Artist Opportunities
Fall 2023 Studio Tour
This driving tour through Mitchell and Yancey Counties will take visitors along the meandering Toe River, across its many bridges, around barns, acres of fields, and miles of forests all while visiting the talented studio artists and galleries participating.
November 2023 Studio Tour Artist Application: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/tGgB3wqlPVrfPrt2e7jXBw
November 2023 Studio Tour Gallery Application: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/swB3MYHNKRHQM_KvJpOHUA
November 2023 Studio Tour Guidelines and Procedures: https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A0c1ff0c7-abcd-37f5-b236-112c2b9ac170
DEADLINE: August 21, 2023
Artist Support Grant
This program, funded by the N.C. Arts Council, provides the opportunity for regional consortia of local arts councils to award project grants to artists in their regions. These grants support professional artists in any discipline and at any stage in their careers to pursue projects that further their artistic and professional development. Learn more about the grant.
To access the 2023-24 Artist Support Grant application, please fill out the following form and the link will be sent to you.
Application: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/N8jmKOBSstJ9AINJAa8iog

Gift Shop & Retail Jury
Artists living in Mitchell and Yancey counties are encouraged to apply to sell work in our retail spaces. Artists must be Toe River Arts Members at the Basic level. The gift shop review committee is comprised of members of Toe River Arts and professional artists familiar with different artistic media. The review committee changes every year. Artists not accepted may reapply the following year.
Jurying for the gift shop will reopen in January 2024.
Scholarship for the Arts
Toe River Arts Scholarship for the Arts is made possible by an endowment fund held by the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina. These scholarships are awarded to individuals from Yancey or Mitchell County, North Carolina, who are pursuing higher education in arts or arts education. Each scholarship will be paid directly to the degree-based institution of the applicant’s attendance.
The 2023 application round is closed, and submissions are being considered. The next round will open in March 2024.
Resources for Artists Affected by COVID-19
- Artist Relief will distribute $5,000 grants to artists facing dire financial emergencies due to COVID-19; serve as an ongoing informational resource; and co-launch the COVID-19 Impact Survey for Artists and Creative Workers, designed by Americans for the Arts, to better identify and address the needs of artists.
- ArtsReady Resource List
- ArtsNC Covid-19 Action and Resource Center
- Freelance Artist Resource
- Triangle Artworks COVID-19 Small Business and Non-profit Financial Relief Services
- National Endowment for the Arts COVID-19 Resources for Artists and Arts Organizations
- NC Artist Relief Fund
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Americans for the Arts Impact Survey – please fill out the survey, let them know how you have been impacted so that they can advocate for support for artists from the federal government.
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Backline Care – Mission: To connect music industry professionals and their family members with a trust network of mental health and wellness providers
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NAMI & NAMI Wake County – for those concerned about mental health during this whole experience, the national NAMI chapter and local chapters (such as NAMI Wake) have resources – nami.org and nami-wake.org
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Resources for Artists in the COVID-19 Crisis: Emergency grants, freelance resources, legal aid, and more.
Additional Resources
Art Organizations
Workshops and Classes
Regional Artist Supplies
- Asheville Hardware
- Biltmore Iron and Metal
- Cover to Cover Book Art Supply 828.255.2644
- Earth Guild
- Fabrics in the Fray
- Foam and Fabric
- Highwater Clays
- Jerry’s Artarama
- Michaels Arts and Crafts
- Mountain Glass
- Penland Supply Store
- The Village Potters Clay Company