Asheville Area Arts Council offers diverse programming to serve a wide range of creative professionals and community members. Click the links below to learn more about our programs.

City of 1000 Easels: City of 1000 Easels is a self-guided walking tour of visual artists at work in outdoor locations in downtown Asheville. Visual artists working in any media are invited to set up a miniature outdoor studio to create work live in front of an audience of passers-by.

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.

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.

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.