 2023-2024 Season
Jun 23 all-day
Asheville Performing Arts Academy

2023-2024 Season

The Asheville Performing Arts Academy facilitates a life-long appreciation and advocacy of the arts by providing a loving community where students discover the tools needed to navigate life on and off the stage.

Mission

The Asheville Performing Arts Academy is a school based on unlimited opportunities for students to explore their interests in music, dance, and drama.  We foster a love and appreciation for the arts through student-teacher relationships, which encourage and help you to excel at your dream. We offer high quality instruction and educational experiences because we are committed to the art of teaching and the teaching of the arts.  It is our hope to build art and awareness in the community and provide a home for families to pursue their dreams.

With classes for students of all ages, the Asheville Performing Arts Academy is your place to discover the love of music, drama, and dance in your life.

Asheville Performing Arts Academy… where the arts come alive!

November 10-12, 2023

An APAA Cabaret (Company)

 

December 8-10, 2023

Oliver, Jr. (Prep)

 

December 15-17, 2023

Oliver, Jr. (Community)

February 2-4, 2024

Mean Girls, Jr.

(Middle School Community)

 

February 9-11, 2024

Mean Girls HS Version

(High School Community)

 

March/April 2024

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Homeschool Academy)

April 25-28, 2024

Little Shop of Horros (Company)

 

May 10-12, 2024

Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Jr. (Prep)

 

May 17-19, 2024

Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Jr. (Community)

Asheville Regional Airport: art exhibit highlighting local artists
Jun 23 all-day
Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)

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.

Call for Sculptors – 37th Annual Sculpture Celebration
Jun 23 all-day
online w/ Caldwell Arts Council

The Caldwell Arts Council announces a call for sculptors to participate in its 37th Annual Sculpture Celebration scheduled from 9am-4pm on Saturday, September 9, 2023 at the Broyhill Walking Park in Lenoir, North Carolina.

 

Sculptors are invited to enter up to 3 works in the competition that will be judged by renowned sculptor Kyle Van Lusk of Brevard, NC and offers $11,000 in cash awards. Sales and commissions are allowed with 100% of proceeds going to the sculptors. All sizes of works in all materials are welcome. In addition, large-scale outdoor works can be entered for a second exhibition and sales opportunity at the Western NC Sculpture Center.

 

Registration includes FREE help in unloading, installation, and removal of work; admission to the Friday night Sculptor’s Reception & Dinner; and a continental breakfast on Saturday. Local lodging options are available, as well as free camping at the Western NC Sculpture Center.

 

Held rain or shine, this annual family-friendly event attracts sculptors and buyers from all over the eastern United States, with attendance as high as 4,000 people. It is funded in part by generous sponsors, the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resource, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

 

Early registration discounts are available and special rates are provided for students. For complete details, visit www.caldwellarts.com, or contact the Caldwell Arts Council at 828-754-2486 or [email protected].

 

Charlotte + Bob Otto 2023 Apprentice Match
Jun 23 all-day
online w/ Flat Rock Playhouse

Support one of the greatest traditions at Flat Rock Playhouse!

2023 Apprentice Benefactors Charlotte and Bob Otto will match your gift 1:1 up to $25,000.

Flat Rock Playhouse’s 2023 Apprentice Program! Don’t miss this chance to DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT!

For over 65 years, a select group of college-age performers participate in an intensive summer at Flat Rock Playhouse that includes on-stage performance and mentoring from FRP professionals. They also perform Rootabaga stories four times a week at the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site and take original educational programs out to schools in four area counties. Apprentices come from prestigious theatre schools across the country and are chosen from more than 1000 students who audition.

Apprentice graduates have gone on to major professional engagements on and off-Broadway, on national tours, and in regional theatres. Notable alumni who have played on Broadway include Michael Luwoye (Hamilton in Hamilton, An American Musical), Adam Kaplan (A Bronx Tale), Ginna Claire Mason (Glinda in Wicked), Jared Goldsmith (Dear Evan Hansen) and Ben Hope (Once). 

