Warren Wilson College recently announced that it had received a major grant of $2.1 million to expand and improve programs Blacksmith for arts and traditional Appalachian crafts. The grant from the Windgate Charitable Foundation is part of an effort to make Western North Carolina a nationally recognized center for craft studies. The grant will enable the college to purchase materials and expand its faculty and staff to support programs in sculpture, woodworking, fiber arts and blacksmithing, among others.

According to a recent article in the Asheville Citizen Times, the grant will also be used to foster a closer partnership between Warren Wilson and The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design. The AC-T article notes that the grant will allow the college to dramatically increase its craft outreach to the greater community and its artisans.