FranklinWhat A local's calendar for Franklin & the Nantahala

Field guide · the mountain art scene

Where the art actually hangs.

Macon County punches above its weight on art. The Bascom in Highlands is a six-acre visual-arts campus with national-caliber shows, a covered bridge, and free admission; the Uptown Gallery on Main Street is the Macon County Art Association's downtown co-op, hung entirely with local work; and the Cowee School keeps working studios and a pottery program north of town. Here's where to look — and what's on the walls right now.

The spots worth your morning

The Bascom
Six-acre visual-arts campus in Highlands — rotating exhibitions in the main gallery, a covered bridge, studio classes, and free admission. The serious art stop.
35 min · Highlands
Uptown Gallery
The Macon County Art Association's co-op gallery on Main Street in downtown Franklin — paintings, pottery, jewelry, and fiber from local members. Free to browse.
In Franklin
Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center
Working artist studios, a pottery program, and gallery shows in a restored schoolhouse in the Cowee Valley, 15 minutes north of town.
15 min · Cowee
Macon County Art Association
The local nonprofit behind the Uptown Gallery — member shows, workshops, and the downtown art scene's connective tissue.
In Franklin
Limberlost Pottery (Main Street)
A working downtown pottery studio and gallery where you can watch potters at the wheel and buy local ceramics — everyday mugs to decorative pieces. No classes, but they'll point you to Cowee School or SCC.
In Franklin

"Start at the Uptown Gallery on a First Friday, then make the drive up to Highlands for whatever's hanging at the Bascom. That's the whole scene in an afternoon."

On view now

On the calendar

All events →

Good to know

Is admission to the Bascom free?

Yes — the Bascom is free to visit, though some workshops and special events are ticketed. It's generally open Tuesday through Saturday; check their hours before the drive up the mountain.

Where can I buy work by local artists?

The Uptown Gallery on Main Street in Franklin is a co-op hung with Macon County Art Association members' work — paintings, pottery, jewelry, and fiber — and it's all for sale.

Is there an art walk?

Franklin's First Friday art walk takes in the downtown galleries on the first Friday evening of the month. The Bascom and Cowee School also host opening receptions with each new exhibition.

Can I take a class?

Yes — both the Bascom in Highlands and the Cowee School in the Cowee Valley run adult and youth studio classes, from pottery to painting, and the Macon County Art Association offers workshops in town.