AN Artful Journey
Exploring the Best Art Exhibitions of 2026
led by Julianna Caro
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Fridays, 10:30am-12pm
Tuition: $25 per lecture
(refreshments included)
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Join us for an artful journey to the world’s most exciting art centers: Boston, Denver, London, New York and Charlotte to virtually tour this year’s best museum exhibitions. Each artful journey will begin with a delightful morning drink and snack followed by an inspiring lecture and discussion with art historian and curator Julianna Caro. Together we will enjoy time to visit, connect and learn about current shows featuring artists such as Allan Crite, Camille Passaro, Raphael, Carvaggio, Turner and Constable.
January 30th: Allan Rohan Crite: Urban Glory at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston
March 27th: The Honest Eye: Camille Pissarro’s Impressionism at the Denver Art Museum
April 24th: Raphael: Sublime Poetry and Caravaggio: Revolution
May 22nd: Turner and Constable at Tate Britain, London
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Julianna Caro is an art historian, curator, museum educator, and a passionate advocate for wellness and transformative life experiences. Formally an art history professor and Chair of the Art Department at Warren Wilson College, she is the Head of Learning and Engagement at the Asheville Art Museum. Caro has curated exhibitions at the Black Mountain College Museum, the Center for Craft, and the North Carolina Museum of Art. Her popular Friday morning lecture series, An Artful Journey, pairs engaging art history lectures with gourmet refreshments and time to socialize. With her company, The Artisan Tour by Julianna, she leads week-long excursions to Italy and local art and food tours. For more about Julianna, visit www.theartisantour.com.
Stories of Inspiration
Featuring tellers from the
Asheville Storytelling Circle
Saturday, April 4th • 7:30pm
Tickets $15
Prepare to be captivated as the Asheville Storytelling Circle presents: Stories of Inspiration, an evening of narrative magic at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts. Taking place on Saturday, April 4 at 7:30 PM, this special performance features a stellar lineup of master narrators, including Becky Stone, Zane Chait, Kathy Gordon, and Wallace Bohanan. Through their unique voices, you'll experience a collection of tales designed to uplift the spirit and ignite the imagination. Don’t miss this chance to experience the profound power of the spoken word in the heart of the Swannanoa Valley!
Featuring Wallace Bohanan, Zane Chait, Kathy Gordon, & Becky Stone, with Charlie St. Clair as Emcee
Mosaic Birdbaths
led by Michelle Bettencourt
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Saturday, April 18th • 12:30-4pm
and
Sunday, April 19th • 12:30-2:30pm
Tuition $90 (supplies included)
$5 off for BMCA Members
Ages 12+
Whether you have dabbled in mosaics before or are completely new, this class will introduce you to the ancient art form of mosaics through the creation of your own, unique mosaic birdbath. In the first session, you will learn the basics of mosaic design, select and cut/break your ceramic pieces and adhere them to your birdbath. In the second session, you will learn how to grout your birdbath and will have a number of colors of grout to choose from. After just two sessions you will leave with a wonderful garden piece and the knowledge to make mosaics of different shapes and sizes. See my general guidelines and links for mosaics here.
The Dark City Speaks
An evening of poetry featuring David Brendan Hopes, Lockie Hunter, and Allan Wolf
Saturday, April 18th • 7:30pm
Tickets $15
The Dark City Speaks is back! Poetry returns to the Black Mountain Center for the Arts on Saturday, April 18 at 7:30 for The Dark City Speaks: An Evening of Poetry. A powerful collaboration between BMCA, the Friends of the Black Mountain Library, and the Dark City Poets Society, this celebration of the spoken word will inspire and entertain. The evening kicks off with student poets from local colleges, followed by performances from the Dark City Poets Society, and concludes with readings from renowned poets David Brendan Hopes, Lockie Hunter, and Allan Wolf. This will be an unforgettable night of poetry and verse!
Voices of the Blue Ridge
Appalachian Folk Singing with Cary Fridley
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Tuesdays, 1-2pm
April 21st-May 12th
Tuition $80 per student
This class will be a survey of regional folk songs from the southern Appalachian Mountains. Lyrics and chord sheets will be provided. We will talk about the history of the songs, and sing them a couple of times in different keys to accommodate both low and high voices. Feel free to bring your instrument to practice singing and playing at the same time with tips and tricks from Cary Fridley, local traditional folk singer and instrumentalist.
