Relief for Asheville's RAD Artists & Employees

About this Fundraiser - Hurricane Helene has left Asheville’s vibrant and beloved River Arts District decimated by unprecedented flooding. The RAD is home to artist studios, galleries, shops, restaurants, breweries, bars, parks, residences and music venues that have long been a cornerstone of Asheville’s creative community. Entire businesses, like Summit Coffee, White Duck Taco Shop, Foundy Woodshop, Rosabees, the Wedge, 12 Bones, Zen Ink, New Origin Brewing and countless galleries—home to hundreds of artists—have been destroyed. These artists and employees rely solely on their art and local businesses for their livelihood.

While flood insurance will hopefully cover some of the property damage for businesses, it is not guaranteed, and for many business owners and artists in the district, the destruction is absolute. Additionally, flood insurance does not cover the livelihoods of artists or the employees of these businesses. The road to recovery will be long, and artists depend on selling their work to support themselves, just as employees rely on having a place to work. Without functioning studios, galleries, and jobs, their ability to create, sell art, and work is nearly impossible.

Background - The flooding in Asheville caused by Hurricane Helene has been catastrophic, particularly in the River Arts District. The French Broad River surged to record levels, with floodwaters sweeping through businesses, homes and public spaces. Over 400 roads have been closed, and many areas, including the River Arts District, remain devastatingly damaged. 700,000 people across North Carolina have lost access to electricity, water and communication services, and many have had to evacuate. The devastation is still hard to quantify as we wait for the water to recede and still work to understand who is stranded in their homes.

How Funds Will Be Distributed - As of now, the funds will be distributed as a fixed amount of $500 to each verified applicant. Applicants will be asked to submit some documentation, such as paystubs or invoices, to verify their involvement in the River Arts District. Payments will be processed in batches, and applicants will be paid via PayPal. The distribution process will be closely monitored, and adjustments will be made based on available funds. If enough funds are raised to batch out a higher amount based on applicants, it will be evenly distributed towards all applicants, even retroactively.

About Me - My name is Eden and I am an NC native. I run the trails along RAD and many of my close friends are artists, business owners, and employees in the area. As folks continue to reach out expressing their desire to help, I wanted to create something where they actually could. None of this money will go to me. I am open to how to allocate as equitably as possible but for now it feels simplest to do first come first serve with a set amount per payout. I’m hoping with our minimal service that this will make its way to channels for both donations and applications for folks who need it most. Please send along!!

Other Places to Donate - UPDATE: Donations to major organizations are great but many efforts are happening at the local level. This GoFundMe goes directly to people in need. Other local organizations and individuals are providing boots on the ground aid to people who are in need NOW. This list will continue to be updated with those organizations and those individuals.

Many other areas like are decimated as well and are likely have other ways to contribute to the their rehab. We will do our best to post resources on how to support those communities here when we find them.

Cover photo credit: Asheville Citizen Times