Asheville's newest public art is a sculpture you can play. It stands where the Reed Creek Greenway meets Catawba Street, covered in tiles residents made by hand.

Asheville has a new piece of public art that people are meant to touch. A playable musical sculpture is now open on the Reed Creek Greenway in North Asheville.

The city cut the ribbon at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, and announced Thursday that the art is live. Local musician JoEL Karabo Elliot performed on the sculpture at the opening.

Where it is and what it is

The sculpture stands where the Reed Creek Greenway meets Catawba Street, near the Broadway Public Safety Station just north of downtown. It is both a landmark and a working instrument, the city said in its Oct. 8 announcement.

Residents had a hand in it, in two ways:

  • They asked for it. The city said public feedback called for a playable sound sculpture, and the design puts interaction and local collaboration first.
  • They made part of it. The piece carries custom ceramic tiles that Asheville residents made by hand at community tile-making events in 2023 and 2025. Odyssey Clayworks hosted the workshops.

The artists are Nick Geurts and Alex Irvine. The city commissioned them after a competitive call for artists.

Who paid for it

The city paid for the sculpture through its One Percent for Public Art policy, tied to the nearby Broadway Public Safety Station project. Neither city release gives the cost. The project page is on the city’s PublicInput site.

What it means for you

  • It is free and open to anyone on the greenway. The Reed Creek Greenway runs about 0.9 mile from the Botanical Gardens on W.T. Weaver Boulevard toward downtown along Broadway.
  • Bring the kids. The sculpture is designed to be played, not just looked at.
  • More places to walk: see our guides to parks and trails, walking and biking trails and North Asheville.