Katie Cornell is the executive director of ArtsAVL, which supports arts professionals and businesses in Buncombe County through connection, advocacy and grants. In February, the designated arts agency opened its survey to collect feedback from local artists and arts organizations about affordability and space challenges.
The results of the nearly 100-page report were presented at a town hall event hosted by Asheville Community Theatre on May 10. The data came from 400 surveys — 305 (76%) by arts professionals and 95 (24%) by arts businesses — across Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson and Madison counties.
ArtsAVL’s comprehensive Creative Spaces study found that earnings by local professionals aren’t keeping pace with the cost of living in the four-county Asheville metro area, leaving access to studios, rehearsal rooms and similar locations outside of many artists’ budgets.
The issue was compounded by the devastation brought on by Tropical Storm Helene.
Cornell recently caught up with Xpress to discuss some of the 2024 highlights in the local arts scene as well as how Helene required her organization to pivot.
Xpress: Putting Helene aside for a moment, what was the standout local arts event this year?
Cornell: There were several standout moments for the arts across the county — 2024 saw the expansion of White Horse Black Mountain, introduction of the Black Mountain Blues Festival and relocation of Red House Gallery & Studios in Black Mountain; the introduction of the new Boomtown Arts & Heritage Festival and opening of The Creative Playground in Asheville; and the continued expansion of the Art in Autumn and Art Safari events in Weaverville.
What specific responses to the post-Helene recovery gives you hope for our area’s creative sector?
The outpouring of local and national support for our local artists and arts organizations has been amazing. For the arts, Buncombe County was definitely the hardest hit, but creatives throughout WNC have been drastically impacted. ArtsAVL has been contracted by the NC Arts Council to be the lead partner for arts recovery in WNC, and over the last several weeks we have been working with a number of different partners on a WNC arts relief plan. The process will be long and complex, but the storm has given us an opportunity to address several issues that were already negatively impacting our arts community, such as space affordability and the cost of living.
What was ArtsAVL’s greatest achievement in 2024?
ArtsAVL is on track to award over $1 million in arts relief funding. Our position as a leading arts funder allowed us to mobilize quickly and provide much needed aid not just in Buncombe County but throughout the 26 counties most impacted by Hurricane Helene. We firmly believe that the arts have a key role to play in WNC’s recovery, and we are doing everything we can to support our creative community during this extremely difficult time.
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