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Our Mission
Valley River Arts Guild, formed in 2010, supports
the talent and creativity of the artists in our community,
unifies our community around the promotion
and education of the arts through classes and events,
and enhances the livability and quality of life of our
county residents and visitors to our region
as an art-centric community.
Our mission is, and has always been, to become a
regional arts destination.
Housed in a 1985 building called the MAC, Murphy Art
Center, our organization is located
in downtown Murphy, North Carolina,
in the heart of far western Tier I Cherokee County.
The Arts Guild has grown
from 15 founding members, to over 75 artists and crafters
from many of the southern states,
nurturing the development of many emerging artists.
With no paid staff, our members are the work force
volunteers that accomplish everything that we do as an
organization. Each artist member helps to operate the
MAC gallery by sharing work stints, as well as
volunteering on the many committees we have,
in order to support our many community projects.
Valley River Arts Guild, formed in 2010, supports
the talent and creativity of the artists in our community,
unifies our community around the promotion
and education of the arts through classes and events,
and enhances the livability and quality of life of our
county residents and visitors to our region
as an art-centric community.
Our mission is, and has always been, to become a
regional arts destination.
Housed in a 1985 building called the MAC, Murphy Art
Center, our organization is located
in downtown Murphy, North Carolina,
in the heart of far western Tier I Cherokee County.
The Arts Guild has grown
from 15 founding members, to over 75 artists and crafters
from many of the southern states,
nurturing the development of many emerging artists.
With no paid staff, our members are the work force
volunteers that accomplish everything that we do as an
organization. Each artist member helps to operate the
MAC gallery by sharing work stints, as well as
volunteering on the many committees we have,
in order to support our many community projects.
Our Programs
Since 2011, our volunteer-driven community art
organization has produced so many art programs
including the huge First Friday Murphy Art Walk events
every month, showcasing music, arts, crafts, and theater.
Valley River Arts Guild volunteers organize a hands-on
crafting table at each Art Walk event which serves
approximately 400 children yearly. Our Art Walk program
supports approximately 4500 artists and crafters yearly
and is attended every year by well over 8000 lovers
of Appalachian arts and crafts.
Art Walk is supported by the merchants and corporate
sponsors of our area as well as through grants by the
Cherokee County Tourism Development Authority
and Harrah's Cherokee County Casino.
Our organization organizes and teaches a year-round
Kids’ Art program at our Murphy Art Center, as well as a
wonderful variety of classes for adults and teens.
Our educational programs reach 750 children yearly
and over 400 adults.
Our Kids Classes Program is supported in part through
grants from the North Carolina Arts Council,
The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina,
and fundraising by the Education Committee volunteers of
the Valley River Arts Guild.
The MAC, Murphy Art Center, is a showcase gallery for
regional artists’ Appalachian arts and crafts and serves
as the ‘Welcome Center for the Arts’ in our region.
Our 75 artists and crafters manage the gallery as well as
volunteer on our multiple committees for maintaining
the building and grounds and serving on our many
community projects. Our visitor count into the Murphy Art
Center yearly reaches nearly 18,000 lovers
of the Appalachian arts and crafts of our region.
.
Community and member donations as well as grants by the
North Carolina Arts Council help to fund a small portion of
our general operations.
The MAX Project, Murphy Art Xplosion, Outdoor Art
Gallery is one of our newer projects, with framed canvas
art panels installed throughout the historic downtown
in an ever-changing seasonal display of art talent hailing
from the Southern states of North Carolina, Georgia,
Tennessee, and Florida, and reaching further every year
as the project grows. Multiple downtown locations feature
70 artworks of professional artists as well as new and
emerging artists. We estimate that close to 50,000
persons have viewed and enjoyed The MAX Project just in
its first year of installments, and the project will be a
draw to our area for the future as more artists and
artworks are featured.
Grants by the National Endowment for the Arts,
the Cannon Foundation, and the Tourism Development
Authority have financed this unique project.
The volunteers of Valley River Arts Guild organize
the SMArt Tour: Smoky Mountain Art studio tour of the
working artist and crafter studios located in our beautiful
Appalachian Smoky Mountain region. 14 artists were
featured in a self-driven, self-guided tour during the last
two weekends of April, 2024. Up to 20 additional artists
are also featured to demonstrate their arts and crafts at
The MAC, Murphy Art Center during the two weekends of
this exciting event. Our organization promotes
this unique event far and wide, in order to showcase and
support our many regional Appalachian artists, to educate
the public on how these arts and crafts are created
through artist demonstrations within each working studio,
as well as showcasing the beauty of our Smoky Mountain
region as folks drive from studio to studio.
Grant funding has been awarded by the Cherokee County
Tourism Authority to support this event.
