Southern Highland Craft Guild

Bluebird Pair

Allanstand Craft Shop at the Folk Art Center

Parkway Craft Center at the Moses Cone Manor

Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands

63rd Annual Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands

Thursday, July 15th, 2010 - Sunday, July 18th, 2010

Asheville Civic Center
87 Haywood Street
Asheville, NC 28801

July 15-18, 2010
October 21-24, 2010

It’s the 63rd season of the bi-annual Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, July 15-18, 2010 and October 21 - 24, 2010. The Craft Fair is an event where visitors come to craft a collection, connect with tradition, and invest in regional culture. The Craft Fair takes place in beautiful downtown Asheville at the Civic Center, 10am-6pm Thursday through Saturday, and 10am -5pm Sunday. Over two hundred craftspeople fill two floors with fine handcrafted items, while local musicians play live on the arena stage, and craft educators share their knowledge.

Additional information about this event is available at 828-298-7928

The Fairs take place at the Asheville Civic Center, 87 Haywood Street, in downtown Asheville, NC. Hours are Thursday to Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm, Sunday 10am to 5pm. Admission is $7 with children under 12 free with an adult. Group discounts are available.

The Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands has been a much anticipated event in the mountains since 1948. Over the course of six decades this event has become an established destination and a revered tradition. Produced by the Southern Highland Craft Guild, the Craft Fair is much more than a marketplace for fine craft. It is a cornerstone to the mission of the Guild, bringing together the crafts and craftspeople of the Southern Highlands. More than two hundred craftspeople fill two floors of the Civic Center with fine handcrafted items. Local musicians play live on the arena stage; craft educators share their knowledge with adults and children alike through demonstrations and hands-on projects. Eleven thousand visitors from all over the country participate in festivities during the four days of the show. Over the course of the event, nearly a million dollars are invested in the purchase of craft and in the future of Appalachian regional culture.

Each exhibiting craftsperson has passed the rigorous jury process to become a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild. Membership is open to craftspeople who reside in the mountain counties of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and the Virginias. Craftspeople who reside within this designated region may apply to become a member in a specified media category of: clay, fiber, glass, leather, manmade materials, metal, mixed media, natural materials, paper, wood and jewelry. The initial phase of standards jury procedure includes a written application and the preliminary screening of the applicant’s work through the presentation of five slides. Part two is the object jury when members of the Standards Committee together with a panel of media specialists evaluate each applicants work. Approximately 10% of applicants are accepted from each jury group.

Crafting Community:
For many reasons, participation in the Fair is one of the most coveted benefits of membership. The Craft Fair is an opportunity to sell their work, but it is also an opportunity for craftspeople to network. Collectors, gallery owners, publishers, museum buyers and fellow artists alike arrive in droves to see old friends and scout out new talent. These types of lasting relationships can prove to be more valuable than a sale.

A Bit of History:

This event traces its roots to the late 19th and early 20th centuries when Western North Carolina craftsmen were a focus of a revived interest in things handmade to create a movement referred to as the Crafts Revival. For the most part, these were not the professional craftsmen of today; rather, they were farmers creating functional, necessary items used in everyday life, mothers making homespun coverlets for their families, and local tradesmen providing implements for their communities. They were people who had the talent and ability to make beautiful things needed for daily living. Seeking to create marketing opportunities and generate enthusiasm about craft, visionary leaders of the Southern Highland Craft Guild orchestrated the first fair in 1948. At the time, it was the largest concentration of crafts and working craftspeople ever assembled in the country.

Scenic Locale:

The Craft Fair takes place in beautiful downtown Asheville, nestled within the Blue Ridge Mountains. Long known as an arts and crafts destination, Asheville offers architectural charm, eclectic restaurants, shops and peculiar locals. Named a top ten destination in the world, people come to Asheville seeking inspiration. It is upon this backdrop that members of the Guild and connoisseurs alike converge twice annually.

To learn more about Asheville - Visit exploreasheville.com

What is the Southern Highland Craft Guild?

The Southern Highland Craft Guild, chartered in 1930, is today one of the strongest craft organizations in the country. Named Best Arts Non Profit in 2006 by NICHE magazine, the Guild now represents close to 1000 craftspeople in 293 counties of 9 southeastern states. For over 75 years the Guild has been “bringing together the crafts and craftspeople of the Southern Highlands for the shared benefit of education, conservation and marketing”.

During the Depression the Guild cultivated commerce for craftspeople in the Appalachian region. This legacy continues today as the Guild plays a large role in the Southern Highlands craft economy through the operation of five craft shops and two annual craft expositions. Educational programming is another fundamental element of the organizations mission. This mission is fulfilled through integrated educational craft demonstrations at retail outlets and expos, free educational community events, and an extensive public library located at headquarters. Professional workshops and one-on-one consultations are also offered to the membership on a regular basis.

As an organization with roots that date back to the beginnings of the Southern Arts and Crafts movement – the Guild hold the largest and most important collection of Appalachian Craft in the world. Selected items from this collection are on view in the Permanent Collection Gallery at the Folk Art Center in Asheville. As well as an object collection, the Guild maintains an extensive archive of documents paramount to preservation of this important regional history.