After a challenging hiatus due to the impact of Hurricane Helene, the Black Mountain Center for the Arts has officially reopened its doors, and it’s buzzing with renewed energy. With a mission to bring arts to the people and people to the arts, Black Mountain’s nonprofit community art center is thrilled to announce that classes, workshops, concerts, and live performances are back in action. However, they need the community’s help to bounce back fully.
The arts have always played a crucial role in times of hardship. They offer solace, hope, and the space to process often difficult-to-express emotions. Whether it’s through theater, music, visual arts or dance, creative expression provides an outlet for shared grief and the strength to rebuild spirit. Having students come back to classes and programming at the arts center marks not just a semblance of normalcy, but a step forward in the collective healing of this community. From pottery to painting, music lessons to dance classes, BMCA offers a wide array of classes taught by talented local artists and educators. Each class is crafted to suit various skill levels, from beginners exploring their creative side, to more advanced students looking to refine their techniques.
Despite the resilience of the community and the tireless work of the center’s staff, instructors, board, and volunteers, enrollment is currently down by about 60%. The center is calling on everyone who is able to support it by signing up for one of the many classes or workshops it offers. Whether you’re an artist, musician, dancer, or curious beginner, there are countless ways to get involved, learn, and be inspired.
Some classes and workshops currently accepting new students are contemporary dance and ballet, private music lessons, Julianna Caro’s An Artful Journey series, and an upcoming Mosaic Mushrooms workshop.
In addition to classes, BMCA is also excited to bring live performances back to the stage. Concerts and theatrical performances have already come back, offering a vibrant lineup of local musicians, actors, and performers ready to entertain and inspire. The next shows in the BMCA theater are a Buncombe Turnpike concert on Nov. 16 and a Hustle Souls concert on Nov. 23.
“After Hurricane Helene, we weren’t sure when — or if — we’d be able to open again,” says the center’s director, Lori Cozzi. “We’ve come a long way, but we still have a long way to go, and we can’t do it without the support of our community.”
If you’re able to, come out and register for a class, attend a program, or watch a performance. Each enrollment and ticket sale goes directly back to this community’s local artists, and to supporting BMCA’s mission to enrich lives through the arts and keep creativity alive in our community.
For more information on classes, workshops, and upcoming performances, visit the art center’s website at BlackMountainArts.org or stop by in person to see the newly reopened space. The Black Mountain Center for the Arts is located at 225 W. State St. Come together to celebrate art, resilience, and the power of community in the valley.