With a creative community of juried members spanning over nine states, the Southern Highland Craft Guild fosters opportunities for makers to build, market, and maintain their creative livelihood through continuing education, retail outlets, and mentorship. We are invested in helping members achieve their goals and providing them with the resources to refine and sell their craft.
Impacting the
Creative Community
We educate the region and arts community on the importance of craft and its ability to impact the local creative economy. Through our retail locations, demonstrations, craft fairs, and special events, we promote the purpose and appreciation of our makers and their craft.
Cultivating Fine Craft
The Southern Highland Craft Guild is an advocate for high quality craftsmanship and goods made, sold, and curated in the Southern Highlands. Since 1930 we have served as a visionary advocate to help generations value the design and function of traditional and modern crafts.
Our Makers
For 90 years, the Guild has curated over 800 artisans, juried in based on their fine craftsmanship of twelve different mediums. These makers reside in the mountain regions of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, & West Virginia.
Upcoming Events
SEPT-OCT
2020
Daily Craft Demonstrations
Connect with regional makers in the lobby of the Folk Art Center as they teach and demonstrate the process used for their craft. From woodworking, basketry, jewelry-making, print-making, and more, take a peak at the variety of skills our makers possess. Hear their story, and learn the importance of preserving the endangered practice of craft.
NOV
2020
November 12-15, Fall Virtual Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands
Connect with the members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild through live streams and craft demonstrations, enter our Education Raffle Drawing, and visit the online shops of the artists during this four-day Virtual Craft Fair!
News & Stories
“Inspiration” in the Main Gallery
Inspiration August 29, 2020 – January 17, 2021 “It Takes Two to Mango” Box by Ray Jones, Mangos by Jim…
Newest Focus Gallery Exhibit: “My Happy Place”
My Happy Place August 8th – November 3rd, 2020 Inside the Focus Gallery of the Folk Art Center, this exhibit…
Crafted Roots: Stories & Objects from the Appalachian Mountains
“Crafted Roots: Stories and Objectsfrom the Appalachian Mountains” Curated by Michael Hatch, Class of 2020, MA in Critical Craft Studies,…
Featured Maker
Historical Collection
We invite you to walk through our permanent collection of historical, archived, Appalachian craft at the Folk Art Center. This exhibit of approximately 250 works features woodcarving, textiles, furniture, basketry, pottery, dolls, and other crafts of Southern Appalachia, dating from 1855 to the late 20th century. Many pieces date from the 19th century and were collected in the Asheville area by Frances L. Goodrich, a founding member of the Guild.
Our Permanent Collection also includes works from Berea College, Campbell Folk School, Penland School and other centers that have taught craft skills and connected makers to markets throughout the 20th century. These institutions also added their own patterns to the rhythms of mountain life, such as the Friday morning custom of local carvers coming to the Folk School to sell their latest works.
