November 2024 Roundup: Rural WNC Arts Community Unites, Crafters Tally Their Losses, Plus Lessons From New Orleans After Hurricane Katrina
In November, we covered relief efforts in Mitchell County, evaluated the storm's economic impact on artists, and consulted leaders in Asheville and New Orleans.
Saddened by the devastation of Hurricane Helene, ArtsvilleUSA is forging a path toward recovery as Western North Carolina embarks on a long rebuilding process. Our renewed vision positions us as a vital resource for artists to tell their stories and secure funding that flows directly to them. In Western North Carolina, we must unite to create a vibrant network of artists and community members committed to building back better than before.
This saga transcends brick and mortar. We must keep our cultural vibrancy alive to attract tourists and invigorate an economy that sustains artists. As the capital of contemporary craft, our heritage and artistic assets should serve as beacons for visitors and donors now and well into the future.
With new initiatives to redirect media attention to the arts community, ArtsvilleUSA holds a unique role in Asheville’s recovery process. We invite you to share your stories through our toll-free Helene Stories Hotline (833-622-7871). Your ideas will shape features, podcasts, virtual galleries, and exhibits that foster healing and create direct avenues for art buyers to support local artists commission-free, enhancing their income and our tourism-based economy.
Drawing from my extensive experience in community art and cultural development in New Orleans and Asheville, I am collaborating with leaders in both cultural hubs. Together, we’ll illustrate the lessons Western North Carolina can learn from the Crescent City’s two decades of cultural revival. Until then, experience ArtsvilleUSA’s powerful stories through the lens of photojournalist Michael Freas and our editor, Morgan Laurens.
Artfully yours,
Photojournalist Michael Freas Documents Disaster, Destruction, and Hope in Asheville
When natural disasters strike, they don’t just destroy homes; they can devastate entire communities, livelihoods, and creative legacies. In this special edition of Art World Horror Stories, Asheville-based photographer Michael Freas shares the harrowing tale of Hurricane Helene’s destruction, which left hundreds of local artists without studios or income.
“[Asheville is] a tourist-centric area that just had its busiest tourism season taken away,” he tells ArtsvilleUSA. “There’s confusion because there’s not a ton of help for self-employed people, especially when it comes to the arts.”
Listen to our conversation with Michael Freas here.
Beyond the Storm: 6 Asheville Artists Reflect on Their Losses in Helene’s Aftermath
Three days before Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina, approximately 60 artists with studio space at Riverview Station in Asheville’s River Arts District (RAD) received an alert. The furious tunnel of wind and water that slashed through Western North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains in late September 2024 would be no ordinary storm. “We prepared accordingly,” says Cynthia Llanes, a painter whose Riverview Station studio suffered extensive damage. “Nobody knew or expected the extent of damage Helene would cause.”
Many artists suffered similar losses across Western North Carolina. Even artists whose studios escaped ruin, like Amy Massey, feel the economic fallout: “The biggest impact on me and my family is a loss of income as we move forward through these next few months without much tourism.”
Read the story and learn how to support WNC artists during their busiest tourist season here.
A Tale of Two Cities: What Asheville Can Learn From New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina
In the wake of Hurricane Helene's devastation, Asheville can draw valuable lessons from New Orleans, a city that faced its own struggles after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Two thought leaders—Michael Manes of Asheville’s Blue Spiral 1 and Arthur Roger of New Orleans’ Arthur Roger Gallery—join us to discuss the future of Asheville post-Hurricane Helene.
“Even with all this loss, there’s a resiliency that’s happening. The artists are the ones who come together,” Michael Manes tells ArtsvilleUSA. Arthur Roger agrees: “It uplifted me to hear artists respond [to the hurricane damage] in the ways that they responded, and so organically and different to the way you would watch on television.”
Listen to our conversation with Michael Manes and Arthur Roger here.
Rural Western North Carolina Arts Community Unites to Heal and Rebuild After Hurricane Helene
In Spruce Pine, NC, the air is thick with the scent of fresh-cut wood—and the drone of chainsaws. Days after Hurricane Helene made landfall, small armies of chainsaw-wielding residents began hacking through the debris and downed trees that blocked the rural mountain town’s main access roads. Locals hiked miles across rocky, storm-ravaged terrain without internet or cell service to check on friends and neighbors. Makeshift aid stations, equipped with basic supplies like water and soup, emerged as critical lifelines for volunteers and stranded residents. Holler by holler, Spruce Pine citizens worked to close the communication gaps caused by the Category 4 storm that carved a 500-mile path of destruction from Florida into the Southern Appalachians.
To anyone familiar with Spruce Pine in Mitchell County, it’s little surprise that leaders in the region’s arts community have stepped into prominent leadership roles during the disaster. “It felt very natural,” says Morgan Hill, co-owner of Treats Studio in downtown Spruce Pine. She notes that residents in rural areas often adopt provisional, grassroots initiatives in times of hardship. “The arts community are the people that are making this happen because they're creative, problem-solving people. If the arts community didn't exist, a lot of this help would look really different.”
Read our story on Spruce Pine and Mitchell County here.
News + Notes From Asheville and Beyond
Here’s where we share quick craft bites for busy hands and hungry minds.
In the News
- 60 Minutes: North Carolina continues to search for Helene victims after monster storm
- USA TODAY: ‘Hope in humanity’: How North Carolina is recovering after Helene
Call for Artists
- Hell or High Water Studio Tour: “Showcase your art. Grow your business. Boost your income.” Artist registration for this one-of-a-kind studio tour closes Dec. 10.
Grants + Assistance
- Appalachian Community Capital Grant Program: This program offers immediate relief grants of up to $25,000 to small business owners in Dogwood’s 18 counties. Apply by Nov. 27.
- Virtual Support Service Calls for Artists and Creatives: Register here for Craft Your Commerce Technical Assistance Service every Friday, 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. Learn more here.
Upcoming Events
- 36th Annual Appalachian Potters Market: Celebrate 36 years of this popular pottery show and sale at McDowell High School on Dec. 7.
- The Big Crafty: Don’t miss “Western North Carolina’s favorite art event” at Harrah’s Cherokee Center on Dec. 7 - 8.
- Holiday Sale at the Folk Art Center: This charming holiday show on Dec. 7 features work by Candice Hensley, a graduate of ArtsvilleUSA’s artist mentorship program. Learn more here.
Special Thanks to Our Partners