Inqwiry: Outdoor Wire Sculptures by Josh Coté
Jun 23 all-day
Grovewood Village

Grovewood Gallery will present Inqwiry, an outdoor exhibition of wire animal sculptures by Bakersville, NC, artist Josh Coté. This event is open to the public and free to attend. Inqwiry will remain on view through August 13, 2023.

Tryon Fine Arts Center Summer Art Camps Registration Open
Jun 23 all-day
Tryon Fine Arts Center
Summer Art Series for Youth (SASY) Camp
Summer Art Series for Youth (SASY) 2023
June 19 – 23
Our Summer Arts Camp is a one-week encounter with visual as well as performing arts. Our campers will be given the flexibility to choose their own art experience. They may want to dabble in the performing arts or take part in the visual arts or perhaps do a bit of both.
Ages 5 – 12 years. Cost: $180 – $225
PacJAM Camp
PacJAM Camp 2023
June 26 -30
Students will experience group lessons, jams, music theory, traditional art, songs, stories, and dancing, with an impressive lineup of regular and guest artists. Scholarships and instrument rentals are available.
Ages 6 year and up. Cost: $150
Theater Camp
Theater Camp 2023
July 31 – August 5
Presented in collaboration with Tryon Little Theater, the annual Summer Theater Camp allows students to put on a fully-staged production in just one week! Students learn about the ins and outs of theater-from auditions Monday morning to a fully-staged public show with lights, sound, sets,
props & costumes on Saturday!
Cost: $180 – $225
Unlock Your Imagination at Hendersonville Theatre’s Summer Camps
Jun 23 all-day
Hendersonville Theatre

Enrollment is now open for Hendersonville Theatre (HT)’s summer performing arts camps. These one-week camps are designed for middle and high school students and will be taught by theatre professionals.

Performers Playground – Acting Class runs June 26-30 from 12 pm-3 pm. Tuition is $180. The camp is designed for rising 6th to 9th graders or 10 to 14-year-olds. During this week of laughter and creativity, campers will discover the exciting world of improvisation and learn how to think on their feet. The class will include playing theater games, learning how to create scenes from scratch and using body and voice to create dynamic and memorable characters. At the completion of the camp, campers will present a showcase performance for family and friends.

Performers Playground – Acting Class is designed for all experience levels and is taught by Rugby Middle School theatre teacher Heather Denton. Denton has  over 24 years of experience teaching drama to middle school students. She has directed over 30 plays and musicals, and is known for her boundless energy and ability to work with a variety of grades and ability levels.

Acting Camp for High Schoolers runs July 10-14 from 12 pm-3 pm. Tuition is $180. The camp is intended for rising 10th to 12th graders or 14 to 17-year-olds. This camp is designed for budding actors who are looking for a starting place to learn about acting. In this camp, campers will be introduced to many forms of acting including improvisation, character development and cold readings.

Beginner Dance for Musical Theatre runs July 17-21 from 12 pm-3 pm. Tuition is $180. The camp is designed for rising 7th to 12th graders or 11 to 17-year- olds. This introductory dance course is for actors new to dance and looking to develop some musical theatre dance skills. In this camp, inspiring actors will learn how to survive a musical theatre dance call, focusing on musical theatre history, basic movement steps, and tips and tricks for picking up movement quickly.

Intermediate Dance for Musical Theatre runs July 24-28 from 12 pm-3 pm. Tuition is $180. The camp is designed for rising 10th to 12th graders or 14 to 17-years olds. Designed for dancers who want to branch into musical theatre, the camp is created for students with an intermediate level of dance training. During this week, campers will cover an introduction to musical theatre history, popular Broadway dance numbers, and tips and tricks for picking up movement quickly in order to prepare for musical theatre auditions.

Acting Camp for High Schoolers, Beginner Dance for Musical Theatre and Intermediate Dance for Musical Theatre is taught by Sage Albert, a recent graduate of Elon University with a degree in theatre, music and dance. Her most recent credits include Sherrie in Rock of Ages (upcoming) and Cathy in The Last Five Years.

