Asheville's River Arts District is hoping it can rebound after Helene decimated one of the city's biggest economic drivers.
It's estimated that 80% of the River Arts District was destroyed by Helene, Katie Cornell with ArtsAVL said in an update Sunday.
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She said the River Arts District included 26 warehouses and housed 300 artists. Buncombe County is the #1 arts district in the state and #47 in the country, according to a recent study. This is a huge part of Asheville's economy, as well as the county's.
"Our creative community is one of the things that make the Asheville area stand out from the rest," Cornell said. "Our artists and arts organizations are a major economic driver and revitalizer."
According to ArtsAVL, Buncombe County's creative economy accounts for $1 billion in annual sales and supports nearly 8,500 jobs.
"Most of our arts professionals are out of work," she said. "It's crucial that we get our artists back to work as soon as possible, or we will lose them."
She said the main thing they need right now is monetary donations.
Love Asheville from Afar has set up a website to help the arts community. Click here to help support local artists. You can also donate directly to the Always Asheville Fund by clicking here.
An emergency relief grant, specifically for artists, will be launched on Monday, Cornell announced. The grant will provide $500 relief stipends to art professionals in the western North Carolina counties affected by Helene.
You can apply for this grant at artsavl.org/relief. For more information on available aid for artists, go to artsavl.org/aid.