Kathy Chastain
By Natasha Anderson
Olive’s Porch, a new John C. Campbell Folk School community gathering place in downtown Murphy, opens Friday, April 8, with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 1:30 p.m. The location at 27 Peachtree Street will house a large classroom, a retail shop showcasing the work of Appalachian artists and a studio maker space for an artist-in-residence program.
Workshops will feature Appalachian topics including broom making, chair caning, basketry, woodcarving, quilting, knitting, spinning, weaving, music and dance. Special exhibits, demonstrations and events will also be held throughout the year.
Charlie
“The idea behind Olive’s Porch came from a community listening session during the development of our strategic plan in 2019 that was open to all,” says John C. Campbell Folk School executive director Jerry Jackson. “In the session, area residents repeatedly called for alternative ways to engage with the Folk School, including off-campus, shorter classes and at less cost.”
Named after the school’s co-founder Olive Dame Campbell, the facility will host hands-on workshops for youth and adults on evenings and weekends. A variety of discussions, demonstrations, artist markets, seasonal programs for school-age youth and other community-focused events will be presented year-round. In addition to the downtown offerings, Olive’s Porch will work alongside other nonprofits, organizations and area schools to bring new learning opportunities to Cherokee County and the surrounding area.
“Classes at the Folk School are meant to be an immersive experience, with weeklong and weekend classes where participants get away from the distractions of the everyday world,” says Jackson. “Olive’s Porch will complement this long-standing model, with shorter workshops and a drop-in mentality.”
Workshops will range in duration and material costs; however, an emphasis will be placed on affordability. And, though some activities may be specifically for school-age children or adults-only, many workshops will be open to all ages and skill levels. Scheduling will range from one evening per week to one afternoon-long session. Olive’s Porch will build on the Folk School’s outreach programs by hosting activities including artist demonstrations at workplaces and welcoming school groups for a day of creating and connecting outside the classroom.
“The Folk School has always found ways to interact with the local community,” says Jackson. “Through Olive’s Porch, we also want to partner with other nonprofits and organizations in the area to reach those who maybe think the Folk School is inaccessible to them.”
Learn more about Olive’s Porch, including activities and workshop scheduling, at FolkSchool.org/OlivesPorch.
