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Freshen Up Comedy Showcase is the first monday of every month. The showcase highlights the best local comics from the Freshen Up Open Mic that happens every Monday at Noble Cider downtown.
Local comics come out each week to try all of their new material and the best come back for the showcase.
Ryan Gordon hosts Freshen Up and this month we also feature secret guests!
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no cover, but $10 donation is encouraged
LAZOOM Tours: GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR
Aug 7 @ 7:00 pm
LaZoom Room
GHOST COMEDY BUS TOUR
Grab a local beer, crucifix and a rubber chicken* —You might survive this hour long hilarious haunted ghost tour of Asheville.
Guided comedy bus tour of Haunted Asheville
60 minutes; tours run nightly after dark
$33 per person (Ages 17+ only)
Departs from 76 Biltmore Avenue
*Legal Note:Crucifix not required to board the bus; we do not condone exorcisms, chickens, rubber, or any combination of the three.
Outdoor Movie Nights – Encanto
Aug 7 @ 8:00 pm
Silverados
Silverado’s, located between Swannanoa and Black Mountain at 2898 U.S. 70, is hosting Family Movie Night under the stars every Monday night through August 21. Tickets are $5 per person, and are only available for purchase on the day of the movie. All movie nights are dependent on weather.
Bring your friends and family, and enjoy a blockbuster outdoor movie on a 24 foot screen. Concessions will be available for purchase. For more info, check the Events tab on the Silverado’s Facebook page.
Local examples of Missing Middle Housing including an accessory dwelling unit (left), small apartment house (center), and townhomes (right)
In April 2023 the City began a Missing Middle Housing study to identify barriers that negatively impact the production of housing supply in Asheville. The term “missing middle” is meant to describe a range of house-scale buildings with multiple units that are compatible in scale and form with detached single-family homes, including such examples as duplexes, cottage courts, and fourplexes.
As part of the study, the team is conducting a Renter’s Survey to better understand housing preferences and needs from the perspective of Asheville’s renting population. Anyone wishing to participate in the anonymous survey can access it at the project website or directly by clicking the following link: Renter’s Survey. This survey will be accessible until Friday, August 11, 2023.
Applications open: 2024 Asheville Fringe Arts Festival
Aug 8 all-day
online w/ Asheville Fringe Arts
APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW!
Do you have a boundary-pushing, innovative performance piece, short film or installation that you’re ready to share?
We will open applications for the film portion of the festival in fall 2023. Films must be submitted via FilmFreeway. Our application fee for films is $5.
NOW CONSIDERING WORKS OF ALL KINDS
We accept live performances from 5 to 60 minutes in length, plus installations and films. We’re open to other types of performance as well – let’s talk! Depending on its length, your piece may be grouped with another show, or scheduled as a Random Act of Fringe. RAFs are free and open to the public, and artists receive a stipend for their performance, rather than relying on door sales.
Typically each artist with a ticketed show gets 2 performances. But in 2024, we’re exploring the option of giving a few shows 3 performances, at select venues only. Our venues range from 20-80 person capacity.
1. FRINGE SHOT
A piece that is
5-15 minutes long
May be paired with another performance, or be selected as a free Random Act of Fringe.
2. SHORT FORM
A piece that is 20-40 minutes long
May be paired with another show.
3. FULL-LENGTH
A piece that is 45-60 minutes long
Ticketed theater-style show.
4. INSTALLATION
A piece that is Site-specific (any length)
May be in an unusual location, or repeated many times. May be seen by as few as one person at a time.
5. FILM
A piece that is Designed specifically for film.
May be of any genre & length. Could be combined with other films for a showcase or film night.
Submit on Film Freeway Fall 2023
3. THE ASHEVILLE FRINGE ARTS FESTIVAL IS A JURIED FESTIVAL.
We carefully review each and every submission. You’ll know by late October if your piece is selected. Should your piece get selected, there is a $35 participation fee.
Artist Support Grant
Aug 8 all-day
online
Closed | Opening August 7
The North Carolina Arts Council Artist Support Grant is a regional grant program to support individual artists in all phases of their career. The program funds professional and artistic development for emerging or established artists to create work, improve their business operations, or bring their work to new audiences. This grant is intended to support a broad range of talented artists in the genres of visual arts, performing arts, literary arts, music composition, choreography, and interdisciplinary arts. Grants range from $500 to $3,000
The ASG program is funded by the N.C. Arts Council to provide the opportunity for regional consortia of local arts councils to award project grants to artists in their regions. Region 17 is led by Haywood County Arts Council and support artists in Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Polk, Rutherford, and Transylvania counties.
