Words by Emily Davis
Photography by Courtney Snyder
Driving across the covered bridge and onto The Bascom’s sprawling campus, it’s easy to imagine oneself entering through a portal and into an alternate dimension. The main building, pottery barn, and surrounding grounds were established as a haven for truly experiencing — not merely viewing — the arts. In addition to the center’s ambitious schedule of exhibitions and artists-in-residence, opportunities abound for members and visitors to dive in and join the creative process. At The Bascom, art is a collaborative process, and everyone is invited to join.
Six acres of meticulously landscaped grounds, surrounded by breathtaking views of distant mountains, create an enchanting setting that soothes and inspires. Highlands locals and tourists often access the campus as a park, spending hours in the rejuvenating atmosphere. Sculptures dot the outdoor spaces, providing a seamless connection between art and the environment. Understanding the value of the outdoor space, Bascom staff have established a biennial schedule to regularly rotate outdoor exhibits, keeping the grounds replenished with new and exciting works to capture the imagination.
Inside the main building, ongoing exhibits exemplify a dedication to diversity and innovation in the arts. Featuring local, national, and international artists, the busy schedule — changing every few months — reflects the center’s commitment to keeping the community curious and engaged.
But at The Bascom, that curiosity and engagement takes members as far as their imaginations can reach. Viewing art comprises one significant element of the visitor experience; one might say that it’s a good starting point. But for those who desire an immersive experience, the opportunities don’t stop there. A generous offering of workshops, classes, and guest lectures provides numerous venues in which to follow inspiration, learn techniques from skilled instructors, and ultimately, create.
Deputy Executive Director Billy Love draws a strong distinction between the goals of art museums and The Bascom’s own mission. “Art museums are a very specific classification with a particular purpose,” he says. “They’re important and serve their communities in necessary ways. But The Bascom is not a museum. We’re a Center for the Visual Arts, and our purpose and activities are very different from those of a museum.”
With a hefty regimen of community outreach, it would be fair to say that many of The Bascom’s activities happen well away from its physical location. Believing that access to art should never be limited, the passionate staff and dedicated volunteers focus their efforts on providing opportunities to all. The Bascom’s main campus forms the heart of the organization, but its arms reach deep into the community to embrace children, seniors, and residents of all backgrounds and levels of experience with art.
With programming extended to local schools, the Hudson Library, the Boys & Girls Club of the Plateau, and numerous other organizations, area children benefit from extensive access to arts education, thanks to The Bascom’s Community Outreach Programs. The organization believes that “art is for everyone and should be accessible to everyone,” and to that end, many of their public programs are provided for free — thanks to funding from both public and private sources. Scholarship programs ensure that programs are open to all members of the community, regardless of age, background, or level of ability.
Executive Director Love, who supervises the outreach programming, lights up when he talks specifically about the impact on children. “The kids in our programs are so uninhibited and have such a joyful response. Sometimes they’re a bit nervous at first, but we provide an environment where it’s safe to simply be themselves. They open up quickly, and they’re so excited to tell you who they are and show you their perspectives.”
The staff endeavors to offer children a variety of experiences in different media, from painting to sculpture to even printmaking and textiles. But the tactile experiences are often the most popular, with the kids enthusiastically crafting ceramics and then learning about the process of firing them in the kiln. At the library’s after-school program, lesson plans often tie in with a featured book so that visual arts education supports literacy and vice versa.
In addition to outreach programs in the community, children are invited into the Bascom to continue their experiences. Homeschoolers frequently access the center as a source of arts education in a social setting, and numerous after-school and summer programs are open to all. “Some kids are a bit hesitant on the first day of class,” Love laughs. “But by the second lesson, they’re leaping out of cars and running into the building. They love the connection of making friends while creating together.”
That feeling of creative collaboration and emotional connection doesn’t stop in childhood, however. The Center’s outreach programs also extend to area senior centers as well as the Literacy and Learning Center of Highlands, which brings educational opportunities to both children and adults. Partnerships with other local organizations such as the Highlands Biological Station, International Friendship Center, and the Performing Arts Center help to embed the visual arts throughout the community. Teacher development workshops help Macon and Jackson County educators connect the arts with subjects like math and science.
