Fete Set: City of 1,000 Easels

It's not a strange site to see artists toiling away on an Asheville street corner on any given afternoon. Neither is it out of place to encounter several buskers on those same street corners. The Asheville Area Arts Council took the idea of both to a new level on Sunday, September 12, with the City of 1,000 Easels project.

Visual arts and cultural tourism have long been a strong presence in Western North Carolina, but the City of 1,000 Easels project created an arts-saturated atmosphere throughout downtown that included more than 100 artists promoting their craft. Veteran and amateur artists worked for three hours creating a number of canvases. The artists were able to sell their works through a silent auction process. They could maintain all of the proceeds, but many chose to donate a portion back to the Arts Council.

Residents and visitors could download a map from the Arts Council's website for the self-guided tour. The nice weather -- a welcome break from the hottest summer on record in 50 years -- saw many people take advantage of the free event. Based on positive feedback, the Arts Council plans to schedule similar events on a regular basis.

View more photos in our online photo gallery.