artsville newsletter July 2026 Roundup: ‘If Not Me, Then Who?’ In this issue: Robert Burch’s daring glasswork, Spencer Beals’ guerrilla art activism, and a guide for indie artists aiming to get noticed by The Big Crafty.
q+art interview Breaking Into The Big Crafty: Insider Tips From the Founders As The Big Crafty turns 17, founders Brandy Bourne and Justin Rabuck reveal what artists need to know to earn a spot at Asheville’s favorite art festival.
exhibition Featured Open // Air Experience our summer exhibition, where outdoor sculptures by Western North Carolina artists transform parks, gardens, and trails into open-air galleries.
q+art interview Out of Darkness: How an Artist’s Menorah Brought Light After the Storm In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Mitchell County ceramicist Gertrude Graham Smith’s light-bearing pieces emerged as beacons of hope and fortitude.
travelogue Appalachian Artists Make Their Mark at American Craft Made Baltimore Artists from Western North Carolina brought mountain craft to the 49th American Craft Made Baltimore, the largest juried art fair on the East Coast.
quick q+art Form Vs. Function: Where Do Craft Artists Draw the Line? We asked five artists from our winter craft exhibition, ‘Liminal Light,’ to weigh in on the age-old balancing act between aesthetics and practicality.
artsville newsletter February 2026 Roundup: Sparks Fly In this issue: Our luminous craft exhibition banishes winter gloom, ArtFolk celebrates imperfect art, and Valentine’s brings hands-on date-night escapes.
podcast This Crafting Collective Says Your 'Bad Art' Is Actually Perfect The ArtFolk founders discuss how letting go of perfectionism can ignite creativity and foster a welcoming environment for artists of all skill levels.
travelogue Crafty Date Night Ideas for Valentine's in the Blue Ridge Mountains From Ukrainian egg decorating to partner portraits, Western North Carolina's Valentine’s Day lineup trades flowers for hands-on creative experiences.
artsville newsletter December 2025 Roundup: Built to Last In this issue: award-winning gingerbread houses, your most-loved stories of the year, and a look back at ArtsvilleUSA’s ambitious 2025.
artsville newsletter November 2025 Round-up: Sharing Food, Crafting Community, Seeking Asylum In this issue: artisan tablescaping, the Afghan Women’s Craft Collective, plus open letters from the RAD's Jeffrey Burroughs and Center for Craft's Stephanie Moore.
feature story Sisters in Stitches: Afghan Women Cultivate Community Through Craft and Cuisine Three years ago, Asheville nonprofit Sisters in Circles launched the Afghan Women’s Craft Collective to assist asylum seekers in rebuilding their lives in the United States.
artsville newsletter October 2025 Round-up: Magic Season in the Mountains In this issue: reclaiming joy, a visual tour of the region’s best festivals, and a spotlight on LEAF Global Arts and the Street Creature Puppet Collective.
travelogue The Spirited Return of Fall Festival Season in Western North Carolina Fall festival season in Western North Carolina is making a big comeback after extensive cancellations last year due to Hurricane Helene.
exhibitions A Tale of Two Cities On the anniversaries of Hurricanes Helene and Katrina, artists from Western North Carolina and New Orleans unite in response to the existential crisis of our times.
artsville newsletter August 2025 Round-up: A One-Year Milestone In this issue: Why all art is political, reflecting on the first anniversary of Hurricane Helene, plus photos from Kenn Kotara’s summer artist residency.
feature story ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ Exhibition Unites Asheville and New Orleans on the Anniversaries of Hurricanes Katrina and Helene 'A Tale of Two Cities' commemorates the shared experiences of New Orleans and Asheville as they navigate the aftermath of climate-related disasters decades apart.
artsville newsletter July 2025 Round-up: Make Summer Your Best Creative Season Why summer is perfect for creative pursuits, plus a spotlight on the Blue Ridge Craft Trails and the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area’s inaugural exhibition.
travelogue Plan Your Visit: Explore the Artists, Studios, and Handmade Treasures of the Blue Ridge Craft Trails The Blue Ridge Craft Trails, developed by the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, promote arts tourism and support economic sustainability throughout the region.
artsville newsletter May 2025 Round-Up: Your Story, Written in Clay This month, we explored a small part of the local clay scene, including Black Mountain sculptor Libba Tracy, Village Potters, and the Kamm Teapot Collection.
photo story A Toast to Tea: Exploring the Kamm Teapot Collection Celebrate Mother's Day and International Tea Day with a curated selection of teapots by Western North Carolina artists from the Kamm Teapot Collection.
travelogue It’s National Library Week. Celebrate by Exploring the Interactive Maker Spaces and Crafting Libraries of Western North Carolina As National Library Week unfolds, we explore the unorthodox Asheville 'libraries' prioritizing hands-on making, resource sharing, and artistic exploration.
artsville newsletter March 2025 Round-up: Our Debut Exhibition, Craft Store Faves, Plus Pioneering Women in Textiles This month, we kicked things off with a bang by launching ‘Reawakening,’ an exhibition featuring talented women textile artists from Western North Carolina.
artsville newsletter January 2025 Roundup: Treasure Hunting in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Preserving Rural Craft Communities, Plus the First Helene Retrospective Our January newsletter spotlights the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, where artists are working to revive their communities through creative endeavors.
podcast Blue Ridge National Heritage Area: How Western North Carolina is Crafting a Comeback Director Angie Chandler and Craft Trails Coordinator Robin Johnston discuss the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area's role in revitalizing WNC through craft.