Biltmore Estate: Ciao! From Italy Sculptural Postcard Display
Jun 23 @ 8:30 am
Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.

Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.

Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!

77th Season at Asheville Community Theatre
Jun 23 @ 10:00 am
online
We’ve got magic to do just for you!
We are beyond thrilled to invite you to our 77th Season at Asheville Community Theatre! Join us for a year of mystery and magic that is overflowing with spellbinding stories and captivating characters.

  • Pippin
    Performances: September 15-October 8, 2023
  • Elf: The Musical
    Performances: December 1-23, 2023
  • Flyin’ West
    Performances: February 9-25, 2024
  • Matilda: The Musical
    Performances: April 12-May 5, 2024
  • Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps
    Performances: June 21-July 7, 2024
Find your corner of the sky!
Whether you’re seeking the flexibility of choosing individual shows or the perks of a subscription, here’s everything you need to know in order to unlock the theatrical experience that’s right for you.

  • June 1, 2023: Re-subscriptions
    • Current Season Subscription holders get exclusive access to early bird prices and first choice of seating.
  • June 14-27, 2023: Early Bird Subscriptions
    • Reduced pricing for Season Subscriptions opens to the public and is available for two weeks.
  • June 28, 2023: Season Subscriptions
    • Regularly-priced Season Subscriptions go on sale for the remainder of the season.
  • July 5-18, 2023: Single Tickets: Opening Weekend Discount 
    • New this year! Tickets for opening weekends are offered at a discount: musicals are 2 for $60 and plays are 2 for $50 – with no maximum ticket limit. The opening weekend discount is only available during this time period and does not include Elf: The Musical.
  • July 19, 2023: Single Tickets
    • All tickets for all shows are now on sale!
Eidolon art exhibition
Jun 23 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tyger Tyger Gallery

Exhibition dates: June 9 – July 23

Hours: Tuesday-Saturdays from 10-5 pm, Sundays 11-4 pm

Eidolon is an ancient term from Greek -oeidēs “form”. Early meanings included “mental image”, “appearance”, and “reflection” (as in a mirror or pool), and later, “apparition” or “imaginary entity”, among other things. Expanding beyond the definition pointing to a phantasm or specter, eidolon also sounds like some kind of astral or idyllic place in a novel or poem about an imaginary world. Eidolon features the work of Jacqueline Shatz and Margaret Thompson.
Jacqueline Shatz’s small sculptures of ambiguous and hybridized figures float, entwine, swim, commune with animals and collapse into abstract arabesques and gestures, hinting at mythology, in-between states, and the permeable nature of existence. Margaret Thompson’s paintings are inspired by elements of the symbolist movement and magical realism; she channels dreams and the associative powers of the imagination into her practice, painting subjects that live between our physical realm and spaces beyond the categories of known experience: they are unrestrained, undefined, and free.

Exhibition: NEO MINERALIA
Jun 23 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Center for Craft

Photo credit:

Sae Honda. Courtesy of the Artist.

NEO MINERALIA suggests that recent rock formations no longer fit within the traditional groups: Igneous, Metamorphic, and Sedimentary. Instead, the Anthropocene, the era of human influence on the climate and environment, has introduced two post-natural rocks: Synthetic and Digital.

NEO MINERALIA presents a selection of new geological specimens crafted by ten international artists exploring rocks as reflections of our effects on human and nonhuman ecologies. By embedding synthetic materials (plastics, e-waste) and layers of data points (critical, financial, social) into the craftsmanship of these artifacts, the artists transgress the definition of rocks, turning them from passive aggregates of minerals into metaphorical aggregates of data. Within their apparent “rockness” we can decode hopes, warnings, and speculative future scenarios.

The featured works stemming from places as varied as Mexico, Japan, Poland, and Australia (including a curated artists’ books library), collectively signal a new era of planetary and geological consciousness where we are asked to read, feel, and listen to rocks in new ways.