The Bascom’s presence can even be felt around town. In Cashiers, outdoor sculptures installed at The Boys & Girls Club and Slabtown Plaza bring art into the community in unexpected ways. Local organization, Vision Cashiers, is currently collaborating with the Center to install two additional sculptures somewhere in the village (with that location soon to be announced).
And for members of the Bascom in particular, the lines between viewer and creator often become blurred in all of the best possible ways. While anyone is invited to join the Center’s workshops, members receive a discount and often fervently participate in educational opportunities. The ongoing collaboration with instructors and other students helps local artists develop their skills, and many progress to participating in local exhibitions and special events. Some even find themselves featured in the center’s gift shop.
“Membership is often an entry point to participating in professional opportunities,” Love explains. The center becomes a second home for retirees who wish to explore their creative sides after long careers have ended. “Learning to create art gives the student a fresh perspective on the works they view at shows and on life in general. Before, perhaps you appreciated a landscape for its overall beauty. Now, when you look at the same landscape, you’re thinking about which colors you would use to reflect what you’re seeing, or you’re noticing how the light illuminates parts of the scene.”
“Learning about art helps you to see the world differently,” Love continues. “You see things more deeply, and you notice details that maybe you didn’t before. It’s really a process of finding yourself.”
Classes at The Bascom allow all interested persons, from beginning novices to the highly adept, to sharpen their skills. However, classes are not all about technique. Participants also find the process of creating art to be therapeutic and benefit from the social connections formed there.
The center also sponsors numerous occasions for local residents to submit their work for review. Pottery shows in both July and October allow ceramics students to display and sell their work, and the Holiday Arts and Crafts Show in November invites local and regional artists to submit an application to participate.
During the Dahlia Festival in September, sponsored by the Highlands Historical Society, area gardeners can submit their best single blooms for exhibition and judging at the Bascom. A poster contest also invites everyone to submit their designs, with a reveal party held for participants and the winner on the Thursday evening before the festival.
Collaboration — both between artists and within the community — defines The Bascom’s annual theme in 2024. Termed “Legacies,” this year’s programming seeks to celebrate the sharing of ideas and experiences between artists while encouraging the audience to interact with new approaches and techniques. When artists create, they leave a legacy that impacts us all and shapes our collective imaginations. Viewers who feel inspired to experience the hands-on process of making art will, in turn, impact the community in their own ways.
It could be said that art begets more art as we collaborate and inspire one another. Beyond viewing, opportunities abound to follow inspiration and join the creative process. This year, and every year, the visual arts are open and accessible to all at The Bascom.
2024 Exhibitions and Symposiums
Satellites & Salamanders IV
Created by Resident Artist Walker Tufts
January 13 — May 11
Thompson Gallery
Emergence: A Survey of Southeastern Studio Programs
January 20 — April 27
BunzI Gallery
Selections from Our Permanent Collection
January 27 — April 6
Joel Gallery
Biennial Outdoor Sculpture Program
April 2024 — April 2026
Photography Residency Exhibition
Created by Resident Artist Erik Mace
April 20 — August 24
Joel Gallery
Glass Pioneers: Western North Carolina and the Studio Glass Movement
May 11 — August 3
BunzI Gallery
Press On!
May 25 — August 17
Thompson Gallery
From the Lowlands to the Highlands
August 17 — January 11
BunzI Gallery
Members Challenge: Legacies
August 31 — November 30
Thompson Gallery
Feel the Heat: Community Partner Exhibition
September 7 — January 4
Joel Gallery
Bascom Clay Symposium
September 27 — 28
Dave Drake Studio
Children’s Programming
The Bascom offers a range of programming for children, with new opportunities added to the roster regularly. Please contact The Bascom directly at 828-526-4949 for more information on classes and summer camps.
Key Dates to Remember
March 23: Spring Reception
June 11: Bascom Gala
July 6: Benefactor Breakfast (by invitation)
July 6: Community Day
July 11: Summer Reception
July 26-27: Summer Pottery Studio Show
August 1: Aaron Shearer Foundation Concert
August 15: Community Barn Dance
August 22: Late Summer Reception
September 5-7: Dahlia Festival
September 12: Fall Reception
September 27-28: Bascom Clay Symposium
October 11-12: Fall Pottery Studio Show
For more information on exhibitions and special events, visit thebascom.org.