Cornerstone of Culture

Cornerstone of Culture. . , Gateway to Community , As you turn down Eagle Street, you'll find yourself in The Block, one of several Black business districts in Asheville. This area has been important to the culture, economy, and history of Asheville's Black community members for more than a century., In the late 1800s, Black businessman Isaac Dickson operated a general store, coal yard, and taxi service on The Block. In 1890, Dickson and fellow community leader Dr. Edward Stephens envisioned a cultural center for young Black men offering education on cultural, social, business, and religious life. They secured a loan from George Vanderbilt to construct the Young Men's Institute (YMI) at the corner of Eagle and Market streets. Opened in 1893, the YMI flourished as a vibrant meeting center until racist urban renewal projects decimated the community in the 1970s. Today the YMI hosts community programs, events, and an art gallery., Avenue for the Arts , Asheville has a long history as a creative hub for craft and fine art, as well as music and the performing arts., Explore the many galleries lining downtown streets and in the River Arts District. Enjoy performance spaces , including the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts , hosting local and touring theater groups, musicians, and comedians. Check the calendar for performances and for regular gallery walks throughout the Downtown Asheville Arts District., One block north, the Asheville Art Museum tells the story of American art in the 20th and 21st centuries through its permanent collection of regional work including Cherokee craft to avant-garde works associated with the experimental Black Mountain College., (captions) , Right The Block's Del Carde building is today the home of LEAF Local, a vibrant cultural arts experience center. Photo courtesy of Andrea Clark., Left The art galleries and museums that line Broadway make up part of the Downtown Asheville Art District. Galleries such as Blue Spiral 1, pictured here, feature the work of local, regional and international artists., Above The YMI is one of the oldest Black cultural centers in the United States. This image taken by photographer, Andrea Clark, shows the local landmark in 1988.