Exhibition: Something earned, Something left behind
Jun 23 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Center for Craft

Photo credit:

J Diamond, “Pony II,” 2022. Courtesy of the Artist

Something earned, Something left behind is an exhibition of objecthood; a critical analysis of the transactional and political languages of everyday and culturally significant objects. This exhibition challenges a history of exclusion and inclusion of People of Color (POC) and their narratives from the canon of craft based on subject matter. It dissects this history’s origins and precedent as an economic transaction to gain access to white spaces.

Racial and ethnic identity influences the way individuals perceive themselves, the way others perceive them, and the way they choose to behave. For this reason, People of Color are expected to perform certain roles in order to fit into hegemonic institutions. These roles can be an active shrinking of themselves and the racialized part of them, or a personal exploitation of their racialized selves. This exhibition addresses and redresses the ways narrowed populations have been included, and the ways in which they have been asked to participate.

Together, this work creates space for and legitimizes POC narratives with depth and care. The exhibiting artists’ practices work against institutionalized expectations of POC work, expanding discourse and inserting new subjectivity into the canon of craft art. It engages with a community hungry for the revitalization and resuscitation of non-Western voices within art spaces. This exhibition challenges the expectations of art from artists of marginalized backgrounds and embraces a new subjectivity of interrogating one’s inherited experiences.

Exhibition: Crafting Denim
Jun 23 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Center for Craft

Photo credit:

Photograph by Bowery Blue Makers

Jeans – with their standardized pockets, rivets, and denim – are so much a part of everyday wardrobes that they are easy to overlook. Yet, in workshops across the nation, independent makers are reevaluating the garment and creating jeans by hand, using antiquated equipment and denim woven on midcentury looms. Crafting Denim explores how and why jeans have come to exist at the intersections of industry and craft, modernity, and tradition.

A product of industrial factory production for over a century, jeans are being recast by a new cohort of small-scale makers including craftspeople like Ryan Martin of W.H. Ranch Dungarees, Takayuki Echigoya of Bowery Blue Makers, and Sarah Yarborough and Victor Lytvinenko of Raleigh Denim, who favor choice materials and small-batch fabrication. The jeans they make merge craft traditions with industry and extend the conversation between hand and machine.

Each maker creates a distinctive product but shares a deep appreciation for materials, tools, history, and denim. These jeans are in dialogue with the past and in line with contemporary interests in sustainability. The small workshops featured here are sites of innovation and preservation, and visitors are invited to take a close look at an everyday item and imagine alternative contexts for making and living in our own clothes.

Italian Renaissance Alive
Jun 23 @ 10:00 am
Biltmore Estate

Explore Biltmore House with an Audio Guide that introduces you to the Vanderbilt family and their magnificent home’s history, architecture, and collections of fine art and furnishings.

PLUS: Immersive, multi-sensory Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition created by Grande Experiences

PLUS: FREE next-day access to Biltmore’s Gardens and Grounds

This visit includes access to:

  • Italian Renaissance Alive at Amherst at Deerpark®
  • 8,000 Acres of Gardens and Grounds for two consecutive days
  • Antler Hill Village & Winery
  • Complimentary Wine Tastings at the Winery
  • Tastings require a Day-of-Visit Reservation, which can be made by:
    • Scanning the QR Code found in your Estate Guide
    • Visiting any Guest Services location
  • Complimentary parking

Art Exhibition: Italian Renaissance Alive

This fascinating experience takes you on a spellbinding tour of Italy, fully immersing you in the beauty and brilliance of iconic masterworks from the greatest artistic period in history

Black Mountain College and Mexico (BMC/MX): Exhibition
Jun 23 @ 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center

Black Mountain College and Mexico (BMC/MX): Exhibition, Publication, and Public Programming

