Great
Smoky Mountain Arts and Crafts Community
The Great Smoky Arts and Crafts
community consists of the largest group of independent
artists and crafters in the United States. This famous 8
mile loop has been chosen as Tennessee Heritage Arts and
Crafts Trail. The historic strip includes restaurants,
cafes, tea rooms, and candy shops. The Smoky Mountain
Arts and Craft community was established in 1937, and is
filled with artisans which perform many crafts such as
carving, painting, sewing, casting, and weaving in order
to create original collectable items such as pottery,
leather, stained glass, candles, dolls, jewelry,
photography, oils, brooms, baskets and quilts.
The Great Smoky Arts and Crafts
Foundation was established in 2000 to create a heritage
museum project in the Great Smoky Arts and Crafts
Community that will link its rich cultural past with
present day through education, social activity,
historical awareness and an archiving of cultural
treasures. On September 3, 1999 The Great Smoky Arts and
Crafts Cultural Heritage Museum project was designated
as an official project of Save Americas Treasures. “Save
America’s Treasures” is a public-private partnership
between the White House Millennium Council and the
National Trust for Historic Preservation. Save America’s
Treasures was started by First Lady Hillary Clinton in
May 1998, and is now a national effort to protect
America’s threatened cultural treasures and historical
structures that document and enlighten the history and
culture of the United States. In March of 2000,
businessman Billy Proffitt donated the 100 year old, two
story, former home of the Coy Ogle family to the
Foundation. By August of 2003, this home was
reconstructed and restored to serve as a Welcome Center
to the Arts and Crafts Community and an initial exhibit
for the
Heritage Museum.
The Great Smoky Arts and Crafts community is the host of
three annual events which include- Easter Arts Crafts
Show, Thanksgiving Arts & Crafts Show and the
Christmas Arts & Crafts Show which are all held at
the Gatlinburg Convention Center in downtown Gatlinburg,
Tennessee. Craft lovers are able to experience exhibits
and demonstrations of handmade artworks and crafts.
We have several
Gatlinburg cabins located in the Great Smoky
Mountain Area which will allow craft lovers to have the
perfect accommodations while visiting the Great Smoky
Arts and Crafts Community. Make your reservations today. |