The deadline to apply is September 5, 2023 at 11:59 pm.
Asheville renters’ opportunities to give feedback
Aug 8 all-day
The city of Asheville
Do you live and rent in the City of Asheville?
Do you want an opportunity to share your experience as a renter?
The City wants to hear from you!
Our Community and Economic Development staff is addressing housing in Asheville by looking at what we call “missing middle housing”. “Missing middle housing” refers to housing types, such as duplexes, triplexes, or townhomes, that can be said to have largely been missing from the residential housing market over the last 70 years. You can describe middle residential as housing types that live in the middle of two common and well-known housing options: Single-family homes and large-scale multi-family housing apartment buildings.
Local examples of Missing Middle Housing including an accessory dwelling unit (left), small apartment house (center), and townhomes (right)
In April 2023 the City began a Missing Middle Housing Study to identify barriers that negatively impact the production of housing supply in Asheville. The term “missing middle” is meant to describe a range of house-scale buildings with multiple units that are compatible in scale and form with detached single-family homes, including such examples as duplexes, cottage courts, and fourplexes.
As part of the study, the team is conducting a Renter’s Survey to better understand housing preferences and needs from the perspective of Asheville’s renting population. Anyone wishing to participate in the anonymous survey can access it at the project website or directly by clicking the following link: Renter’s Survey. This survey will be accessible until Friday, August 11, 2023.
Attend a workshop : August 4, 2023
Another approaching engagement opportunity will be a public workshop to be held next month. The free workshop will be an open-house format where attendees can drop in anytime between 4 – 7 p.m. on August 4th at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center’s Banquet Hall (87 Haywood Street, Asheville, NC 28801). Attendees will learn more about missing middle housing and how it can help to expand housing choice, increase entry-level home ownership opportunities, help homeowners to build generational wealth and passive income, and enable local ownership and neighborhood-driven investment.
The workshop is a family-friendly event that will include a series of stations for participants to learn and discuss specific housing-related topics. At each station there will be an opportunity to give feedback that will help guide the final Missing Middle Housing report. This report will ultimately make recommendations to help Asheville prioritize next steps for regulatory changes and strategies that support more housing choices in Asheville. Topics that will be highlighted at the workshop include:
Project Overview: Timeline, engagement opportunities, and next steps
Asheville’s Housing Needs: What are the most significant housing challenges facing Asheville?
Missing Middle Housing Outcomes: What are the benefits of missing middle housing and how have other cities implemented these housing strategies?
MMH Building Types: What are the types of housing included in the study and which missing middle housing types would fit into your neighborhood?
What We’ve Heard So Far: What are the concerns and barriers that exist in Asheville today?
For those who cannot attend the in-person event, all workshop materials and accompanying surveys will be available on the City’s project website.
Call for Sculptors – 37th Annual Sculpture Celebration
Aug 8 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].
Feedback Needed: Take Buncombe County’s Primary Election Early Voting Survey
Aug 8 all-day
online
Your voice matters about how the 2024 Primary Election’s Early Voting will be shaped. We want your feedback on the proposed times and locations for Early Voting via our six-question survey. The Buncombe County Board of Elections will take feedback into consideration when determining the locations and weekend hours for Early Voting.
For additional information about the proposed Early Voting dates, times, and locations, read below. And please take the survey here. Thank you for your input, we appreciate your feedback. The Board of Elections will meet on Tuesday, Sep. 12 to discuss public input of the Early Voting plan for the primary election and adopt it at the Oct. 17 meeting. After that, Buncombe County will publicize the finalized locations and hours on our website, through media partners, social media, and other platforms.
Proposed Early Voting information
Early Voting Period:
Feb. 15- March 2
Proposed locations
Black Mountain Library – 105 N. Dougherty St, Black Mountain 28711
East Asheville Library – 3 Avon Rd, Asheville 28805
Enka-Candler Library – 1404 Sand Hill Rd, Candler 28715
Fairview Library – 1 Taylor Rd, Fairview 28730
Leicester Community Center – 2979 New Leicester Hwy, Leicester 28748
North Asheville Location – TBD
South Buncombe Library – 260 Overlook Rd, Asheville 28803
2nd South Asheville Location – TBD
Weaverville Community Center – 60 Lakeshore Dr, Weaverville 28787
Wesley Grant Southside Center (in lieu of BOE) – 285 Livingston St, Asheville 28801
West Asheville Library – 942 Haywood Rd, Asheville 28806
Proposed hours
Please note that voting hours are 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday – Friday, and on the last Saturday (March 2) hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.,as mandated by state law. The Board of Elections can set weekend hours and determine the number of early voting sites.
