Top 13 Art Festivals in North Carolina for 2022

The arts are available in North Carolina. From the mountains to the coast, you will discover local, handcrafted works of pottery, paint, metal, photography, and so much more. Our art festivals celebrate Appalachian folk traditions and emerging artists working in a contemporary style. Check out our compilation of the best art festivals in North Carolina.

Van Gogh Alive

Van Gogh Alive is marketed as the most visited multi-sensory experience in the world. This is not like an art museum! The exhibition immerses you into the works of Van Gogh. Experience art with all your senses with vibrant lights, colors, sounds, and fragrances. You’ll feel like you’re part of each painting.

Experience Van Gogh Alive at the Biltmore House from November 5, 2021, through March 5, 2022. Ticket prices start at $131 when you visit through January 9, 2022. For tickets purchased after January 9, prices start at $91. Biltmore is open daily. You’ll find the Biltmore House near Asheville.

Monet and Friends at Biltmore

Renowned as the founder of impressionism, Claude Monet created masterpieces filled with light and color. Even those not familiar with art history have likely seen prints of his lilies on ponds or boats traveling along riversides. 

North Carolina residents and visitors won’t need to visit London or New York City to see an original Monet. From March 9 – July 10, 2022, experience Monet and Friends at Biltmore. Original Monets will be on display alongside other masterpieces from leading Impressionists, including Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cézanne, and Edgar Degas.

Ticket prices begin at $91 and include the audio-guided tour of Biltmore House. 

BANFF Film Festival

Each year, the BANFF Center Mountain Film World Tour team chooses around 35 films featuring a range of topics, styles, and themes. The 2021 festival selections featured climbing, skiing, kayaking, biking, environmental and cultural films from independent and emerging filmmakers. Most BANFF screenings feature 6-10 films. 

In North Carolina, multiple locations host the BANFF Film Festival World Tour and offer screenings. The local host determines whether they run the same featured films each night or change the program. You can view the films for 2021-2022 here. 

The locations, dates, and contact information for the BANFF World Tour events in North Carolina for 2022 are:

• Brevard College in Brevard, NC from March 18-20, 2022
• Appalachian State University in Boone, NC from March 31-April 2, 2022
• Blumenthal Performing Arts, in Charlotte, NC on April 13, 2022

Ticket prices vary depending on the location.

Kings Drive Art Walk

If you’re in Charlotte the last weekend of April, add the Kings Drive Art Walk to your things to do. The Art Walk highlights fine and emerging artists in a spring festival that includes arts, music, and family entertainment. The artists are chosen for the event for the quality and variety of the exhibitor applications. In addition to the food concessions, there are roving musicians and a main performance stage.

The 2022 event is scheduled from April 30-May 1, starting at 11 am each day along the Little Sugar Creek Greenway. This is a free event. 

Spring Daze Arts Festival

Open exclusively to North Carolina-based artists, the Spring Daze Arts Festival takes place in the stunning 310-acre Fred Bond Park. The event draws around 15,000 spectators to see the creative works from over 150 of the state’s diverse artists. Four stages showcase musicians and performing artists. Family-friendly activities are available, and the event includes Earth Day celebrations. Food vendors are available, from food trucks to traditional festival fare. 

Taking place in Cary, the 2022 event is scheduled for April 30 from 9 am-5 pm. The festival is free to attend. 

Artsplosure, the Raleigh Arts Festival

Running since 1980, Artsplosure in downtown Raleigh is the city’s first and longest-running arts festival. The Art Market features around 175 juried visual artists from around the nation. Their works include ceramics, glass, fiber art, jewelry, metal, photography, wood, and more. Live music performances take place on the main stage from emerging artists. For the young ones, stop by Kidsplosure, a free arts and crafts area for them to tap into their creativity. Artsplosure includes one-of-a-kind art installations through the downtown festival. 

Artsplosure is scheduled from May 21-22, 2022. Check on the website for 2022 information. Art Market Hours run 11 am-7 pm Saturday, and 10 am- 6 pm Sunday. 

Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands

The Southern Highland Craft Guild supports opportunities for creators across nine states. Artists display works ranging in style from traditional to contemporary in various mediums. See crafts of clay, wood, metal, natural materials, paper, and mixed media. The experience includes craft demonstrations and live music. 

This July event is hosted over four days at Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville. In 2021, tickets cost $10. Check the website for 2022 dates.

Folkmoot International Festival

Visit the mountain town of Waynesville this July for an international celebration of music and dance. The Folkmoot International Festival draws performers from 200 countries. Last year, the festival was July 22-25 at Lake Junaluska and the Folkmoot Friendship Center.

Attendees enjoyed authentic Irish dance, Cherokee Hoop Dancers, Latin American dance, clogging, and traditional and contemporary African dance. A variety of musical performers attended and showcased their talent. Musical stylings ranged from Cajun, Zydeco, and Tejano Conjunto.

Visit the event website for updates. Tickets usually go on sale in May. 

Avery Fine Art & Master Craft Festival

Hosted at Sugar Mountain Resort, the Avery Fine Arts & Master Craft Festival is a juried festival with a one-of-kind gathering of handcrafted wares. Fine art exhibitors showcase paintings, sculptures, pottery, weaving, glass, wood, candles, and body care.

The 2022 festival has two weekends: July 15-17 and August 12-14. On Fridays, the show opens at 1 pm, and weekend shows open at 10 am.

Brevard Summer Music Festival

Each summer, the Brevard Music Center presents world-class symphony, opera, folk, bluegrass, country, and jazz performances from its instructors and many of the Center’s students. The Brevard Summer Music Festival promises to be one of Asheville’s top events in 2022.  

Tickets to Brevard Music Center’s Summer Festival typically go on sale in early June. Generally, the festival starts during the second week of July and continues for ten weeks. In 2021, lawn tickets started at $20. Reserved covered seating prices vary depending on the concert. Lawn seating is free for children under 17 (with a paying adult) and students 18 and older with a valid ID. 

CenterFest

Ranked as one of the country’s top 200 fine arts festivals, CenterFest is Durham’s signature arts festival. The juried visual art exhibition launched in 1974 and today has world-class ceramics, paintings, photography, jewelry, art, glass, and more. The art exhibition includes multiple stages with live performances from musicians, dance troupes, and street performers. For kids, there is a Creative Kids Zone. Concessions are available.

CenterFest typically draws over 30,000 visitors to downtown Durham. The 2021 show was postponed to September 2022. Refer to their website for information on dates, activities, and artists.

Piedmont Craftsmen’s Fair

Going on 59 years in 2022, the Piedmont Craftsmen’s Fair is a collection of over 100 vetted artists and craftsmen showing their unique handmade wares. Showcases are for various mediums, like photography, glass, leather, wood, print, and mixed media. Speak one-on-one with the artisans. View demonstrations of various crafting techniques.

The fair usually takes place in November over a weekend at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door. Prices in 2021 were $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, and a weekend pass was $12. Children under 12 were free.

Balsam Range Art of Music Festival 

One popular event in North Carolina’s mountains and for bluegrass music fans, the Balsam Range Art of Music Festival at Stuart Auditorium in Lake Junaluska is a great festival to attend. Many top bluegrass and acoustic musicians from around the country perform at this special end-of-the-year event. The music performances include workshops where you can learn how to play or perfect your skill on the bass, banjo, mandolin, or guitar. There’s also a songwriting workshop. 

Typically held in early December, the Art of Music festival opens the gates at 5:30 pm. The concerts start at 7 pm. Food trucks will be available Saturday afternoon and evening. 

In 2021, general admission tickets cost $40. The price included a meal before the show at the York Dining Hall and a seat in the lower area of Shackford Hall. VIP tickets ran for $80 and included a dinner with drinks, musician meet and greets, and seating in the upper area of Shackford Hall. Check the website for the 2022 schedule and prices.

North Carolina Art Festivals

From the mountains to the sea, local artisans have plenty to be inspired by in our state. Visit any of these art and music festivals held throughout the year, and you’ll see North Carolina creativity at its best. For more North Carolina events in 2022, visit EZHomeSearch.