“Exhibition Supports Recovery of Ashville’s Hurricane-Impacted Arts Community”
**Spotlight on Resilience: Asheville’s Art Community Rebuilds Through “Love Asheville From Afar”**
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which devastated Asheville, North Carolina, and its River Arts District (RAD), the art community has blended recovery with creativity in inspiring ways. A pop-up exhibition titled *Love Asheville From Afar* in Atlanta, Georgia, runs until December 29, showcasing the tenacity of Asheville’s artists while offering the public a chance to directly support their recovery.
### The Hurricane’s Toll on Asheville’s Arts Scene
Hurricane Helene caused widespread destruction in Asheville, particularly in the RAD, a renowned cultural enclave in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. For years, the RAD has been the epicenter of Asheville’s identity as a vibrant arts hub, housing a diverse community of creatives and dozens of studios, galleries, and workshops. When the storm hit, floodwaters and mud damaged buildings, destroyed inventory, and halted tourism during what would have been the city’s peak season.
Many artists in the RAD experienced catastrophic losses, including ruined archives, supplies, and personal savings. Yet, amidst the devastation, local artists, volunteers, and organizations mobilized quickly, working on restoration efforts while seeking ways to rebuild and reimagine their community.
### *Love Asheville From Afar*: An Artistic Lifeline
In a significant gesture of outreach and adaptability, *Love Asheville From Afar*, a pop-up exhibition at Atlanta’s Ponce City Market, was born. With 100% of the proceeds benefiting the artists, this initiative exemplifies how collaborative efforts can fuel recovery. Over two dozen Asheville-based creatives are participating, curated by the River Arts District Association (RADA) in partnership with Radical Hotel, Explore Asheville, and Ponce City Market’s management group, Jamestown.
“Atlanta has always supported Asheville as a visitor destination,” said Jeffrey Burroughs, president of RADA. “Now, we’re bringing Asheville to Atlanta — it’s an opportunity to connect with our friends, supporters, and patrons in a way that benefits recovery efforts directly.”
### Highlights of the Exhibit
The artworks showcased at *Love Asheville From Afar* reflect the diversity and resilience of Asheville’s creative spirit. Spanning multiple media, the collection features dynamic neon sculptures, vibrant mixed media collages, acrylic paintings, and salvaged material pieces that humorously and poignantly encapsulate the artists’ experiences. Meseret (Meszi) Aitken, a participating artist whose work incorporates salvaged items, explained, “We’re taking the scraps of the disaster and turning them into the beginnings of something new.”
Attendees at the exhibition admire art while taking comfort in knowing their purchases directly aid recovery for an artist. Beyond serving as a retail opportunity, the event is steeped in storytelling — showcasing the resilience of Asheville’s community and how creativity can serve as both a healing process and a way to rebuild.
### A Broader Cause: Advocacy and Awareness
Beyond the art, Asheville’s challenges underscore the broader struggles faced by regional communities recovering from natural disasters. While downtown Asheville has largely resumed business operations, nearby towns like Marshall and Swannanoa remain in crisis, with some residents living in makeshift shelters or tent cities and struggling to access power, water, and aid.
“Scenes of devastation don’t appear in the news cycle as often now, but that doesn’t mean they’re not there,” noted Aitken. Sixty seconds of reporting may have moved the disaster off headlines, but initiatives like *Love Asheville From Afar* keep the conversation alive.
### Mobilization and Mutual Support
The pop-up exhibition is the latest in a series of efforts by Asheville’s art community to rally around its own. Earlier in November, the RAD reopened several studios for a smaller art festival, thanks to the tireless work of hundreds of artists and volunteers. Even Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) workers on-site expressed admiration for how quickly this grassroots community mobilized to address one of the region’s worst disasters in years.
RADA has also raised over $500,000 to date, distributing emergency relief funds to over 700 artists. Efforts like these demonstrate that community-led initiatives often bridge the gap left by conventional aid systems.
### A Call to Action: Supporting Asheville’s Artists
For those unable to visit the exhibition, the RAD continues to accept donations to its emergency relief fund via its [website](https://www.riverartsdistrict.com/donate/). Contributions are critical for helping artists rebuild their studios, replace lost supplies, and regain financial stability.
As the RAD’s Burroughs puts it, “We have to do this, or no one else will.”
### Creativity in the Face of Adversity
*Love Asheville From Afar* symbolizes more than just a support effort; it’s a celebration of community strength and mutual aid. By spotlighting Asheville artists in Atlanta’s bustling retail and cultural space, this initiative turns hardship into opportunity,