Apr 12 Sunday
"Cosmic Charlie really is a great band - these guys do this music the way it should be done: having the conversation in their own voices.”--David Gans, Grateful Dead HourCosmic Charlie was born in the musical Mecca of Athens, Georgia. From its summer 1999 inception, the band swiftly cemented its reputation as a band that puts a unique and personal twist on the Grateful Dead catalogue. Cosmic Charlie is a Dead cover band for folks that are ambivalent about Dead cover bands.Rather than mimicking the Dead exactly, Cosmic Charlie chooses to tap into the Dead’s energy and style as a foundation on which to build. The result is a healthy balance of creativity and tradition, where both the band and its audience are taken to that familiar edge with the sense that, music is actually being MADE here tonight.Moving and shaking even the most skeptical of Deadheads, Cosmic Charlie storms into a town and plays with an energy that eludes other bands, an energy that sometimes eluded the Dead themselves. Those precious moments during Dead jams when the synchronicity is there and all is right with the world--these are the moments that Cosmic Charlie relishes and feverishly welcomes with open arms. Clearly, Cosmic Charlie’s audiences are also eager to partake in these moments, and together with the band, they have indulged in many memorable evenings. Most nights, Cosmic Charlie walks onstage without a setlist, not even knowing what the first song will be. Any Dead tune can rear its head at any moment, and fan requests are always welcome. “INSPIRATION, MOVE ME BRIGHTLY" is Cosmic Charlie’s mantra, allowing the music to truly play the band.
Apr 13 Monday
A Multi-Media Journey of Resilience, Fiber Art, and Painting by Julie Miles
Three summers ago, in a lightkeeper’s house-turned-museum off the coast of Maine, Julie Miles was asked a simple but piercing question: “Who are you outside of your family?” “Made of This” is her answer.After an eight-year hiatus from painting to support her family through her husband’s early-onset Parkinson’s diagnosis, Miles returns to her artistic practice with work rooted in resilience, devotion, and rediscovery. What began as an homage to her farming grandparents evolved into an immersive exploration of material, labor, and belonging.For this body of work, Miles learned to process and spin raw wool, dye fibers with plants over an open fire, and weave twill cloth on a vintage four-shaft loom. She turned to pinhole photography to create self-portraits in the landscapes of her Michigan youth—beaches, open fields, and rural expanses that echo memory and identity.Blending fiber, photography, and painting, “Made of This” honors both the harshness and tenderness of life. It invites viewers to dwell in the quiet space where grief and joy coexist, where materials “dictate” their own becoming, and where loving it all—labor, loss, beauty, play—leads to a life well lived.Join us for the opening reception on April 3rd and experience a powerful return to art shaped by devotion, discovery, and the enduring act of making.
April 3 – 26 Monday – Friday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Reception: April 3, 5:00 – 6:30 PM at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts
The word craft-itarianism was coined by 2026 Center for Craft Curatorial Fellow Alyssa Velazquez to name artistic projects that generate employment, raise awareness, or offer therapeutic support through craft. These programs provide a space where people affected by addiction, incarceration, and gun violence can find solidarity while learning a skill.
Craft-itarianism: Community Action Through Craft celebrates nonprofits and artists who believe in—and actively practice—the power of craft to support and empower individuals and communities.
This exhibition was curated by 2026 Center for Craft Curatorial Fellow Alyssa Velazquez. Launched in 2017, the Curatorial Fellowship supports emerging curators exploring new ideas about craft with mentorship, professional development, and a $5,000 honorarium to realize an exhibition.
On view February 27, 2026–September 27, 2026.
This is an exhibition of multiple artists works as they pertain to the interpretation of relationships between color and mood. Consider the emotional power of color and the way it evokes story, atmosphere and meaning. This exhibition hopes to reveal a playful and experimental interaction through color's ability to shape perceptions and influence emotions.
Apr 14 Tuesday
Join us in this hands on class where you will make a hammered sterling silver wide band ring. One of Ignite's fabulous instructors will take you through the process step by step including soldering, shaping, hammering, and finishing your ring. These also make great wedding bands! Come make your own wedding bands (or each other’s) in our fully equipped studio. Or just take this as a fun make-and-take in our amazing maker space. This class is a little taste of what it’s like to make jewelry as a profession. You'll leave with a beautiful ring made to size in our downtown Asheville metalsmithing studio. $120 includes all materials Arrive 15 minutes early to sign the safety waiver and get settled. *Convenient parking is available just below the studio in either the Harrah's Parking Garage or Rankin Parking Garage, 1st hour is free!
You’re warmly invited to the Ram Dass LOCAL Asheville Satsang, held in collaboration with Ayuprana at the Ayuprana Listening Room - an evening devoted to nourishing body, mind, and heart in community.
Gathering on the second Tuesday of each month, we begin with optional movement at 6:30 PM, a gentle arrival into the body, before settling into meditation and shared presence. Through the timeless teachings of Ram Dass, we reflect on love, service, and the practice of “being here now,” followed by chanting and open conversation as we lift our voices and imagine future seva projects together. This satsang is a space of connection—with yourself, with one another, and with the living current of wisdom that reminds us, in Ram Dass’s words, that “we’re all just walking each other home.” Come walk together, reflect, sing, and celebrate as we nurture the spirit of service, joy, and belonging in Asheville. ✨ RSVP & Join Us! ✨
Steinza Was Here Tour w/ Elias Hix