120 Executive Park, Bldg 1
Asheville, NC 28801
(704) 553-5363
THE BLOCK off biltmore: Thirsty for Diversity. Local Craft Brews, Sustainable Wines, Classic Cocktails & Vegan Bites. Converge at Asheville’s first EcoVegan, Social Justice, Diversity Bar in the beautiful YMI Building (ca. 1893); celebrating the block's history, culture and charm. Feed your spirit - enjoy live music, art, poetry, film, conversation, fun! Serving local craft beers, classic cocktails, sustainable wines, handmade elixirs, artisanal sodas and organic, non-GMO bites. Where progressives meet and radical magic happens! Where your drink makes a difference!
Asheville Area Arts Council offers diverse programming to serve a wide range of creative professionals and community members. NEW! The Buncombe Cultural Alliance is a group of cross sector stakeholders that ensures the health of arts, culture, and entertainment in Buncombe County. We do this through advocacy, and through the creation of community and economic development strategy on behalf of arts, culture and entertainment. NEW! Exhibition Program: Point Of View, artist curate artists: The Asheville Area Arts Council Gallery exhibitions are developed by collection of creative professionals representing various disciplines acting as curators. Their selections are based on artistic merit and pursuant to the AAAC’s intent to illuminate the breadth and depth of Asheville/Buncombe’s creative sector. Kids Tixx: Through the Kids Tix Program, the Arts Council is able to provide access to wonderful cultural experiences not always in the budget for some of Buncombe County’s families. Kids Tix provides admission for one child and one adult to local arts and cultural events, exhibits and more. Artist’s Curriculum: The Asheville Area Arts Council provides free and affordable professional development opportunities to Asheville Area Artists. The AAAC, partnering with Asheville-Buncombe Technical College, developed the Certificate of Creative Business Management Program, a part of AB Tech’s Continuing Education and Workforce Development Programs. Creative Sector Summit: The Downtown Master Plan Arts & Culture Subcommittee, led by the Asheville Area Arts Council, hosts the Annual Creative Sector Summit. Over 170 participants contributed to the 2011 Summit, representing independent entrepreneurs from every discipline, arts organizations, economic development agencies, public workers, and more. Each day includes presentations from speakers representing non-profit, City, and State agencies; breakout discussions conducted to gain feedback regarding perceived opportunities, needs, challenges in the creative community; opportunities to network and exchange ideas; and the opportunity to fill out creative sector survey. NEW! The Asheville Art in the Park Arts & Community Grant: Grant is being offered to qualifying committed artists in the WNC region in order to enhance public spaces and increase awareness of local artists and the importance their role within the community. Regional Artist Project Grant: Grants in the amount of $400-1200 are awarded annually to provide financial support for committed, accomplished artists by funding a project pivotal to a career in their respective art forms. This grant is sponsored by the Asheville Area Arts Council, Avery County Arts Council, Madison County Arts Council, and the Toe River Arts Council as well as Buncombe, Madison, Mitchell and Yancey counties for 2011-2012. Support is provided by the North Carolina Arts Council, with additional contributions by the aforementioned arts councils. Annual Color Ball: Over 500 art supporters dressed in their finest monochromatic regalia come together annually for Asheville’s most talked-about party of the year! Each year a different color is chosen, and Asheville Area Arts Council takes that color to the extreme! From decor to cocktails and even the guests, the entire evening is saturated with the theme color. The Color Ball features live painting and performances like you’ve never seen before in Asheville! From musical and dance performances to acrobatics and face-painting, the excitement of this arts-filled event is palpable.
In partnership with various artists, thinkers, and groups throughout the community, Apothecary presents a variety of creative events: performances, installations, community functions, lectures, film screenings, educational events, workshops, showcases of independently published print and media, and other wholesome happenings. For inquiry on booking, etc. contact: [email protected] 919-609-3944 919-793-5441
HandMade in America is a unique community and economic development non-profit organization that plays a vital role in growing a sustainable, thriving economy in Western North Carolina. We believe craft, heritage, and culture are key investments for personal, community, and economic growth. In our program work, we combine these passions by training local craft entrepreneurs the skills they need to be innovative small business owners, and we help rural communities in our region spark economic renewal through asset-based creative placemaking. Check out this short feature for more of what we do: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fseigmzw0U&feature=youtu.be
AUTHENTIC AFRICAN AND CARIBBEAN VIBES! Vendors! Workshops! Interactive Activities! Youth Art Showcase! Youth Performers! Kenyan Safari Acrobats! West African Dancers! Reggae! Steel Drums! Community Organizers and Leaders! Dance Competition! AND SOO MUCH MORE!! Come see what Asheville has to celebrate! Musical performances from... ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT 20 Year Anniversary!! @ THE ORANGE PEEL! COMMON GROUND COLLECTIVE ~AfroBEAT Jonathan Scales Fourchestra~ Steel Drums CRUCIAL FIYA ~ Reggae Kevin Spears "Kalimba Man" ~ Electronic / Traditional Kalimba MAF MADDIX~ Conscious Hip Hop The Beast ~ Hip Hop Jazz LYRIC~ Soul Fusion Ruby Mayfield ~Blues Sax DATIRIAN JONSON ~ RnB Soul Leisha J~ Jazz DAWN!~ Soul Youth AT Jazz! MORE HEADLINERS TO BE ANNOUNCED... Special Guest Performances... PANTHER GOD D-MILLZ ~~~~Partnering Organizations~~~~ Asheville City Schools Children's First Highland Community Center AmeriCorps PROJECT POWER Randolph Learning Center Asheville City Schools Foundation .... Many more to come..... Please stay tuned for more updates!