Proposed weekend hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday, February 17
Saturday, February 24
Sunday, February 25
Food Scraps Drop Off: Oakley Community Center
Aug 8 all-day
Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library
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.
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
Buncombe County is excited to announce the inquiry process for the 2023 Homeowner Grant Program opens Aug. 1. This program is officially in its third year, and qualified homeowners will have an opportunity to receive financial assistance for housing-related costs. The website buncombecounty.org/homeownergrant will start accepting inquiries Aug. 1-Sept. 30, or homeowners can call (828) 250-5500. You must call or submit an inquiry to determine eligibility.
You may qualify for up to $300 in unincorporated Buncombe County, and up to $500 in City of Asheville. Please note that applicants who received grants last year will need to re-apply.
Through this program, residents who own residential property in Buncombe County that they have lived in as their primary residence for at least five years and who earn at or less than 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) as a household may be eligible to participate.
If eligible, grantees may choose to have grant funds applied to their property tax bill and/or paid and applied to other housing-related obligations such as housing costs, mortgage, or homeowner’s insurance. Payments are made directly to the source of the approved bill. Payments will not be made directly to individuals. There are several new aspects to this year’s program including new eligibility requirements, and now mobile-home owners may receive the grants.
You must have owned and lived in your home for 5 years or more
Your home must by your primary and only residence
Your household income is at or below 80% of area median income (AMI)
Your household cannot already be receiving tax deferment assistance like elderly/disabled, or Veterans exemptions.
You must not have more than $60,000 in liquid resources (for example: your cash on hand, checking & savings accounts combined, or other investments available to you within 7 days)
The inquiry process will be open through Sept. 30. Eligible homeowners can submit an inquiry at buncombecounty.org/homeownergrant after Aug. 1 or call (828) 250-5500 to start the application process. Phone support is available in any language. Please note that we anticipate a high volume of calls and inquiries at the onset, and it may take a few weeks for a case manager to get back with you.
“If you think you may qualify, but you aren’t sure, please give our team a call,” says Economic Services Director Phillip Hardin. “We know there are a number of unique circumstances, and our staff will work with homeowners to help find solutions.”
Inqwiry: Outdoor Wire Sculptures by Josh Coté
Aug 8 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.
Need Help With Water Bills? New Water Assistance Program Could Offer Help.
Aug 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.
Preservation Grant
Aug 8 all-day
online w/ Preservation Society of Asheville & Buncombe County
The addition of preservation grants to our existing efforts in advocacy, technical support, preservation easements, and education, will allow us to reach a new and diverse audience. This program will allow us to support both large and small projects from downtown Asheville to our rural and under-served communities.
We look forward to helping with emergency stabilization projects and restorations of important places, to helping neighborhoods receive designations such as recognition on the National Register of Historic Places and to encouraging and supporting new and unique education and research opportunities. We want to be surprised and humbled by the projects our community asks us to support!
As our city faces the inevitable challenges of growth, PSABC’s voice and reach must expand. The important addition of this Preservation Grant Program comes in response to the needs of our community.
*Deadline to apply for the current grant round is Friday August 11th*
Preservation grants from $500 – $5000 will be offered to the public in three categories:
Bricks-And-Mortar
Rehabilitation, restoration and repair of structures that are 50 years of age or older
Some examples: Windows and doors • Exterior painting • Porches • Roofs and gutters • Electrical and plumbing • Hardscaping • Foundation • Original exterior or interior details
Public Education
Development of educational materials and programs that advance knowledge of our shared history
Some examples: Research and documentation • Oral histories • Installations specific to buildings, place history, and culture • Exhibitions • K–12 educational publications • Seminars and lectures • Documentary films
Planning, Survey and Designation
Planning and design for building rehabilitation and restoration projects, historic resource surveys and local or national designations
Some examples: Historic building condition reports • Engineering and rehabilitation plans • Feasibility studies • Historic resource surveys • Updates of previous surveys • Local and national historic designations
The local ReStore ReUse Contest is officially open for
submissions. Now through September 30, residents can show off their creativity and talent for
a chance to win in the 12 th annual contest. Fabulous furniture make-overs, remarkable
renovations, or unique yard art…if you recently took on a DIY project using predominantly
reused building materials, the Asheville Habitat ReStore wants to know. There are five
categories this year plus Best in Show, and all entries must be submitted electronically. For
guidelines and entry form, visit ashevillehabitat.org/restore .
