The River Arts District is expanding its footprint, opening a new downtown outpost this week in a space donated by The Radical. It’s one of the River Arts District Artists’ (RADA) first satellite galleries, following its December “Love Asheville From Afar” pop-up exhibition in Atlanta’s Ponce City Market.
RADA President Jeffrey Burroughs said the outpost serves to educate visitors that the upper part of the RAD is open for business. This portion of the RAD — made up of Roberts Street, Artful Way, Clingman Avenue, and Depot Street — celebrated its soft reopening on the weekend of Nov. 9 at RADFest, which brought more than 10,000 attendees and generated more than $1 million in artist sales.
The new gallery’s space will be partially dedicated to studios from the upper RAD, like Pink Dog Creative and the Wedge building, while the other side will showcase displaced artists’ work. There will also be information on the RADA Foundation and how people can support local artists. “We have a very long road ahead, but one that I think is hopeful, inspired, and invigorated,” Burroughs said.
This Thursday, Jan. 23, join the RADA Downtown Outpost’s soft opening from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 24 N. Lexington Ave., next to Table — you can also spread the love at its grand opening event on Valentine’s Day from 5 to 8 p.m. The outpost will be open Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. through the end of February, although RADA hopes to fundraise so it can stay in the space through the end of the year.