A GLezele Tey
Klezmer Concert & workshop
Concert - Friday, April 24 • 7:30pm
Tickets $20 in advance, $25 at the door
Workshop - Saturday, April 25 • 2-3:30pm
Community: $18
Standard: $25
Supporter: $36
Concert - Step into the ‘warmth of the living room’ on Friday, April 24 at 7:30 PM, as the Black Mountain Center for the Arts welcomes the acclaimed trio A Glezele Tey. This ensemble—featuring Ariel Shapiro, Rachel Leader, and Richie Barshay—invites you into an enthralling world of klezmer, Yiddish folk song, and original melodies for traditional Ashkenazi prayers. Rooted in deep care and communal ritual, their music draws from historical lineage to move through grief and inspire the building of a frayer velt—a freer world. It is a rare opportunity to experience an intimate performance that centers the voices of women and gender non-conforming people through the rich traditions of the Eastern European Jewish diaspora. Tickets are available for $20 in advance or $25 at the door, so join us for a night of soul-stirring music.
Workshop - Join members of klezmer trio A Glezele Tey for an afternoon of singing Yiddish folk songs and learning about Ashkenazi music & culture, with live musical accompaniment! From old classics to newly written melodies, we will explore the breadth and depth of the Yiddish song movement and the current surge of creativity & cross-generational collaboration happening today! Songbooks will be provided, and participants will come away with the tools to continue singing and creating new interpretations, translations, and songs of their own. No prior knowledge of Yiddish or singing required. All ages are welcome!
Walker Family Band Concert
Friday, May 1st • 7:30pm
Tickets $15
The Walker Family Band returns to BMCA on Friday, May 1 at 7:30 pm! Drawing from a rich legacy of musical education and diverse performance backgrounds, the Walker Family Band offers a multi-generational "melting pot" of sound that is a perfect fit for audiences at BMCA. This family ensemble showcases an incredible range of talent, from Jennie Brunner’s compelling fiddling and her father Scott’s multi-instrumental expertise, to Landon Walker’s transition from Florida's jazz scene to high-energy Irish accordion. Their performances celebrate a
unique evolution of styles, blending the precision of their Suzuki-method roots with the soulful, "unbuttoned" traditions of Old-Time and Irish music. The inclusion of third-generation rising star Claire Brunner adds a heartfelt, family-centered warmth that cements the family musical legacy. Audience members will experience more than just a concert; they’ll encounter a joyful night of original compositions and collaborative spirit that is the Walker Family Band!
A Slice of Life:
An Evening of Stories
Saturday, May 2nd • 7:30pm
Tickets $18 in advance, $22 at the door
Join nationally celebrated storyteller Connie Regan-Blake as she welcomes her talented workshop participants to the stage for A Slice of Life: An Evening of Stories Saturday, May 2nd at 7:30 pm. This spring’s impressive lineup of tellers includes Hal Southern, Helen Langley Wyss, Elizabeth McCain, Dada Maheshvarananda, Jo Mangum, Laura Hope-Gill, and Christine Westfeldt, promising an unforgettable night of heartfelt, humorous and powerful storytelling.
Mother's Day Watercolor Cards Workshop
Led by Melanie Meador
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Saturday, May 2nd • 10am-12pm
$30 per person
$50 per Grown-up/child pair (save $10!)
All art supplies include
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Whether you are an experienced painter or this is your first time painting, all ages and abilities are welcome. Melanie will walk you through each step or encourage you to create your own special card for your mom.There will be a brief introduction to watercolor painting techniques with a focus on spring flowers. Paint, brushes, pencils, pens, cards and a floral still life will be provided. This is the perfect opportunity for you to paint a unique card to surprise your mom on mother’s day or bring her to this workshop and try something new together.
Stars in Motion
BMCA Spring Dance Recital 2026
May 17, 4:00 PM
Tickets $5
Get ready to watch our dancers twirl, leap, and shine! Stars in Motion is the Black Mountain Center for the Arts’ premier Spring Dance Recital, celebrating a full year of artistic growth and the incredible "sparkle" our students have shown in the studio. From our "tiny twinkles" making their stage debut to our seasoned performers, every dancer gets their moment to dazzle the community in this high-energy showcase.
