THE MOUNTAIN TIMES SUMMER GUIDE
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Ashe Arts Events BY MICHAEL BRAGG
T
he Ashe County Arts Council of West Jefferson has its schedule set and is geared up for summer. With art galleries and live music making up a portion of the list, executive director Jane Lonon said the council continues to offer a “variety, high quality, diverse offering of performances” in Ashe County. “What we’ve got scheduled is as appealing to the visitors or the part-time residents as it is to the full-time residents, and I think that’s one of the unique things about what happens here in Ashe County, as opposed to the rest of the High Country region,” Lonon said. “We do have a broad-based level of support for the arts here in Ashe County, with local residents, as well as visitors and seasonal residents.” The arts council is not only responsible for the Ashe County Arts Center that contains the council’s galleries and office, but it also oversees the Ashe Civic Center, which seats 300 people and hosts the majority of the council’s programs. In addition to showcasing native talent, the arts council plays an important role to the county in even more ways. “I think the impact of the arts in Ashe County … has been very significant in terms of revitalization,” Lonon said. “Downtown and community beautification, economic development and education have been at the core of what this organization has done, and they’ve done that in a variety of ways. Just knowing the impact that the arts, no matter how you want to define that, have on all our lives makes this job the best one in the whole wide world.” For more information, visit www.ashecountyarts.org or call (336) 846-ARTS.
June
SHADOW OF THE HILLS EXHIBIT June 6-7
2012
August NEAL HELLMAN, DULCIMER CONCERT & WORKSHOP Sunday, Aug. 5 Ashe County Arts Center
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE SOUTH Aug. 8–Sept. 8 Paintings, photography and crafts Ashe County Arts Center The arts are prevalent in downtown West Jefferson, home to numerous murals that colorfully depict Ashe County culture. FILE PHOTO
EMILE PANDOLFI CONCERT Aug. 11-12, Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. Ashe Civic Center
Ashe County Arts Center Annual exhibit by members of the Blue Ridge Art Clan
COFFEE HOUSE LIVE
COFFEE HOUSE LIVE
ASHE COUNTY LITTLE THEATRE: ‘THE SILVER WHISTLE’
Monday, June 9, 7:30 p.m. West Jefferson Methodist Church
ASHE COUNTY LITTLE THEATRE: ‘OLIVER’ June 21-25 Ashe Civic Center
KEN KOLODNER DULCIMER CONCERT Sunday, June 29, 7:30 p.m. Ashe County Arts Center
July
Saturday, Aug. 18, 7:30 p.m. West Jefferson Methodist Church
Aug. 23-26 Ashe Civic Center
September TICKLING THE IVORIES CONCERT Saturday, Sept. 8, 7:30 p.m. Ashe Civic Center 7:30 p.m.
TONGUES OF FIRE
CHER SHAFFER EXHIBIT
Sunday, Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m. Ashe Civic Center
July 11–Aug. 4 Ashe County Arts Center
ON THE SAME PAGE LITERARY FESTIVAL
CAROLINA CHAMBER PLAYERS: MOON RIVER AND MERCER Saturday, July 21, 7:30 p.m. Ashe Civic Center
Sept. 12-15 Multiple events over a four-day period, featuring nine authors and 21 events at 11 locations. This year’s theme is “Journeys,” and featured keynote author is Lee Smith.
MORE THAN WORDS EXHIBIT Sept. 12–Oct. 6 Ashe County Arts Center Collaborative exhibit between artists of all mediums and writers
ART ON THE MOUNTAIN ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL Saturday, Sept. 22 Ashe County Arts Center