Together, the Asheville Downtown Association board and members support the vitality of downtown through public advocacy, political involvement and community events. Membership is open to any person or organization interested in supporting the downtown community. Members reflect a wide variety of residents, property owners, business professionals, retailers and restaurants.
Community is Brewing is a transparent and open organization nurturing a Craft Lifestyle. Located in the oldest African-American business district in the United States of America, we share space with THE BLOCK off Biltmore, actively promoting multiculturalism and diversity together. Transparency. Openmindedness. Communication. Community is Brewing is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Founded in 1989, Mountain BizWorks is a U.S. Treasury certified non-profit community development financial institution (CDFI) serving Western North Carolina. Mountain BizWorks provides loans and learning opportunities to emerging and established small businesses in Western North Carolina. We have a particular focus on working with businesses unable to access bank financing, as well as low-income, minority, women, and immigrant entrepreneurs, and businesses that operate within the local food system. Mountain BizWorks’ focus is the full range of small business development – from start-ups to existing businesses that aim to grow and create jobs.
“My Sistah Taught Me That” is a program designed for the development, encouragement, inspiration, and education of young girls with special focus on girls raised in single parent homes, without their father. The focus is to inspire young girls in their transition of seeing the daily struggles and realities of life, to realize that through Jesus Christ, their HEAVENLY FATHER, mentorship, and guidance of their Sistah’s, anything is possible. MSTMT will have educational group sessions and discussions about real life issues, hands-on activities and programs, and will introduce new innovative and unique life long memories that participants can carry with them as they grow into young women. We will mentor, build self-esteem, confidence, and eliminate barriers to and exposure of bullying, drugs, sex, and other identifying obstacles based on the specific needs of each participant.
Asheville Folk is a creative space focused on community, collaboration and all things good. Our coworking space in the south slope opened August 1st!
This is a sanctuary of co-creation, a community space of gathering, of sharing, of teaching and learning. We will meditate together, sing together, chant together, practice together, and rest in our center together where all healing occurs.
Asheville Synth Club is a place for Synthesizer enthusiasts to come together to share gear, programming ideas and lots of cool noises. Vintage, New, Analog, Digital and Modular...everyone is welcome! Here are links to some really cool synth sites. http://www.ciat-lonbarde.net/ http://www.pugix.com/ http://www.vintagesynth.com/ http://www.experimentalsynth.com/
Asheville Music School is a nonprofit community school for anyone who wishes to study music. We’ve been making music since 1996, and now have over 400 students with 35 instructors teaching music lessons and classes every week. We are currently enrolling students from beginner to advanced skill levels for private music lessons. Our students range from age four to young adult and those well into retirement. We teach all styles and levels and have at least two optional recitals a year in our own in-house performance space. Daytime music lessons are conveniently offered for homeschoolers and adults. In 2012 we started our first summer camp series, wherein students learn to make music with one another in fun and supportive ensemble settings. Once our students have some experience on their respective instruments, they have the ability to join one of our student performing ensembles in our Sound Education Outreach program. These ensembles perform outreach concerts to people in need at such places like the ABCCM Veteran’s Restoration Quarters, Chunn’s Cove Assisted Living Center, and more. They also perform concerts at venues such as The Orange Peel, and festivals such as Downtown After 5 and Barnaroo Music Festival. Our instructors are brought on board not only because they are gifted performers, but because they have demonstrated quality teaching and superior knowledge in music. These are professional teachers who want to teach. No matter what you want to play, from Bach to bebop to Bob Dylan, we have instructors who can teach you how to play like the pros. We offer private music lessons, convenient hours and the best instructors in the area. Instruments include piano, guitar, violin, cello, bass, voice, saxophone, flute, trumpet, trombone, drums, percussion, and much more!
AIR is an association of local, independent restaurants dedicated to keeping Asheville’s food scene eclectic, authentic, interesting, fresh and flavorful. In our vibrant mountain city you will find the flavors of Spain and the Caribbean, India and France around the corner from Southern Appalachian Mountain favorites. When the sun dips below Asheville’s ancient mountains, the city’s live music venues, bars and nightclubs come alive. AIR chefs create imaginative cocktail cuisine while mixologists work their magic using locally-made moonshine, sake, hard cider, wine and beers. The result is sensational. It’s not unusual to find AIR chefs featured in The New York Times, Garden & Gun, Southern Living or earning national recognition for their food and hospitality. Perhaps this is why Asheville consistently ranks as one of the nation’s finest foodie cities. We call it Foodtopia™ . Just one visit to an AIR-member restaurant and you’ll call it delicious.