More than just a performance, this recital is a joyful milestone that highlights the power of teamwork and community magic. As friends, classmates, and instructors cheer each other on, these young artists build life-long confidence with every step and spin. It is a heartwarming opportunity for families, friends, and fans to gather and celebrate the dedication and fun that defines our dance program. Come see our stars in motion—because every leap truly lights up the stage!
Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune
By Terrance McNally
May 8-17
Fri & Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2pm
Tickets $20
The setting is a walk-up apartment on Manhattan's West Side where, as the curtain rises, Frankie (a waitress) and Johnny (a short-order cook who works in the same restaurant) are discovered in bed. It is their first encounter, after having met several weeks ago on the job, and Frankie is hopeful that Johnny will now put on his clothes and depart, so she can
return to her usual routine of watching TV and eating ice cream. But Johnny, a compulsive talker (and romantic), has other ideas. He is convinced that he loves Frankie, a notion that she, at first, considers to be ridiculous. She has had more disappointments than delights in life, and he is the veteran of one broken marriage already. And neither of them is in the bloom of youth. Yet out of their sometimes touching, sometimes hilarious interplay the promise of a relationship beyond a "one-night stand" does begin to emerge and, as the lights dim, the two are back in bed again, but this time side-by-side, holding hands before the glowing television screen.
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Frankie and Johnny at the Clair de Lune is produced by Multiverse Theatre Collective.
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This production includes adult themes, language and sexual situations.
Save Me the Waltz
An Evening of Zelda Fitzgerald With Storyteller Melody Sufia and Cafe String Quartet
Saturday, June 6th • 7:30pm
Tickets $25 in advance, $28 at the door
Join us for Save Me the Waltz at BMCA on June 6 at 7:30 to immerse yourself in the dazzling world of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald. Experience the feminine energies of a woman who painted, danced, and wrote. This performance honors Zelda’s brilliance and resilience, tracing her rise as the original socialite of the Roaring Twenties and her struggles with misdiagnosis and confinement. Celebrate the woman who inspired a generation as she fought to be heard—stylish, impulsive, and unforgettable. Rediscover the wild, beautiful spirit who was both lover and legend. Listen to Zelda and Scott’s story, interwoven with classical and period compositions performed by the renown Cafe’ String Quartet, weaving together art and history—love ablaze, art untamed, echoing Jazz Age dreams. Don’t miss this magical event!
Mosaic Mushrooms
led by Michelle Bettencourt
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Saturday, June 13th • 1-5pm
and
Sunday, June 14th • 1-4pm
Tuition $100 (supplies included)
$5 off for BMCA Members
Ages 12+
Whether you have dabbled in mosaics before or are completely new, this class will support you in the creation of 2 unique concrete mosaic mushrooms with a hand cut wooden stake. In the first session, you will learn the basics of mosaic design, select and cut/break your ceramic pieces and adhere them to both of your concrete mushrooms. In the second session, you will learn how to grout your pieces and will have a number of colors of grout to choose from. After just two sessions you will leave with two whimsical mosaic mushrooms for outdoor use and the knowledge to make mosaics on a number of substrates. See my general guidelines and links for mosaics here.
An Artful Journey:
The Garden Edition
led by Julianna Caro
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Friday, June 26th • 10:30am-12pm
Tuition $25 (refreshments included)
Since antiquity, the garden has been more than a collection of plants; it is a mirror of our philosophy, power, and longing for paradise. Join Julianna Caro for an illustrated journey across centuries of landscape design. We begin in the architectural villas of Rome, where order reigned supreme, and move through the Renaissance and Baroque eras, where gardens became grand theaters of geometry and prestige. We will then explore the "Green Revolution" of the British Landscape Movement, which traded straight lines for rolling hills and romantic vistas. Finally, we’ll look at how these European traditions crossed the Atlantic to shape the American identity—from rural cemeteries to the democratic vision of Central Park and the sprawling majesty of the Biltmore Estate.
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Our garden journey will be accompanied by coffee, tea, and pastries.