Asheville is known worldwide as a prominent art hub in the southeast. The city boasts a thriving creative community with diverse galleries and studios showcasing unique handcrafted pieces and engaging exhibitions. The city’s artistic spirit is evident in the numerous murals adorning buildings and the 200+ artists working in various mediums along the river studios. Asheville also features an array of unconventional museums focusing on niche topics such as radio, pinball, Christmas trees, and motorcycles. See a map of attractions below the listing of unique places to visit.

Scroll to the bottom of this page to view the Arts in Asheville map.

Will Henry Stevens, Untitled, 1946, oil on canvasboard, 16 × 23 1/2 inches. Gift of Dr. Herbert S. Johnson 1994.01.21.

The museumis dedicated to playing a crucial role in the development of both the community and individuals by offering lifelong opportunities for education and enrichment through visual arts.

Black Mountain College Museum

The setting for Black Mountain College was idyllic, on 600 acres of meadow surrounded by the Blue Ridge. In this pristine pastoral setting, the college’s short-lived experiment produced a remarkable history during the 24 years it thrived.

STORY PARLOR

Located in West Asheville, Story Parlor serves as a home to the creative community by offering events and workshops that explore storytelling through all art disciplines. The organization aims to create a positive impact on the community by harnessing the transformative potential of storytelling across various art forms.

RIVER ARTS DISTRICT

Artists first began moving into the River Arts District in 1985, transforming abandoned industrial spaces into studios. In 1994, the Odyssey Center organized the inaugural Studio Stroll to showcase this budding arts hub.

Basilica of St. Lawrence

Rafael Guastavino Sr., renowned for his collaboration on the Biltmore House, passed away in 1908 at age 65 while completing the Basilica of Saint Lawrence in Asheville. This church remains the only building Guastavino fully designed.

Center for Craft

Located in the heart of Asheville, the Center for Craft is dedicated to promoting the understanding of craft in the United States by supporting research, fostering critical conversations, and encouraging professional growth.

Grovewood Village

Grovewood Village, a historic site listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was once home to the weaving and woodworking operations of Biltmore Industries, a significant force in American craft and textiles.

New Morning Gallery

Asheville’s Art Destination

For ceramics, glass, jewelry, furniture, lighting, garden art, home accessories, tableware, and more.

Find that perfect gift or send a gift certificate.Find that perfect gift or send a gift certificate.

Located in historic Biltmore Village

Penland School of Craft
In the Blue Ridge Mountains, 50 miles northeast of Asheville, is an international center for teaching contemporary arts and crafts, including glass making, metal smithing, weaving, and many other forms of creative expression

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS HANDCRAFT GUILD

Olive Dame Campbell came up with the idea for the Guild. Campbell and other co-founders connected through the Southern Mountain Workers Conference, which began in 1900 in Knoxville.

Crossnore Weavers

Step back in time at Crossnore’s Weaving Room, where a century-old tradition of Appalachian craftsmanship lives on. In this cozy stone cottage, now a National Historic Site, local women once spun yarn that wound up in the White House and homes across the country.

John C Campbell Folk School

The John C Campbell folks school at Brasstown, North Carolina is a teaching environment for people interesting in folk arts.The folk school operates year-round and has very comfortable lodging facilities, some located in the middle of the livestock or farming fields. You could awaken to the soothing sound of morning cattle calls.

BLUE STAR GALLERY

Blue Star Gallery in West Asheville is a welcoming new stop on Haywood Road that pairs a vibrant neighborhood art space with a deeper mission of community resilience. Founded by Babette and David Newton, the gallery was created in partnership with The Path Forward Foundation to give Asheville-area artists a place to show and sell their work after many lost studios and galleries in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Visitors will find thoughtfully curated painting, pottery, glass, jewelry, and other works by local and regional artists, with changing exhibitions and porch music that reflect the creative spirit of West Asheville.
Every purchase at Blue Star Gallery helps support that creative community beyond the gallery walls: a portion of sales is donated to The Path Forward Foundation, which provides resources to artists and small creative businesses facing hardship from natural disasters and other challenges. Stopping here during your art and culture tour offers the chance not only to discover new work and meet local artists, but also to contribute directly to rebuilding and sustaining Western North Carolina’s arts landscape.

Asheville’s Unique Art Scene

Asheville is renowned as an epicenter of art in the southeast, with eclectic galleries and studios brimming with handmade crafts and captivating exhibits.

Art abounds, from murals adorning buildings to studios along the river where over 200 artists work in diverse mediums. Quirky museums highlight niche interests like radio, pinball, Christmas trees, and motorcycles.

Performing arts options are plentiful – theater troupes, the symphony, opera, Flat Rock Playhouse, and free summer Shakespeare outdoors.

Music runs the gamut from Appalachian ballads to jug bands, bluegrass, roots, funk, soul, hip-hop and global sounds. Dozens of live music venues feature everything from blues to jazz to rock to country. Don’t miss the iconic Friday night drum circle.

On weekends, vibrant outdoor festivals celebrate Asheville’s diverse mix of art, music, dance and cuisine. When it comes to arts and culture, there’s always something happening here!

Feeling adventurous? This map has links to even more unique places. There are just too many to include above. But if you have the time and the inclination, check more from this map. You will not be disappointed.

Explore Asheville Arts

Blue Ridge Craft Trails

“Embark on a Craft Adventure

Welcome to a region rich in craft traditions and brimming with craft artists. Travel along the Blue Ridge Craft Trails to visit with artists in their studios, shop galleries full of local, handmade artwork, and discover scenic treasures and cultural gems along the way.
Here in the nooks and crannies, along rivers and coves, up in the mountains and foothills of North Carolina, you may want to think about doing some serious browsing.

This landscape is legendary in the history of the American craft movement and it continues to promote and cherish both traditional and contemporary work of great depth and imagination. With roots embedded in the early 20th century, the diverse theater of Western North Carolina craft showcases virtually every imaginable kind of handmade art, objects brought to life by more than 4,000 makers.”