The Valley River Arts Guild has finished construction of
an addition to our building for a Special Events Gallery
(by enclosing the drive-through of our former bank
building) to house larger juried art shows, singer-
songwriter workshops, educational art seminars, week-
long art camps for kids and teens, invited special guest
artist exhibitions, music listening room events, varied
cultural performances, the Silver Arts annual show,
and so much more.
The goal for the creation of this space is to improve the
people’s lives of our area, to educate the community
about the arts, and to provide a space that supports the
artists and musicians of our tri-state area.
Grant funds have been awarded by the Cherokee County
Tourism Authority and by the Jandy Ammons Foundation
to finance this wonderful community project.
Since 2011, our volunteer-driven community art
organization has produced so many art programs
including the huge First Friday Murphy Art Walk events
every month, showcasing music, arts, crafts, and theater.
Valley River Arts Guild volunteers organize a hands-on
crafting table at each Art Walk event which serves
approximately 400 children yearly. Our Art Walk program
supports approximately 4500 artists and crafters yearly
and is attended every year by well over 8000 lovers
of Appalachian arts and crafts.
Art Walk is supported by the merchants and corporate
sponsors of our area as well as through grants by the
Cherokee County Tourism Development Authority
and Harrah's Cherokee County Casino.
Our organization organizes and teaches a year-round
Kids’ Art program at our Murphy Art Center, as well as a
wonderful variety of classes for adults and teens.
Our educational programs reach 750 children yearly
and over 400 adults.
Our Kids Classes Program is supported in part through
grants from the North Carolina Arts Council,
The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina,
and fundraising by the Education Committee volunteers of
the Valley River Arts Guild.
The MAC, Murphy Art Center, is a showcase gallery for
regional artists’ Appalachian arts and crafts and serves
as the ‘Welcome Center for the Arts’ in our region.
Our 75 artists and crafters manage the gallery as well as
volunteer on our multiple committees for maintaining
the building and grounds and serving on our many
community projects. Our visitor count into the Murphy Art
Center yearly reaches nearly 18,000 lovers
of the Appalachian arts and crafts of our region.
.
Community and member donations as well as grants by the
North Carolina Arts Council help to fund a small portion of
our general operations.
The MAX Project, Murphy Art Xplosion, Outdoor Art
Gallery is one of our newer projects, with framed canvas
art panels installed throughout the historic downtown
in an ever-changing seasonal display of art talent hailing
from the Southern states of North Carolina, Georgia,
Tennessee, and Florida, and reaching further every year
as the project grows. Multiple downtown locations feature
70 artworks of professional artists as well as new and
emerging artists. We estimate that close to 50,000
persons have viewed and enjoyed The MAX Project just in
its first year of installments, and the project will be a
draw to our area for the future as more artists and
artworks are featured.
Grants by the National Endowment for the Arts,
the Cannon Foundation, and the Tourism Development
Authority have financed this unique project.
The volunteers of Valley River Arts Guild organize
the SMArt Tour: Smoky Mountain Art studio tour of the
working artist and crafter studios located in our beautiful
Appalachian Smoky Mountain region. 14 artists were
featured in a self-driven, self-guided tour during the last
two weekends of April, 2024. Up to 20 additional artists
are also featured to demonstrate their arts and crafts at
The MAC, Murphy Art Center during the two weekends of
this exciting event. Our organization promotes
this unique event far and wide, in order to showcase and
support our many regional Appalachian artists, to educate
the public on how these arts and crafts are created
through artist demonstrations within each working studio,
as well as showcasing the beauty of our Smoky Mountain
region as folks drive from studio to studio.
Grant funding has been awarded by the Cherokee County
Tourism Authority to support this event.
The Valley River Arts Guild has finished construction of
an addition to our building for a Special Events Gallery
(by enclosing the drive-through of our former bank
building) to house larger juried art shows, singer-
songwriter workshops, educational art seminars, week-
long art camps for kids and teens, invited special guest
artist exhibitions, music listening room events, varied
cultural performances, the Silver Arts annual show,
and so much more.
The goal for the creation of this space is to improve the
people’s lives of our area, to educate the community
about the arts, and to provide a space that supports the
artists and musicians of our tri-state area.
Grant funds have been awarded by the Cherokee County
Tourism Authority and by the Jandy Ammons Foundation
to finance this wonderful community project.
To have your name or dedication added to our entryway
Legacy board at the Murphy Art Center, please contact
us or consider sending in your donation to:
Valley River Arts Guild, 12 Peachtree Street,
Murphy, NC 28906
828-360-3038
Legacy board at the Murphy Art Center, please contact
us or consider sending in your donation to:
Valley River Arts Guild, 12 Peachtree Street,
Murphy, NC 28906
828-360-3038
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