ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Asheville’s arts scene and the PGA Tour may seem like an unlikely pairing, but one downtown gallery is finding a way to connect the two — and bring more visitors through its doors.
The Asheville Gallery of Art is the longest-standing fine arts gallery in downtown Asheville. Established in 1988, the gallery features a diverse group of artists, including both emerging and established artists.
Gallery President Margie Kluska and Vice President Carol Fetty say the gallery has weathered many challenges over the years, most recently the devastation caused by Helene.
“The arts scene has been heavily challenged because of the hurricane,” Fetty said, explaining that tourism to the area dropped after the storm.
That decline had a direct impact on the gallery. Kluska and Fetty say roughly 80% to 90% of the gallery’s sales come from tourists.
Connecting art and golf
With the PGA Tour returning to Asheville this fall, the gallery saw an opportunity to bring some of those visitors through its doors.
The Biltmore Championship Asheville is scheduled for Sept. 17 through Sept. 20, marking the PGA Tour’s return to the mountains for the first time in more than 80 years.
“We are partnering with the PGA Tour,” Fetty said.
The gallery is holding a sweepstakes tied to the tournament. Anyone who purchases a piece of art at the gallery can enter for a chance to win tickets to the Sunday tournament.
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All customers have to do is provide their name and phone number after purchasing artwork. The winning tickets will then be transferred to the winner.
The gallery already has several people entered, with about a month remaining in the sweepstakes.
For Kluska, the idea came together after the gallery learned the PGA Tour was coming to Asheville.
“When we read about the PGA Tour coming here, Carol got on the phone and said, ‘Okay guys, we need to be a part of this,’” Kluska said.
AUG. 12, 2026 – Asheville’s arts scene and the PGA Tour may seem like an unlikely pairing, but one downtown gallery is finding a way to connect the two — and bring more visitors through its doors. (Photo credit: WLOS Staff)
The gallery’s exhibition committee regularly looks for ways to get people more excited about visiting and experiencing the artwork.
“We refresh the art on all the walls every three months,” Kluska said. “It’s all original art.”
And while using golf to bring people into an art gallery wasn’t necessarily something they expected, the gallery’s leaders say they’re having fun with the idea.
“It’s interesting and we’re having fun with it,” Fetty said. “They have to have something to do when they’re not on the golf course, right?”PGA Tour expected to bring millions in spending
Explore Asheville President and CEO Vic Isley says the economic impact of the tournament could extend well beyond the golf course.
The four-day Biltmore Championship Asheville is expected to generate upwards of $10 million in direct spending in the community during its first year.
She says part of what makes the PGA Tour’s return exciting is its involvement in the broader Asheville community.
The tour plans to award grants to nonprofits around the beginning of September. Fifty area nonprofits are already participating in the PGA Tour’s Birdies for Charity program, which allows organizations to fundraise through the PGA Tour platform and receive matching dollars.
Isley says golf fans could also have an impact on Asheville long after the tournament ends.
Golf enthusiasts, she said, can be influential when it comes to travel decisions.
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“They really do influence where other people want to go,” Isley said.
Visitors attending the Biltmore Championship Asheville will have opportunities to dine at local restaurants and shop at independent retailers throughout the area.
“It’s really not just about what’s on the course but what’s happening all around the community,” Isley said.
For the Asheville Gallery of Art, that could mean an opportunity to introduce more visitors to the city’s arts scene — and turn some of those visitors into customers.
Visit the Asheville Gallery of Art
The gallery hosts a reception for its artists of the month on the first Friday of each month. Visitors can meet the artists, learn about their work and talk with them about their creative process. Wine and appetizers are also served.
The PGA Tour ticket sweepstakes is already underway. Visitors who purchase artwork at the gallery can enter for a chance to win tickets to the Sunday tournament.
Click here to learn more from the Asheville Gallery of Art. Click here for more on the Biltmore Championship Asheville.