Reopening the RAD

The River Arts District is a mile-long neighborhood situated on the banks of the French Broad River. But to Sue Dolamore, a painter who worked out of Warehouse Studios before the storm, it is much more than that.   

“It is a community and creative hub that is unique and needed by all of us,” says Dolamore. “The visitors that come through the RAD every year go home with inspiration, full of excitement about what is possible in a community where art is valued, given space, and recognized for its positive impact.”

Of course, the RAD looks a lot different in the wake of Hurricane Helene, a natural disaster that damaged 80 percent of the area’s buildings and displaced more than 250 artists. But the district’s ethos is still alive and well, and visitors can experience it for themselves during a soft reopening happening from noon to sunset, Saturday, November 9, and Sunday, November 10. 

During the event, participating galleries and studios on Roberts Street, Clingman Avenue, and Depot Street (down to 362 Depot Street by NorthLight Studios) will open their doors to visitors. There will also be live music and food trucks.

Dolamore will display her work at Pink Dog Creative in a space designated for displaced artists. Other creatives who lost their studios will be selling work in the parking lot of Pine Gate Renewables at 130 Roberts Street. This outdoor market will happen every Saturday and Sunday, likely through December, says Jeffrey Burroughs, president of the River Arts District Artists.

“We wanted to do something to show our resilience,” says Burroughs. “We also wanted to provide an opportunity for locals to come out, support artists, and help us persevere.” 

According to data collected by Arts AVL, Buncombe County’s creative economy accounts for $1 billion in sales and supports 8,500 jobs. With hundreds of individual artists, dozens of galleries, and countless collectives, the RAD is a significant driver of that economy.   

“This is a huge financial challenge,” says Burroughs.

That challenge isn’t lost on Cassie Butcher, a ceramic sculptor once based out of CURVE Studios. 

“Being in the RAD allowed me to thrive as an artist and provide for my family,” she says. “About 80 to 90 percent of my income came from sales from my studio.”

Butcher is hoping to find another space in the district she can call home. In the meantime, she will be selling her work at Philip DeAngelo Studio and Gallery and Pine Gate Renewables.

“I’m so grateful to still have a presence in the community I love so much,” she says. 

Dolamore expresses a similar sense of gratitude as well as hopefulness. 

“The storm has been a disruptor in the short term,” she says. “But in the long run, we feel like it is going to bring us to a new place that may be better than we could have imagined.”

The soft reopening of the River Arts District happens from noon to sunset, Saturday, November 9, and Sunday, November 10. Visitors who are able are encouraged to walk, bike, or carpool to the event to avoid traffic issues. For more information, see riverartsdistrict.com.