Where is Appalshop?

Many of you have asked about where Appalshop is physically these days. Great question! We actually have a few spaces in which we are creating art. The majority of us work out of our rented space in Jenkins, Kentucky. These offices are as Appalachian as you can get: they are the former headquarters of a coal company above a Dollar General. We also are building out a permanent studio space for our radio station, WMMT 88.7 FM, at 253A Main Street in Whitesburg, Kentucky, and are regularly using (and sharing with the community) our Solar Pavilion at 91 Madison Avenue in Whitesburg. In addition, we purchased a former community hospital in Jenkins (that needs a lot of love). We have big hopes for that space. We are rooted in Whitesburg, Jenkins, and Letcher County as a whole and look forward to continuing to build community together.

The fate of our iconic wooden building is less cheerful. Even before the 2022 flood, the building was in dire need of many fixes. More than two years later, we are still waiting for official word from FEMA. In the meantime, we’ve done all we can to gather information about what is possible. Unfortunately, our beloved building is not salvageable. It stands in the floodway (more dangerous than the floodplain) and would require bust-away walls and windows on the first floor, which would remove our community gathering space and our archive. It would also require ADA compliant features with a second-floor entrance, and we could not get flood insurance or further FEMA support in the event of another natural disaster. 

As of this moment, we are still unsure what steps FEMA will take or when we will hand off the property. We do know we will keep the parking lot area and the Solar Pavilion as green space for the community. Because of the emotional significance of this space to so many, we plan to hold a commemorative event with you, our community. We will keep you updated on that front. Additionally, any new space we design in the future will have elements from the Appalshop building to honor its importance in our organization’s history. 

We recognize, especially in Appalachia, our strong cultural tie to place. Not only are we relinquishing a physical space in which to gather and create, but the Appalshop building also holds our memories, making it that much harder to let go. As we prepare to eventually say goodbye to this magical space, we would love to hear your stories of the building. Please share your photos, video, audio, or written memories via this Google Form.

We will leave you with a quote from the 1980 groundbreaking ceremony: "I hope that this building does not become Appalshop. It shouldn't be Appalshop. The building is just the symbol. It's the home. I don't want you to be homebound or house-poor with this project, and I don't want the building to become the dream. The building is just a symbol of the dream, the dream is what we're celebrating." —Al Smith, Journalist and Co-Chair of Appalachian Regional Commission

Peace and love,