Black Mountain College (1933–1957), a small but remarkably influential liberal arts school in rural North Carolina, had important links to Mexico that until now have been little investigated. A crucible of twentieth-century creativity, BMC galvanized and inspired artists and intellectuals from around the world, while Mexico’s innovations and age-old traditions—in fine and applied arts, architecture, poetry, music, performance, and more—dovetailed with, and indeed drove, global impulses toward modernism and beyond. Among the many key BMC figures whose lives were importantly touched by experiences in Mexico were Anni and Josef Albers, Ruth Asawa, John Cage, Jean Charlot, Elaine de Kooning, Buckminster Fuller, Carlos Mérida, Robert Motherwell, Charles Olson, Clara Porset, M.C. Richards, and Aaron Siskind. In turn, engagements with BMC and its legacy have played a significant role in shaping contemporary approaches to art in Mexico, evident in the works of Jorge Méndez Blake, Iñaki Bonillas, Abraham Cruzvillegas, Jose Dávila, Gerda Gruber, Lake Verea, Gabriel Orozco, and Damián Ortega, among others.

The exhibition BMC/MX features works by these and other prominent contemporary Mexican artists alongside a selection of historic works by BMC artists, highlighting the ways in which ideas and modalities are translated across materials, space, and time.

Related programming, planned in collaboration with Mexican artists, features a series of public events, including a performance by artist (and BMC/MX co-curator) David Miranda to take place at Different Wrld; an exhibition visit (in Spanish and English) with BMC/MX Project Director Eric Baden; and a series of experiential art events in the BMCM+AC library.

The exhibition is accompanied by the book Black Mountain College and Mexico (forthcoming late summer 2023), which investigates the people, ideas, and practices linking BMC and Mexico during the life of the school, as well as resonances between BMC and the work of contemporary Mexican artists. With contributions by BMC/MX’s curators, as well as by artist Abraham Cruzvillegas, design scholar Ana Elena Mallet, and author and activist Margaret Randall, this fully illustrated volume brings new light to this complex and underexplored subject.

BMC/MX is an investigation into modes of communication—the arenas in which new ideas and alliances may come to be—between Black Mountain College and Mexico, between past and present, between form and idea.

About the Curators

BMC/MX’s Project Director Eric Baden is a photographer and from 1994 to 2022 was professor of photography at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, North Carolina. He is the founding director of photo+, a multidisciplinary arts event held in Asheville, North Carolina.

Artist and educator David Miranda is curator at the Museo Experimental El Eco (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM), and teaches at the Escuela Nacional de Pintura, Escultura y Grabado “La Esmeralda” in Mexico City.

Diana Stoll is an editor, writer and curator who works with institutions such as The Museum of Modern Art and the J. Paul Getty Museum. She has served as an editor at Aperture and Artforum magazines, and contributes writings to prominent arts publications.

Pulp Potential: Works in Handmade Paper
Jun 23 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

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.

The Art of Food: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation
Jun 23 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

The Art of Food features works from important postwar artists, like Robert Rauschenberg, Roy Lichtenstein, John Baldessari, Wayne Thiebaud, Ed Ruscha, Andy Warhol, David Hockney, and Jasper Johns, alongside the work of contemporary artists, like Alison Saar, Lorna Simpson, Enrique Chagoya, Rachel Whiteread, and Jenny Holzer, among others.

The Art of Food features more than 100 works in mediums that include drawings, paintings, photographs, prints, sculptures, and ceramics by 37 artists.

Each artist has a unique means of depicting food in their work that, when seen alongside others, creates a nuanced representation of the complex place food holds in everyday life. Cross-historical resonances between artists in the exhibition spark novel meditations on food and its discontents, while speaking to a broad range of audiences.

