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Masterpieces at a Master Place: The Bascom
Written By: Billy Love | Issue: 2021/05 – May
Just before it plunges into a busy Summer Season, The Bascom pauses for a moment to reflect on over 30 years of vision and inspiration that’ve earned it a reputation far beyond the confines of the Plateau.
The Bascom creates visual art experiences that inspire and empower individuals and communities through seeing, thinking and doing.
The continuous goals of The Bascom’s programming are building essential creative skills for area youth and adults, increasing professional development opportunities for artists and educators, and becoming a key player in the creative economy in Western North Carolina.
For over 30 years, The Bascom has been a vital cultural resource to the Western North Carolina region. What began in 1983 as a small exhibition space in one room of the Hudson Library now occupies a 6-acre former horse farm near downtown Highlands.
The 28,000-square-foot main building houses exhibition and event spaces, classrooms, offices, and a retail outlet. The adjacent David Drake Studio contains studio space for pottery and three-dimensional arts instruction and additional retail space.
Entrance to the campus is through an early 19th Century 87-foot-long covered bridge. Along with sizable terraces, our outdoor spaces include meadows and forest land, streams and trails, unblemished mountain views and sculpture installations.
Annually, more than 25,000 people visit The Bascom. An additional 500 take classes in ceramics, drawing and painting, with more than 1,200 youth participating in art activities. We reach another 3,000 visitors and residents through our extensive outreach programs. We partner with local, county and state organizations and provide programming in local schools, libraries, senior centers, literacy councils, regional arts organizations and community nonprofits.
Our impact on the regional artistic community is significant in that we support almost 300 working artists through residencies, retail sales, exhibition sales and instruction.
If you’d like to learn more, visit thebascom.org or call (828) 526-4949. Of course, the best way to understand The Bascom and its treasures is to allow yourself a languid stroll through its galleries and spaces. It’s located at 323 Franklin Road.
