In March, Asheville-born publisher Lark Books closed after Sterling Publishing, a Barnes & Noble subsidiary and Lark’s parent company, permanently relocated its corporate offices to New York City. Lark had been in Asheville since 1979. A mere two months later, True Blue Arts Supply succumbed to the woes of competing against online arts retailers and closed after 16 years in business.
Aside from the two dozen or more jobs lost, the two closures also left gaping holes in Asheville’s creative sector. True Blue’s departure left Michael’s as Asheville’s sole fine arts supply store. Lark’s fate, meanwhile, ended a long-standing partnership and income source for the web of local artists, photographers, graphic designers and writers who produced the publisher’s content. “It’s a personal loss and a cultural loss,” Rob Pulleyn, Lark’s co-founder and former owner, told Xpress in March.
In the River Arts District, the year revolved less around art and more around real estate. The Phil Mechanic Studios went up for sale in February for $1.9 million. It’s currently under contract. In March, the Cotton Mill Studios sold for $1 million, and the Asheville Glass Center’s lease became a deed after the company purchased the Roberts Street Studios.
In July, The Tannery and Switchyard Studios, two multitenant spaces situated behind Riverview Station, became the focus of a policy battle between nearly two dozen artists and the city. The studios were shut down by the fire marshal after an inspection turned up an extensive list of code violations. Those two spaces were viewed by the artists and frequenters as the last holdout in the RAD where art could be created without the pressure of commercialism or studio/gallery hours. “We were making innovative work down here,” said Jeremy Russell, a former tenant and de facto property manager. “It was the last hub where people could make it without worrying about retail sales.”
Russell and several studio tenants met with the city during the last two weeks of July in an effort to postpone the eviction. The city, however, ultimately ruled the buildings hazardous and unfit for occupancy. The artists were ordered to vacate, and the buildings are now up for sale. — K.S.
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