The Photographs of Anne Noggle
Jun 23 @ 12:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center
On Exhibit
TFAC’s JP Gallery
June 22 – August 18
Anne Noggle’s work consistently challenged the stereotypes and standard mythologies of women. She herself began her artistic career at age forty-three, to complement her already-established
profession as a pilot.
The exhibit is a joint presentation between TFAC, and the Tryon Arts & Crafts School and both locations are curated by Martha Strawn, president of the
Anne Noggle Foundation and art historian Lili Corbus.
Dude Perfect: Pandamonium Tour
Jun 23 @ 7:00 pm
Bon Secours Wellness Arena

YouTube sensations, Dude Perfect — Tyler Toney, Cody Jones, Garrett Hilbert and twins Coby and Cory Cotton — will bring their engaging and action-packed show to 24 cities next summer after several sold-out events on their 2022 tour, which has been recently nominated for Pollstar Family Event Tour of the Year.

 

Demand for the family-friendly brand continues to grow, with Dude Perfect joining Amazon’s Thursday Night Football broadcast and the announcement of a new Dude Perfect fan destination and headquarters. In the 2023 iteration of their tour, the Dudes will bring their laugh-out-loud antics to the stage and compete in crazy, trick-shot themed battles. The tour will feature some of the most popular segments from their award-winning “Overtime” series like Cool Not Cool and Wheel Unfortunate with Ned Forrester, and new fan-favorite segments like Get Crafty and Top 10 are in the works as well.

 

“We can’t wait to get back on the road and see your smiling faces for our brand-new 2023 Pandamonium tour! We have some awesome new surprises in store for this tour and we can’t wait to meet you all in person,” said Coby Cotton, Dude Perfect. “We’re coming back to lots of our favorite cities, returning to some that we haven’t been to since 2019, and have added some new stops including a long-awaited show in Canada!”

 

 

A Mad, Magical Midsummer
Jun 23 @ 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center Amphitheater

A Summer Solstice Special Event!
2 nights only! Don your fairy finery, and come belly laugh, sing along, and feel the magic of Midsummer at this concert reading (and singing) of a NEW, ORIGINAL MUSICAL COMEDY by local theatre artists, Laura Depta Peal and Stan Peal.

It is Midsummer night in the magical court of Titania, Queen of the Fairies, and her motley bunch of forest fey are busy preparing for the night’s festivities. Oberon, her wayward consort, is late again, but when he arrives this time he’s not alone! A young human woman has followed him into the fairy realm, and now she can’t get home. Led by the mischievous Puck and a very dusty ghost of Shakespeare, the goofy forest denizens hilariously hatch a plan to get the lost girl back where she belongs. Mixed up Shakespearean shenanigans and Midsummer magic collide in this delightful musical celebration of summer!

Presented by Solstice Theatre – solsticetheatre.com – [email protected]
Friday & Saturday, June 23-24, 7:30pm
At the Tryon Fine Arts Center Amphitheater
34 Melrose Ave, Tryon, NC 28782
828.859.8322
Tickets: $10 at tryonarts.org/partner-series

Note: A concert reading is different from a full production of a play. At a reading such as this, the actors will be standing on stage or seated in chairs and will have their scripts in front of them on music stands. There will be minimal set, blocking, props, and costumes. Scene descriptions and stage directions will be read aloud to set the stage for the audience. Even with such a pared down production, you will be amazed at how much the story, the characters, the music, and the comedy will come alive for you!

Montford Park Players: Twelfth Night
Jun 23 @ 7:30 pm
Montford Park Players

All shows will be at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheater in the Montford District of Asheville, and all will be presented absolutely FREE of charge!

Written by William Shakespeare
Directed by Fable Wilde Day
Always an audience favorite, Twelfth Night returns to the MPP stage with all of the mistaken identity, love triangles and general wackiness you may already know and love!

All shows will run Fridays through Sundays and all will be presented at 7:30pm and prime seats can be reserved.

Montford Park Players has been bringing some of theater’s greatest works to Western North Carolina for over 50 years. Montford Park Players continues its mission of bring free theater to the community. The summer season allows everyone to come spend an evening under the stars, seeing some of the best live performances presented in Asheville.

Montford Park Players allows patrons to bring their favorite food and beverages to their shows and sells beer, wine and concessions at the shows. If you’ve never been to the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre for a Montford show, there’s no better season than this one. If you have been, you know why you should come back and catch everything we have to offer!

