Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts

ARROWMONT HISTORY

Tucked away on a wooded hillside in the heart of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, just minutes from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Arrowmont offers a unique environment–a creative oasis amidst the bustle of a popular tourist destination. Our history dates back to 1912 when we began as the Pi Beta Phi Settlement School. The School provided education to a once remote community where no formal schooling had been available, and was also the site of the first medical clinic in the area. Settlement School children expressed gratitude to the teachers by bringing them gifts of handmade wares made by their parents-weavings, baskets and woodcarvings.

In 1926, Arrowcraft Shop was opened to market the beautiful crafts of the Appalachian people. It was through the rich history of crafts in the region that the idea of craft classes at Arrowmont would gain popularity and begin to flourish. In 1945, the first summer craft workshops were taught with some 50 students in attendance, under guidance of faculty from the University of Tennessee.

The workshops were a success and soon enrollments increased, attracting students and faculty world wide. With the growing success of the summer craft classes, the School's name was changed to Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts and provisions were made to build a new studio complex in 1967.

Today Arrowmont is an internationally recognized visual art education center, providing creative experiences year-round with weekend, one- and two-