What are the opening hours?

Monday 10am - 5pm Tuesday 10am - 5pm Wednesday 10am - 5pm Thursday 10am - 5pm Friday 10am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 12pm - 5pm

Appalachian Center for Craft

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United States
Smithville, TN
Appalachian Center for Craft

The Appalachian Center for Craft is a campus of Tennessee Tech. A non-degree Craft Certificate option is also offered.

A campus of Tennessee Tech's nationally accredited School of Art, Craft & Design, the Appalachian Center for Craft promotes excellence in American craft by teaching tradition and innovation in technique, concept and design, providing access to the highest quality craft education, professional artists, and career opportunities. The Center is home to the fine craft studios offering: Bachelor of Fine

Arts degree concentrations in clay, fibers, glass, metals and wood. Artist in Residence Program

The program allows emerging professional craft artists to live and work in the environment of the Craft Center. The Resident Artists provide additional academic support and experience to students in the BFA and Certificate programs. Craft Workshops

More than 50 hands-on craft workshops are offered annually in our craft studios. One-day, weekend and week-long workshops are available for a variety of skill levels. Programs for Teens & Teachers

We provide several educational outreach programs for regional students including Summer High School Art Intensives, Exploring Careers in Fine Craft for High School Students, and more! Special Events

The Craft Center hosts two free open houses each year. The Holiday Celebration and Celebration of Craft are family friendly events that showcase our studios, artists and hands-on activities. Fine Craft Gallery

Our gallery features contemporary and traditional fine craft by Craft Center artists and over 100 nationally recognized craft artists. Exhibitions

We host a vibrant selection of exhibitions annually in multiple exhibition spaces. Shows include the works of regional, national and international contemporary craft artists, our faculty, resident artists, and students.

09/04/2026

Sign up while we still have seats!

October 10 Daylong Workshop
Coptic Bookbinding with Autumn McPeak

Get ready to make your own handmade book! In this hands-on Coptic bookbinding workshop, you'll dive headfirst into one of the world's oldest and most gorgeous book-making traditions! Over a fun, craft-filled session, you’ll fold, punch, and thread your way to mastering the ancient Coptic chain stitch—an open-spine technique that looks complex but feels like magic once you get the rhythm. You’ll learn essential bookbinding skills, including grain direction alignment, paper folding, awl punching, and tension control, all while building custom hardcovers from scratch. By the end of class, you'll take home a beautifully bound, lay-flat journal that opens completely 180° for effortless writing and sketching. Perfect for complete beginners and seasoned creatives alike, this class promises equal parts skill-building, relaxation, and artistic flair! https://epay.tntech.edu/C20205_ustores/web/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCTID=3999&SINGLESTORE=true

09/03/2026

Our September Artist of the Month is local artist and ceramicist, Patrick Green! Enjoy 20% off his work in the Craft Center Gallery all month long.

Patrick Green has been a working artist since 2000. In 2008 He received his MFA in Ceramics from Eastern Michigan University studying under Diana Pancioli and Lee Kueng. Opening Misty Mountain Studios in 2009 focusing on functional pottery. He began teaching for Volunteer State Community College in 2010 going on to teach at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville Tennessee, and Mesa Community College in Mesa Arizona.

Green is also active in the broader Tennessee craft community. A member and presenter of the Tennessee Potters Society. He serves as the Plateau Chapter representative for Tennessee Craft and joined the organization’s board in 2025. He has additionally served the national K–12 ceramics community through his involvement with the board of trustees for the National K–12 Ceramics Exhibition, reflecting his commitment to supporting the development of young ceramic artists.

His ceramic practice is rooted in the traditions of functional pottery while incorporating a strong sculptural sensibility. Rather than treating function and artistic expression as opposing concerns, Green approaches the vessel as a place where the two can coexist. His work often considers the physical and conceptual qualities of clay—its weight, plasticity, permanence, fragility, and transformation through fire—as means of exploring larger questions about humanity and our relationship with the material world.

09/02/2026

Bacchanal tickets are now available! Visit https://www.tntech.edu/fine-arts/art/bacchanal.php to reserve your ticket or table! Registration is $65 online, and $75 at the door. We can’t wait to see everyone at Spankies on Sunday October 25 for our biggest fundraiser of the year!

09/01/2026

Did you know the Craft Center Gallery has an online shop? We offer a small selection of artwork from the gallery - crafted by students, alumni, educators, artists-in-residence, and local artists - so you can shop from the convenience of your own home!

www.tinyurl.com/CraftCenterGallery

Featured works by:
Zach Vonnoh
Meemi Jane Liu
Margaret Jacobs
Sandy Miller
Jen Luna
John Lucas
Tony Zimbelmann
Johnny Glass

08/31/2026

Family Craft Studio is back for 2026-27! Come learn about craft processes and make something special to take home! Each session is from 9am - 12pm, except for our special extended sessions during Holiday Festival and Spring Break (see schedule for details). Free, open to the public, and designed for all ages! No registration required, ages 6+ recommended. Visit our website for more information!

Family Craft Studio takes place in the 3D Design Studio at the Appalachiain Center for Craft:
1560 Craft Center Drive, Smithville, TN
See our website for a campus map: tntech.edu/familycraft

08/27/2026

We hope your semester is off to a great start! The Craft Center has added a Tuesday and Thursday evening shuttle to accommodate our evening courses. However, all students are welcome to utilize the evening shuttle to come out and work on your coursework; you don’t have to be registered for the Tuesday/Thursday evening Craft Center classes to take advantage of this resource.

Best wishes for a great semester!

08/25/2026

October 10 daylong workshop: Watercolor Techniques for All with Monica Huff

If you want to learn watercolor basics, or if you are curious about more advanced techniques, this workshop is geared for all levels. This workshop will include instruction on the step-by-step processes necessary for effective watercolor creations. The instructor will introduce students to various techniques and tools while encouraging each student to develop their unique, individual style. Following introductory demonstrations, students will have the option of creating up to three watercolor paintings, depending on the complexity of the subject, with one-on-one guidance. Link in bio!

08/24/2026

Meg’s Too – Craft Center Café is now open! Open M-F, 8:30-2:00 p.m.. Serving a wide variety from on-the-go drinks & snacks to freshly made sandwiches and soups; stop by for breakfast or lunch, you won’t regret it!

08/21/2026

School is back in session! If you are a current TTU student or employee, don’t forget you get 10% off most items in our retail gallery.

The gallery is open 10-5 Monday-Saturday and 12-5 on Sundays!

Watermelon Cups by Kimberly McKinnis
Egg Earrings by Hannah LaRue
Peppermill by Robert Rosand

Address

1560 Craft Center Drive
Smithville, TN
37166

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 5pm
Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	12pm - 5pm

Telephone

+19313723051

Website

http://www.tntech.edu/fine-arts/craftcenter/

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