Cinderella: Enchanted
Jun 23 @ 8:00 pm
Flat Rock Playhouse

A fresh take on a timeless classic, perfect for the whole family. With great warmth and more than a touch of hilarity, the hearts of children and adults alike still soar when the slipper fits. Inspired by the acclaimed teleplay starring Whitney Houston and Brandy, this version of the magical fairy tale is reborn with the Rodgers & Hammerstein hallmarks of originality, charm and elegance.

Saturday, June 24, 2023
Asheville Regional Airport: art exhibit highlighting local artists
Jun 24 all-day
Asheville Regional Airport (AVL)

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.

Call for Sculptors – 37th Annual Sculpture Celebration
Jun 24 all-day
online w/ Caldwell Arts Council

The Caldwell Arts Council announces a call for sculptors to participate in its 37th Annual Sculpture Celebration scheduled from 9am-4pm on Saturday, September 9, 2023 at the Broyhill Walking Park in Lenoir, North Carolina.

 

Sculptors are invited to enter up to 3 works in the competition that will be judged by renowned sculptor Kyle Van Lusk of Brevard, NC and offers $11,000 in cash awards. Sales and commissions are allowed with 100% of proceeds going to the sculptors. All sizes of works in all materials are welcome. In addition, large-scale outdoor works can be entered for a second exhibition and sales opportunity at the Western NC Sculpture Center.

 

Registration includes FREE help in unloading, installation, and removal of work; admission to the Friday night Sculptor’s Reception & Dinner; and a continental breakfast on Saturday. Local lodging options are available, as well as free camping at the Western NC Sculpture Center.

 

Held rain or shine, this annual family-friendly event attracts sculptors and buyers from all over the eastern United States, with attendance as high as 4,000 people. It is funded in part by generous sponsors, the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resource, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

 

Early registration discounts are available and special rates are provided for students. For complete details, visit www.caldwellarts.com, or contact the Caldwell Arts Council at 828-754-2486 or [email protected].

 

Charlotte + Bob Otto 2023 Apprentice Match
Jun 24 all-day
online w/ Flat Rock Playhouse

Support one of the greatest traditions at Flat Rock Playhouse!

2023 Apprentice Benefactors Charlotte and Bob Otto will match your gift 1:1 up to $25,000.

Flat Rock Playhouse’s 2023 Apprentice Program! Don’t miss this chance to DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT!

For over 65 years, a select group of college-age performers participate in an intensive summer at Flat Rock Playhouse that includes on-stage performance and mentoring from FRP professionals. They also perform Rootabaga stories four times a week at the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site and take original educational programs out to schools in four area counties. Apprentices come from prestigious theatre schools across the country and are chosen from more than 1000 students who audition.

Apprentice graduates have gone on to major professional engagements on and off-Broadway, on national tours, and in regional theatres. Notable alumni who have played on Broadway include Michael Luwoye (Hamilton in Hamilton, An American Musical), Adam Kaplan (A Bronx Tale), Ginna Claire Mason (Glinda in Wicked), Jared Goldsmith (Dear Evan Hansen) and Ben Hope (Once). 

Inqwiry: Outdoor Wire Sculptures by Josh Coté
Jun 24 all-day
Grovewood Village

Grovewood Gallery will present Inqwiry, an outdoor exhibition of wire animal sculptures by Bakersville, NC, artist Josh Coté. This event is open to the public and free to attend. Inqwiry will remain on view through August 13, 2023.