The creativity of this community never ceases to amaze. Past projects have included a fence
fashioned from doors, a potting bench built from pallets, a wine bar made from a vintage
console radio, a chair constructed from an oil drum, and so much more. To see photos from
2022, click here.
A panel of five judges will select winners in the following categories: Furniture, Homesteading,
Live/Work Space, Home Décor, Art + Best in Show. Winners will be announced in mid-
October.
Summer Cycle Volunteer Opportunities
Aug 8 all-day
New Belgium Brewing Company
In partnership with Riding In Color WNC, who create intersectional affinity spaces for BIPOC of all genders, body sizes, and abilities to build skills and community within cycling in WNC, we’re co-hosting a BIPOC Affinity Summer Cycle experience as well as our traditional event in an effort to create a more inclusive space for people to enjoy riding in their community. Preview the schedule below because there are many moving parts to Summer Cycle ‘23.
Support the Summer Cycle experience by volunteering to support the AoB kiosk, host the bike park, pedal patrol the routes, and/or breakdown or set up.
Summer Cycle Schedule
Riding in Color: BIPOC Affinity Schedule
10:00 AM:
Summer Cycle Check In
10:30 AM:
Summer Cycle Begins
11:30 AM:
Summer Cycle Returns
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM:
Pop-Up Bike Park
Asheville on Bikes: Open Afternoon Schedule
2:00 PM – 7:00 PM:
Pop-Up Bicycle Park
3:00 PM:
Summer Cycle Check In
3:30 PM:
Summer Cycle Begins
4:30 PM – 7:00 PM:
Post Ride Silliness & Pop-Up Bicycle Park
*The morning affinity program is for individuals and families that identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color.
Wilderness Medicine + Survival Skills at Nantahala Outdoor Center
Aug 8 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center
LEARN MORE THIS YEAR
Brush up on your wilderness medicine or learn new survival skills! SOLO Southeast & NOC are offering over 200 courses in 2023 and classes in locations across the southeast.
Atlanta, GA
Bryson City, NC
Chattanooga, TN
Collegedale, TN
Greenville, SC
Find your next course with SOLO Southeast and be prepared for the unexpected!
Food Scraps Drop Off: Stephens-Lee Recreation Center
Aug 8 @ 7:00 am – 6:00 pm
Stephens-Lee Recreation Center
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.
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
Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot
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.
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.
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’s scale, viability, and long-term direction while making connections that deepen peer-to-peer support.
Limited spots are available for the full program, and those who want to be eligible for our Savings Incentive Program and the professional development funds must commit to participating in all aspects of the program.
Participants can use this program as a tangible step toward achieving their farm goals, and make significant contributions to the agricultural community and economy.
This program is designed to give tailored guidance and support for your farm business to answer questions of:
Scale
Market access
Land access
Risk management
Understanding cash flow
Enterprise innovation
WNC Farmers Market
Aug 8 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
WNC 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
WomanUP Workshop – Embracing Authenticity: Stories of Self-Discovery
Aug 8 @ 8:00 am – 10:30 pm
A-B Tech Conference Center
Finding our authentic professional path can take many turns, and the task of embracing our authentic selves is ever unfolding. In this WomanUP Workshop, you’ll find encouragement and inspiration in the stories from three successful, local business women: Leah Wong Ashburn (Highland Brewing Company), Sandar Leung (Manna FoodBank) and Molly Gaffney-Keebler (Spherion Staffing & Recruiting). They’ll share the twists and turns of their on-going journeys to discovering their authentic selves through life, family and career.
About our speakers:
Leah Wong Ashburn is the second-generation family owner of Highland Brewing Company and serves as President and CEO. She has served on several boards including the Asheville Chamber, Buncombe County TDA, Riverlink and A-B Tech and currently serves on the UNC Board of Visitors and the NC Brewers Guild. She is also recipient of the 2019 WomanUP Woman Executive of the Year Award.
Sandar Leung is Director of Operations at MANNA FoodBank. Prior to her role at MANNA, she served as Senior Manager of Fabrication Value Stream at Thermo Fisher Scientific where she was responsible for long-term capacity and technology strategy. She is also a Functional Board Member of the Asian Children’s Mission which advocates for the welfare and education of children in Myanmar.
Molly Gaffney-Keebler is the Spherion Staffing & Recruiting Licensed Franchisee for WNC and Tri-Cities, TN and is president of the Spherion Franchise Advisory Board. In her tenure at Spherion, she has won multiple awards including Rookie of the Year in 2017 and Franchisee of the Year in 2020. Spherion Asheville has been the fastest growing market in Spherion history.
