October is for changing leaves, cool weather, and pumpkin-flavored goods. But it’s also known as National Arts and Humanities Month!
For over 30 years, the month has celebrated and promoted arts of all kinds — painting, pottery, theater, music, writing, you name it. And while the event is celebrated across the country, the Southeast has some interesting places to visit if you want to explore the arts.
You may have heard about some of these cities and towns — but did you know about their unique connection to the arts? Let’s go through some great places to get creative this month.
Wynwood: Miami, Florida
If street art catches your eye, there’s no better place to check out than Wynwood.
North of Downtown Miami and west of Miami Beach, Wynwood is best known for Wynwood Walls. In this rotating exhibit, artists from all over the world lay their claim to concrete. But the illustrations aren’t confined to the outdoor museum. Street art is scattered throughout the neighborhood, sprawling over the sides of apartments and businesses.
Wynwood is home to other arts, too – the Miami Light Project commissions unique performances, from dance presentations to film screenings. And every second Saturday, Art Walk transforms the neighborhood into a lively market, with plenty of art galleries, restaurants, and businesses open after hours in a block party.
Click here to learn more about Wynwood.
Blue Ridge, Georgia
Blue Ridge is aptly named. It’s in the Blue Ridge Mountains, full of famous blue-tinged views, and close to the fishing and hiking opportunities of the Chattahoochee National Forest.
But the small town is also known for its big arts scene. For 35 years, thousands of artists have convened at the Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association. The Fannin County Courthouse also houses an Art Center with a pottery and kiln studio, art galleries, artistic guilds, and an artist-in-residence program.
Blue Ridge also celebrates live performances at the Blue Ridge Community Theater and hosts several weekly live music events, like Pickin’ in the Park and Live Music Downtown. And in the second week of October, the Arts Association will put on its biannual Arts in the Park festival, where hundreds of regional artisans will present and sell their work.
Click here to learn more about the arts scene in Blue Ridge.
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile has been around for more than 300 years, meaning it’s stepped in vibrant culture and history. So it’s no wonder the celebrated city is one of the Southeast’s most prominent arts hotspots.
The Mobile Arts Council has listed dozens of arts organizations spread across the city. Among the most prominent are the Mobile Museum of Art, which showcases more than 6,000 works of art from around the world; the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, which puts on transformative classic plays; and Classical Ballet of Mobile, where you can learn to dance or enjoy a show.
Mobile is also home to a host of outdoor art festivals and marketplaces. On the second Friday of every month, LoDa ArtWalk displays local art galleries, studios, and shops. And Market in the Park, a seasonal event, lets passersby explore arts and crafts from local artisans and shop locally-grown produce, seafood, baked goods, and more.
Click here to search a citywide directory for arts opportunities in Mobile.
Beaufort, South Carolina
Full of historic sites and moss-draped trees, Beaufort is the perfect picture of Southern charm. It’s easy to see why it’s been the site for so many films, including “Forrest Gump,” “The Prince of Tides” and “The Big Chill.”
But it isn’t just the film industry that thrives in the city. The area is stuffed with places to see paintings and statues, like the eclectic Beaufort Art Association Gallery, the nature-based Mystic Osprey Gallery, and the educational Sea Islands Center Gallery. And if you’d prefer dinner and a show, the interactive Play and Eat Dinner Theater has you covered.
Beaufort also has several locally-owned studios where you can exercise your creative muscles. You can sip on local wine and paint at Southern Palette Art Studio or decorate pottery at Paints ‘n Paradise.
Click here to search a directory of arts-related activities in Beaufort.
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is known as the “City of Arts and Innovation” — and it’s not hard to see why.
Live theater fans will revel in the beauty and history of the Stevens Center. Originally opened as a silent theater in 1929, the Center is now home to year-round, large-scale music, theater, dance, and opera performances. But if you’re more into film, the city offers a/perture, a small non-profit movie theater that screens diverse art-house films.
The arts extend to the outdoors, too. ARTivity on the Green fills the city’s downtown with unique art pieces and murals you can walk through. There’s also the Reynolda estate, encompassing the Reynolda House Museum Of American Art, the Reynolda Gardens, and the Reynolda Village Shops and Restaurants.
Click here to learn more about the arts in Winston-Salem.