Tryon Fine Arts Center Summer Art Camps Registration Open
Jun 24 all-day
Tryon Fine Arts Center
Summer Art Series for Youth (SASY) Camp
Summer Art Series for Youth (SASY) 2023
June 19 – 23
Our Summer Arts Camp is a one-week encounter with visual as well as performing arts. Our campers will be given the flexibility to choose their own art experience. They may want to dabble in the performing arts or take part in the visual arts or perhaps do a bit of both.
Ages 5 – 12 years. Cost: $180 – $225
PacJAM Camp
PacJAM Camp 2023
June 26 -30
Students will experience group lessons, jams, music theory, traditional art, songs, stories, and dancing, with an impressive lineup of regular and guest artists. Scholarships and instrument rentals are available.
Ages 6 year and up. Cost: $150
Theater Camp
Theater Camp 2023
July 31 – August 5
Presented in collaboration with Tryon Little Theater, the annual Summer Theater Camp allows students to put on a fully-staged production in just one week! Students learn about the ins and outs of theater-from auditions Monday morning to a fully-staged public show with lights, sound, sets,
props & costumes on Saturday!
Cost: $180 – $225
Unlock Your Imagination at Hendersonville Theatre’s Summer Camps
Jun 24 all-day
Hendersonville Theatre

Enrollment is now open for Hendersonville Theatre (HT)’s summer performing arts camps. These one-week camps are designed for middle and high school students and will be taught by theatre professionals.

Performers Playground – Acting Class runs June 26-30 from 12 pm-3 pm. Tuition is $180. The camp is designed for rising 6th to 9th graders or 10 to 14-year-olds. During this week of laughter and creativity, campers will discover the exciting world of improvisation and learn how to think on their feet. The class will include playing theater games, learning how to create scenes from scratch and using body and voice to create dynamic and memorable characters. At the completion of the camp, campers will present a showcase performance for family and friends.

Performers Playground – Acting Class is designed for all experience levels and is taught by Rugby Middle School theatre teacher Heather Denton. Denton has  over 24 years of experience teaching drama to middle school students. She has directed over 30 plays and musicals, and is known for her boundless energy and ability to work with a variety of grades and ability levels.

Acting Camp for High Schoolers runs July 10-14 from 12 pm-3 pm. Tuition is $180. The camp is intended for rising 10th to 12th graders or 14 to 17-year-olds. This camp is designed for budding actors who are looking for a starting place to learn about acting. In this camp, campers will be introduced to many forms of acting including improvisation, character development and cold readings.

Beginner Dance for Musical Theatre runs July 17-21 from 12 pm-3 pm. Tuition is $180. The camp is designed for rising 7th to 12th graders or 11 to 17-year- olds. This introductory dance course is for actors new to dance and looking to develop some musical theatre dance skills. In this camp, inspiring actors will learn how to survive a musical theatre dance call, focusing on musical theatre history, basic movement steps, and tips and tricks for picking up movement quickly.

Intermediate Dance for Musical Theatre runs July 24-28 from 12 pm-3 pm. Tuition is $180. The camp is designed for rising 10th to 12th graders or 14 to 17-years olds. Designed for dancers who want to branch into musical theatre, the camp is created for students with an intermediate level of dance training. During this week, campers will cover an introduction to musical theatre history, popular Broadway dance numbers, and tips and tricks for picking up movement quickly in order to prepare for musical theatre auditions.

Acting Camp for High Schoolers, Beginner Dance for Musical Theatre and Intermediate Dance for Musical Theatre is taught by Sage Albert, a recent graduate of Elon University with a degree in theatre, music and dance. Her most recent credits include Sherrie in Rock of Ages (upcoming) and Cathy in The Last Five Years.

Biltmore Estate: Ciao! From Italy Sculptural Postcard Display
Jun 24 @ 8:30 am
Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Embark on a scenic journey across George Vanderbilt’s Italy with a large-scale outdoor display that combines brilliant botanical designs with authentic messages written by Vanderbilt himself.

Beautifully handcrafted of natural elements, each sculptural postcard depicts a location or landmark Vanderbilt visited more than a century ago. This captivating complement to Biltmore’s Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition reveals Vanderbilt’s passions for travel, culture, architecture, and art as well as his personal experience of such renowned Italian cities as Milan, Florence, Venice, Pisa, and Vatican City.

Adding to the charm and visual appeal of Ciao! From Italy—sure to be a hit among kids of all ages—is the G-scale model train that travels in and out of each postcard in this enlightening display!