Cities with less than 50,000 people that aren't college towns with arts based offerings.

[601halfdozen0theother]

I think this is where Tourist Towns are the answer.
So:
Mineral Point, Wisconsin
Lanesboro, Minnesota
Galena, Illinois
Grand Marais, Minnesota
Ely, Minnesota
McGregor, Iowa
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Cooperstown, New York

[burloak]

Santa Fe, NM
Taos,NM
La Luz,NM

[lrfox]

Portsmouth, New Hampshire immediately comes to mind. Small, urban (downtown, anyway), very artsy and vibrant year-round.

While Newport, Rhode Island has a college, it certainly doesn't feel like a college town and is certainly artsy. It's most lively in the summer (part of the reason it doesn't feel like a college town), but is very active year-round.

I'd put Provincetown, MA in that category too. P-Town is mostly active in the summer and pretty quiet in the winter, but it has a very high number of bars, restaurants, galleries, exhibits, etc. for such a small town.

[obey_martinnn]

Gustine California

[bgrn198]

Sedona,Az

[jtur88]

Traverse City, Michigan, is pretty arty based. There's a little college there, but doesn't dominate the culture.

[eschaton]

Although Asheville is above your limit (around 83,000 people), since it's in the south, it has a lot of suburban and rural land within city limits. I think the core of the city feels very similar to a smaller northeastern city.