How Asheville’s Craft Community Is Rebuilding—One Work of Art at a Time
Words by Ashley Locke
You don’t have to look far in Asheville to find creativity—it’s baked into the brickwork, the coffee shop playlists, the handmade mugs cradled in every local’s hand. But at the Center for Craft, something deeper is unfolding this summer: a story of resilience, revival, and what it means to create when everything else falls apart.
It’s called WNC Craft Futures: From Here, and it’s a love letter to the artists of Western North Carolina who lost so much during Hurricane Helene—and a celebration of how craft can rebuild not just studios, but entire communities.
When Hurricane Helene hit, it didn’t just knock out power or flood basements. It devastated 80% of Asheville’s River Arts District, displacing artists and silencing studios overnight. The aftermath was brutal: lost equipment, ruined work, vanished income. But artists are second responders in their own right, and the folks at the Center for Craft knew exactly what needed to happen next.
They relaunched the Craft Futures Fund, first to meet immediate needs, and now—through Phase 2—to help long-term recovery take root. Thanks to generous support from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, the Center awarded $600,000 in grants to 40 craft artists across the region. Each recipient received $15,000 and became part of the WNC Craft Futures Cohort or the Virginia A. Groot Craft Futures Residency, which includes six months of mentorship, peer support, and studio access.
And now, these artists are sharing their work—and their stories—with the public.
Running through August 30 at the Center for Craft’s Bresler Family Gallery, From Here offers a rare look at the pulse of post-disaster craft. The work is as varied as the artists themselves: bold metalwork, therapeutic woodturning, innovative jewelry, and forms of expression that blend the functional with the emotional.
“Craft’s deep ties to local traditions and its ability to empower, connect, and revitalize local communities means that supporting these artists… is vital,” said Executive Director Stephanie Moore.
This isn’t just about what these makers lost. It’s about what they’ve made from it.
The Center is inviting the community—and curious travelers—to join them for a free public reception on June 12 from 5:30–7:30pm, complete with open studios and the chance to meet the artists whose work is on view. It’s a rare opportunity to see inside Asheville’s creative engine and hear firsthand how this cohort is shaping the future of Appalachian craft.
It’s also a reminder: the art scene here isn’t just a backdrop for cute weekend getaways. It’s a living, breathing ecosystem—and when disaster strikes, artists are among the first to lose their footing and the last to recover. Events like this show what’s possible when community shows up.
If you’re the kind of traveler who makes playlists for road trips, who maps out coffee shops before packing shoes, who likes your souvenirs made by hand—not mass-produced—then this is your sign to build Asheville into your summer plans.
Stop in at 67 Broadway Street, walk through From Here, and leave with a renewed sense of what’s possible when creativity refuses to quit. Whether you’re a longtime craft lover or someone who just appreciates good design and good stories, this exhibition proves that art isn’t just decorative—it’s vital.
And right now? It’s also the foundation for something bigger.
