An artsy scene and creative vibe is often the soul of a small town.

Community theaters,
art fairs, statues and street murals — a town proud of its art and artists is the type of
place that people want to move to, or at the very least, visit on the weekends.
 1. Abingdon
Founded: 1778
Elevation: 636 m
Weather: 17 °C, Wind NW at 2 km/h,
86% Humidity
Population: 7,960
About: Founded in 1778 during the beautiful Blue Ridge Highlands, Abingdon, Virginia is a charming town full of old
wood-frame houses, brick sidewalks, tree-lined avenues, and tons of history. Abingdon is also the home of Barter
Theater, one of the nation’s most acclaimed performing arts stages and the longest-running professional Equity
theater in the country. Patricia Neal, Gregory Peck, Frances Fisher, Ned Beatty, Hume Cronyn, and Ernest Borgnine
have all performed here at one time or another. The theater draws nearly 200,000 people annually, most of whom
come to Abingdon specifically to see a show produced by Barter’s full-time company.
 2. Berea
Founded: 1855
Elevation: 312 m
Weather: 18 °C, Wind N at 2 km/h,
88% Humidity
Population: 15,474
About: 1960s San Francisco meets Little House on the Prairie in Berea, a small town in western Kentucky that is
just as famous for its annual arts fair as it is for its counterculture and hippie vibes. Home to hundreds of working
artists, Berea hosts the annual Berea Craft Festival that attracts both artists and art lovers from all over Kentucky
and the surrounding region. The quality of art is top-notch at the Fair and includes everything from handcrafted
furniture and glass works, to pottery, jewelry, leather works, and just about anything else you can think of. Even on a
normal day in Berea, one is likely to enjoy a walk through the gallery-heavy downtown where artists from all walks of
life are proud to display their creative endeavors.
 3. Bisbee
Founded: 1902
Elevation: 1,688 m
Weather: 17 °C, Wind W at 13 km/h,
8% Humidity
Population: 5,203
About: When the local copper industry failed, Bisbee, Arizona became better known for its eclectic arts scene and
artists’ colony. Referred to as “Greenwich Village West,” Bisbee’s art ranges from the over-the-top and unique to
classic. On the same downtown block, one is likely to see residents dressed in 19th century attire, cars festooned
with toys or painted images of hula girls, and high-end galleries filled with expensive landscape photography or
painted portraits. On every second Saturday of the Month, the Bisbee After 5 art walk helps to spotlight the town’s
more than 30 galleries, plus the many local musicians. Speaking of music, Bisbee’s chamber music series, For the
Love of Music, offers outdoor concerts from the fall through the spring.
 4. Carmel-
By-The-Sea
Founded: 1916
Elevation: 68 m
Weather: 12 °C, Wind W at 6 km/h,
89% Humidity
Population: 3,830
About: With its classical Spanish architecture, lush vegetation, and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, beautiful
Carmel-By-The-Sea is practically a work of art itself. Carmel has long been a favorite getaway spot for the rich and
famous (Clint Eastwood was once its mayor), most of whom are attracted to the town’s natural beauty and the more
than 80 art galleries selling everything from modern sculpture to landscape photography. The 700-seat Sunset
Center hosts world-class musicians and vocalists, while the Golden Bough Playhouse, Circle Theatre, and the
outdoor Forest Theater also produce quality shows throughout the year.
 5. Cody
Founded: 1896
Elevation: 1,523 m
Weather: 10 °C, Wind NW at 18 km/h,
54% Humidity
Population: 9,764
About: The Rocky Mountain backdrop, teeming wildlife, and crisp air all make Cody, Wyoming an inspiring place.
The local art league, with the help of an arts council, is credited with helping Cody evolve from a sleepy Wild West
town whose main claim to fame was a gate to Yellowstone Park, into an artsy town that has attracted both eclectic
artists and traditional craftsmen — with the expected amount of Western Art's artists and galleries, too. Each year,
Cody celebrates its arts scene with the Rendezvous Royale, during which the Buffalo Bill Art Show & Sale attracts
art lovers from far and wide.
 6. Delray
Beach
Founded: 1923
Elevation: 2.7 m
Weather: 24 °C, Wind SE at 18 km/h,
68% Humidity
Population: 68,217
About: It wasn’t long ago that Delray Beach, Florida was a boarded-up ramshackle place. Luckily, the
artists stepped in, and today Delray Beach is a non-stop beach town with a downtown area that has
been called the “artsiest” in America. Art galleries and trendy clubs and restaurants line the town’s
vibrant streets. Delray Beach’s exciting music scene happens around The Arts Garage, where unique
and experimental forms of music are produced daily.
7. Fredericksburg

Founded: 1846
Elevation: 516 m
Weather: 22 °C, Wind S at 18 km/h,
88% Humidity
Population: 11,245
About: Settled by German immigrants in the 1800s, Fredericksburg, Texas is a charming small town
that has both a distinctly Bavarian vibe and a thriving arts scene. Acclaimed galleries line the downtown
area, and include those of Dan Pfeiffer, the innovative contemporary sculpture artist Johann Eyfells, and
classically trained Dresden artists Friedrich Richard Petri and Hermann Lungkwitz. The Fredericksburg
Art School and the Fredericksburg Art Guild are both active community organizations, and often put
together art festivals, fairs, and walks to show off the local talent.