A Creative Renaissance:’ Recovery in the River Arts District of Asheville 

Historic flooding from Hurricane Helene devastated up to 80% of the vibrant River Arts District of Asheville, North Carolina, located along the French Broad River.

Floodwaters damaged or destroyed more than 300 artist studios, impacting over 750 working artists, explains Jeffrey Burroughs, a fine jeweler and president of the River Arts District Artists, a membership organization.

“The River Arts District is more than a collection of studios,” Burroughs says. “It’s a living, breathing creative community. Seeing it underwater was overwhelming. But almost as quickly as the shock set in, so did action.”

Immediately, RADA and the nonprofit RADA Foundation sprang into action, organizing cleanups, salvaging artwork, holding community meetings, fundraising, helping artists find temporary workspaces, distributing stipends and building partnerships to further amplify long-term recovery efforts.

Burroughs highlighted new initiatives like the RADA Outpost, a temporary downtown retail space for displaced artists, and the new Community Catalyst Award, which offers targeted grants to key district studios and leaders.

As of press time in July, 350 artists are back in action. The upper portion of the district, nicknamed Upper RAD, is fully reopened, while a few spaces have reopened closer to the river, or Lower RAD.

For Burroughs, what is happening is more than recovery, “it’s a creative renaissance.”  

“We’re not just rebuilding — we’re reimagining,” they continue. “And we hope others will join us in shaping what comes next.”