Their ranks include such artisans as weavers, luthiers and printmakers, but all have something in common: they‘ve been selected for stops along a new Blue Ridge Craft Trail running through this area.
It features six artists and arts organizations in Mount Airy and Elkin centered in the Yadkin Valley region of North Carolina.
The list includes the Surry Arts Council headquartered in Mount Airy, along with five sites in Elkin: Foothills Arts Center, John Furches Gallery, The November Room, Yadkin Valley Fiber Center and Yadkin Valley Quilts.
Having those entities on a designated trail encourages travelers to the area to meet renowned artisans, discover one-of-a-kind crafts and experience small-town charm, says an announcement from Leslie Hartley of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area.
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, based in Asheville, was designated by Congress and the president in November 2003.
It serves to protect, preserve, interpret and develop the unique natural, historical and cultural resources of western North Carolina for the benefit of present and future generations, while also stimulating economic opportunity in the region.
The route just launched in this area is part of a wider Blue Ridge Craft Trails initiative of the Asheville organization to promote craft artisans, arts organizations and heritage tourism to enhance such opportunities in 25 western North Carolina counties.
“Surry County’s long history of craft and creativity continues today,” Angie Chandler, executive director of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, said in a statement. “We’re excited to celebrate the Yadkin Valley region as a vibrant center for handmade crafts.”
Surry Arts Council role
Being placed on the new crafts trail is something the Surry Arts Council has been positioning itself toward for months, according to the organization’s executive director, Tanya Jones.
This included hosting various craftspeople at an arts studio in the Andy Griffith Playhouse on a weekly basis.
“We did have every Saturday during the summer a different person featured,” Jones added Monday. The Surry Arts Council paid those folks while also allowing them to pocket all proceeds from sales of their respective wares. This arrangement continued for 12 to 15 weeks.
“It was our way of trying to benefit local artists who had been affected by the pandemic,” Jones explained.
She also applauded the trail initiative overall as way of benefiting those throughout the region by encouraging visitors, “and lets them know our crafts are very important.”
A suggested itinerary and profiles of participating sites are on the Blue Ridge Craft Trails website, BlueRidgeCraftTrails.com. Each craft site has a Blue Ridge Craft Trails logo emblem on its window or door to welcome visitors.
The trail can be viewed online at https://www.blueridgeheritage.com/itineraries/surry-county-nc/
Funding for the project was provided by the Surry County Tourism Development Authority, Appalachian Regional Commission, The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, the Henderson County Community Foundation Perry Rudnick Fund, the N.C. Arts Council and the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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