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.
Visit our headquarters, the Folk Art Center in Asheville, NC.
The 76th Annual Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands takes place July 20-23 & Oct 19-22, 2023 at Harrah’s Cherokee Center-Asheville (downtown). Purchase tickets online or at the door.
SHOP OUR FINE CRAFT COLLECTION ONLINE
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.
Cottonwood Bark Houses by Tom Gow
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
View the Event Calendar to see all upcoming events.
CRAFT FAIRS & SPECIAL EVENTS
EDUCATIONAL EVENTS
DAILY CRAFT DEMOS
HARRAH’S CHEROKEE CENTER – ASHEVILLE
JULY 20-23 | OCT 19-22, 2023
News & Stories
WALT COTTINGHAM
Where are you from / where do you live now / what brought you to the southern highland region? Born in...
New Members Exhibition at the Folk Art Center
Main Gallery Exhibition, Sept. 17 - Jan. 4, 2023 Featured Artists: Tim Bridges (fiber), Neil Carroll (wood),...
Find Inspiration at the Folk Art Center Sept. 3-Nov. 15, 2022
AUGUST 7 - NOVEMBER 9, 2021 Featured Artists: Tom Reardon & Kathleen Doyle (1996, jewelry), Elizabeth...
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.
