Arts in Highlands NC and Cashiers NC
Both professional and community theater keep playgoers entertained while music festivals, Chamber music and bluegrass music can also be enjoyed year-round. Highlands NC and Cashiers NC has always attracted visual artists thanks to the luxuriant setting, and the number of fine art galleries encourage collectors to make frequent forays. There are writers’ groups, lectures and classes of all types. Search below to get your creativity fix.
The Bascom Invites the Community to Help Frame the Future
The Bascom: A Center for the Visual Arts has entered the public phase of Framing the Future, a campaign to enclose and expand The Terrace as a year-round gathering space and to strengthen the organization’s endowment for generations to come. The Bascom is inviting neighbors to take part as they close in on their overall goal of six million.
Handmade Finds in Sapphire Valley
The Sapphire Valley Arts and Crafts Festival returns October 3–4 with handmade creations, live music, food, and family‑friendly fun.
Festival’s Fall Residency
The Festival’s fall season highlights the Am Meer Quartet’s November 13–16 Residency and a September Porchfest set by the Lawson Ensemble.
A Weekend in Bloom
The Dazzling Dahlia Festival arrives September 10–12 at The Bascom with floral installations, gallery‑inspired designs, studio pottery, and the popular Single Bloom Competition — a free, colorful weekend for the community.
An Afternoon of Music and Meaning
An afternoon of operatic and Broadway favorites highlights Bel Canto’s ongoing support for arts and education across Highlands on September 13.
A Standout September for Film Lovers
The Highlands‑Cashiers Film Festival returns September 16–19 with competition films, special screenings, director Q&As, community events, and the festive Black & White Masquerade, offering a boutique, story‑driven weekend on the Plateau.
Textiles and Landscapes
Michelle Radford, winner of the Dazzling Dahlia Festival poster competition and The Laurel’s September cover artist, celebrates landscapes and dahlias through her multidisciplinary work blending painting, textiles, and family life.
Surface Stories = Clay
The Bascom’s annual Clay Symposium returns September 26, featuring three nationally recognized ceramic artists demonstrating distinct approaches to surface design, alongside a companion exhibition on view through mid‑November.