Agenda
8:00 am Doors Open
8:00-8:50 am Meet and Mingle, Enjoy a Light Breakfast
8:50-10:10 am Program
10:10-10:30 am Q&A with Panelists
Breakfast provided by Everyday Gourmet:
Fresh Fruit Platter – GF, Vegan
Open Face Bagels with Cream Cheese, Smoked Salmon, Cucumber Dill Caper Relish (some will be vegetarian)
Yogurt Berry Granola Parfaits – GF, Vegetarian
Sweet Potato Hash with Peppers & Onions – GF, Vegan
Breakfast Sausage – GF
Coffee, Hot Tea, Lavender Lemonade
Biltmore Estate: Ciao! From Italy Sculptural Postcard Display
Aug 8 @ 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!
Voters: Free Photo ID Cards from Buncombe County Board of Elections
Aug 8 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Buncombe County Board of Elections
Registered voters who do not have an acceptable identification card for voting in Buncombe County can now go to the Buncombe County Board of Elections office at 59 Woodfin Place to get a free ID.
For more information about the new state law and photo IDs for voting, click here.
Most voters have a North Carolina driver’s license, which is an acceptable form of photo ID for voting. Those voters do not need to obtain a separate ID from their county board. Other common forms of acceptable ID include military or Veterans ID cards issued by the federal government, and college student and public employer ID cards that the State Board approved for use in voting. For a full list of acceptable forms of photo ID for voting, see the State Board’s website at Voter ID.
Registered voters who do not have an acceptable form of identification for voting purposes can now get a free photo ID from their county board of elections office. No special documents are needed. Voters will simply provide their name, date of birth, and the last four digits of their Social Security number, and have their photo taken. You may also register to vote at that time if needed.
Voters will be able to get an ID printed and given to them on the spot. A free voter photo ID will include the voter’s photo, name, and registration number. They will expire 10 years from the date of issuance. ID cards can be issued at any time during regular business hours, except for the period following the last day of early voting through Election Day.
“Any voter who does not have an acceptable ID card for voting can now get a free ID from their county board of elections,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “State Board staff has worked diligently with the county boards of elections over the past couple of months to get the necessary software and hardware in place for ID printing.”
Voters also can get a free ID from the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV). Find more information under “No-Fee ID Cards” at State IDs | NCDMV.
Background on the Voter Photo ID Requirement
Voters will be asked to show photo ID when voting in North Carolina, starting with the Town of Weaverville, Town of Woodfin, and Woodfin Water & Sewer District municipal elections this fall.
All voters will be able to vote with or without an ID. If a voter casting a ballot at the voting site does not provide an acceptable ID, the voter may fill out a Photo ID Exception Form and vote a provisional ballot, or vote a provisional ballot and bring an acceptable ID to the county board of elections office by the day before the county canvass (which is typically 10 days after elections in even-numbered years and seven days after elections in odd-numbered years).
Voters who vote by mail will be asked to include a photocopy of an ID with their ballot or complete a Photo ID Exception Form for Absentee Voting. The photocopy will be mailed in a special envelope to protect the voter’s personal information on their ID.
For more information on the photo ID requirement, see Voter ID.
Exhibition: NEO MINERALIA
Aug 8 @ 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
Aug 8 @ 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
Aug 8 @ 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.
Farm Beginnings® Program w/ Organic Growers School
Aug 8 @ 10:00 am
Organic Growers School
Farm Beginnings® is training the next generation of farmers in the many skills required to start and expand a successful farm business: passion, clear goals, production experience, financial and marketing know-how, and more.
Farm Beginnings® will help you build these skills through one year of farmer-led training, mentoring, and networking. We support individuals in clarifying their goals and strengths, developing agricultural skills, and growing profitable, equitable, and ecologically sound farm businesses.
Guided by our commitment to social justice, our programming is led by farmers and mentors active in food, farming, or social justice. By empowering people with skills, knowledge, and access to resources, together we can build a more diverse, equitable food system that enriches the environment and creates a thriving food and farming community.
We use a holistic management frame, farmer-led classroom sessions, on-farm tours, mentoring, and an extensive farmer network. The topics of equity and justice in the food systems are woven into the curriculum, including examples of realistic approaches within the scope of your business models.
The 200+ hr, year-long program consists of:
Training on holistic management, farm business, marketing & financial planning
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.
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
West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building
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