Open Path is a collective of therapists who have generously agreed to provide in-office treatment for $30 to $50 a session. Open Path clients pay a one-time membership fee to work with an Open Path therapist at a significantly reduced rate. Because the rate is so low, clients gain back their membership fee after just two sessions. Open Path is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocating for affordable psychotherapy. Many of our therapists also provide sessions online.
over 40 local wild edibles, many not available anywhere else over 30 wild medicines staffed by experts including Alan Muskat free samples of everything free accidentification prevention service™ free edible park tour all proceeds go to fund The Afikomen Project
The Diana Wortham Theatre is an intimate, 500 seat live performance venue offering the best in music, theatre and dance by tourings artists and companies as well as local performing arts groups - from the avocational to the professional. The theatre is the home of the Asheville Lyric Opera, Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance, Asheville Ballet, Asheville Puppetry Alliance, WNC Jazz Society and many more.
MountainTrue champions resilient forests, clean waters and healthy communities in Western North Carolina.
We founded The Animal Rescue of Western North Carolina (TARWNC) to be an outlet and networking resource for all humane organizations in WNC. It doesn't matter if the organization is public or private. Our goal is to save adoptable cats and dogs from euthanasia. Sadly, there are healthy and friendly pets not finding homes primarily because the shelters get full and there isn't enough room to house them long enough to be placed. The shelters are doing the best they can to save these animals. Unfortunately, they don't have the resources to do what needs to be done. To save these pets they need outside help. This is where we come in. We are not in competition with anyone and we do not have a shelter. So, what do we do? We will accept immediate ownership of the pet in need from the shelter freeing up their kennel space and cages to accept more intake. Once the pet enters our system we take complete responsibility (financial, medical, fostering him/her and finding him/her a forever home.) The pet will receive any needed medical care or treatment from our vet and be spayed or neutered. Using our network of weekly adoption events and other sources, attempts to find a permanent home will begin immediately. The pet's profile will be listed on TARWNC.com, TARWNC Facebook page, Petfinder, Rescue Me and numerous other online websites. Until a permanent home is found, the pet will attend special adoption events with our team of dedicated caregivers and volunteers. We can't stress this enough: Our success will depend on cultivating a large and extensive network of quality foster homes. We are building this network as fast as possible, but it is going to be a challenge. We know it can be done! These dogs and cats need our help. Please consider opening your home and your heart to an animal in need by becoming a foster. We will be there every step of the way to provide advice, support, food and anything else a TARWNC pet or foster family needs! How can you help if you can't foster a pet? VOLUNTEER WITH US. There are many opportunities available, especially helping when we go to adoption events. The events are fun and effective ways of finding forever homes for our pets. If you can't foster or volunteer then please consider making a FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION to us. We are a fully recognized IRS 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Your donation is tax-deductible. We will use all contributions wisely. Donations equal saved lives. KEEP IN MIND! DONATIONS ARE NOT JUST MONEY! We also crates, portable kennels and carriers, towels and blankets, good dog and cat beds, collars, leashes, harnesses, food and water bowels, dog and cat toys, food and treats and most any other dog or cat item. These types of donations are tax-deductible as well! We also have Secondary Mission! 1. We will educate the public about and support all groups seeking to educate the community about the humane and property treatment of animals. We will support all efforts to prevent cruelty to animals. 2. We will strive to educate our community about the importance of spaying and neutering pets to reduce the pet population. Spaying and neutering of pets is the best way to dramatically reduce the number of animals entering area shelters. 3. We will assist rescue groups and shelters with grant writing, social media marketing, fundraising, social enterprise development for nonprofit funding and in any other way possible.
Meetings are held weekly on Thursdays at 12:30 (arrive at noon to mingle) at the Renaissance Hotel in Downtown Asheville. Meetings will end promptly at 1:30. Meal cost is $17 per person - full buffet lunch. Dress - business casual.
OPEN is a local community forum pursuing Tactical Urbanism in Asheville, NC. Through the means of Creative Placemaking, Asheville's evolving contemporary culture can develop a more livable and connected city experience and foster sustainable community. Tactical Urbanist initiatives focus on short-term interventions to inspire permanent projects that arrive from community consensus and public engagement.
Tickets are on sale through the Diana Wortham Theatre box office, 828-257-4530.
Programs: * BLOCK Academy is a six-week entrepreneurism/job creation-training program that provides the following: Customized Training, Personal Coaching, Practical Experience, Self-sufficiency and Community Wealth. PROGRAM DISCONTIUNED JULY 31st, 2013. Contact EMSDC Offices, Stephanie Swepson-Twitty for information on EMSDC business development assistance. * IDA Program: "IDAs help low-income families build assets and create wealth. IDA's( Individual Development Account) matching savings deposits that allow the participant to save up to a maximum of a $1,000 which may be matched in a 4:1 (becoming $5,000) for business start up, business expansion or higher education) IDA's are investments in people who are willing to save to invest in their future. * Block-by-Block Industries provides the following: Business Creation, Job Creation and Development of New Job Skills * Business Incubators