LEAF Community Arts

Last updated
LEAF from above LEAFAbove.JPG
LEAF from above

LEAF Community Arts or LEAF (originally an acronym for the Lake Eden Arts Festival), is a non-profit organization established to build community and enrich lives through the arts, locally and globally, through festivals, events, mentoring, and educational programs. It was organized by the producers of the Lake Eden Arts Festival, now known simply as "LEAF" or the "LEAF Festival", held in Black Mountain, North Carolina.

Contents

Occurring twice a year since 1995, LEAF has established a reputation as being one of the best festivals in the southeast. The Washington Post recognized it in 2001 as, "the best cultural Mix and Match Festival in the nation".[ This quote needs a citation ] The festival includes international and local music, handcrafts, dancing, cuisine, children's activities, outdoor adventures, drum circles, a zipline, and canoeing.

History

When LEAF was created in 1995, it was an acronym for "Lake Eden Arts Festival". As of 2012, the original name is only used as a historical reference - it has transformed into LEAF Community Arts often referred to as "LEAF". LEAF has several signature programs including: LEAF Festival, LEAF Schools & Streets, LEAF International, LEAF Downtown AVL, and LEAF Local.

History of the venue

The home of LEAF, Lake Eden Events & Camp Rockmont for Boys, was the site of the historic Black Mountain College (BMC). Many of the century's most celebrated artists and thinkers attended the college as teachers or students: Albert Einstein, Robert Rauschenberg, Anni Albers, Merce Cunningham, Rothko and Buckminster Fuller (who designed the first geodesic dome there). Prior to BMC, in the early 1900s, Edwin Wiley Grove (of the Grove Park Inn and Grove Arcade) developed the land and constructed some buildings with his trademark native stone fireplaces. Prior to Grove, The Lake Eden Inn and Resort offered a getaway for people seeking its healing waters and rejuvenating air.

Outreach

LEAF in Schools & Streets is a non-profit collaborative outreach program bringing performing artists into schools and community centers for hands-on workshops, residencies, and interactive performances. The experience provides opportunities for youth to perform alongside resident artists on a national stage, with family members in the audience. The program provides participating youth with a diverse experience that includes workshops, performances, interactions with performing artists, and a festival adventure.

Notable performers

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music of Kentucky</span> Overview of music traditions in the U.S. state of Kentucky

The Music of Kentucky is heavily centered on Appalachian folk music and its descendants, especially in eastern Kentucky. Bluegrass music is of particular regional importance; Bill Monroe, "the father of bluegrass music", was born in the Ohio County community of Rosine, and he named his band, the Blue Grass Boys, after the bluegrass state, i.e., Kentucky. Travis picking, the influential guitar style, is named after Merle Travis, born and raised in Muhlenberg County. Kentucky is home to the Country Music Highway, which extends from Portsmouth, Ohio, to the Virginia border in Pike County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old-time music</span> Genre of folk music

Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dancing, clogging, and buck dancing. It is played on acoustic instruments, generally centering on a combination of fiddle and plucked string instruments, most often the banjo, guitar, and mandolin. The genre is considered a precursor to modern country music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Neville</span> American singer (born 1941)

Aaron Joseph Neville is an American R&B and soul singer. He has had four platinum albums and four Top 10 hits in the United States, including three that reached number one on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. "Tell It Like It Is", from 1966, also reached the top position on the Soul chart for five weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival</span> Annual music festival

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is an annual celebration of local music and culture held at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jazz Fest attracts thousands of visitors to New Orleans each year. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation Inc., as it is officially named, was established in 1970 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (NPO). The Foundation is the original organizer of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell Oil Company, a corporate financial sponsor. The Foundation was established primarily to redistribute the funds generated by Jazz Fest into the local community. As an NPO, their mission further states that the Foundation "promotes, preserves, perpetuates and encourages the music, culture and heritage of communities in Louisiana through festivals, programs and other cultural, educational, civic and economic activities". The founders of the organization included pianist and promoter George Wein, producer Quint Davis and the late Allison Miner.

The state of Maine is located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Its musical traditions extend back thousands of years to the music of the first peoples of Maine, the Penobscot Passamaquoddy, Wabanaki and other related Indigenous cultures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Del McCoury</span> American bluegrass musician

Delano Floyd McCoury is an American bluegrass musician. As leader of the Del McCoury Band, he plays guitar and sings lead vocals along with his two sons, Ronnie McCoury and Rob McCoury, who play mandolin and banjo respectively. In June 2010, he received a National Heritage Fellowship lifetime achievement award from the National Endowment for the Arts and in 2011 he was elected into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Appalachian music</span> Traditional music of the American Appalachian Mountains region

Appalachian music is the music of the region of Appalachia in the Eastern United States. Traditional Appalachian music is derived from various influences, including the ballads, hymns and fiddle music of the British Isles, the African music and blues of early African Americans, and to a lesser extent the music of Continental Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Paperboys</span> Canadian folk music band

The Paperboys are a Canadian folk music band from Vancouver that formed in 1991. The Paperboys blend Celtic folk with bluegrass, Mexican, Eastern European, African, zydeco, soul and country influences. The band has had a variety of members and line-ups since its original formation, with Landa remaining as the sole founding member, although veteran banjoist/bassist Cam Salay often returns as a guest performer. Known for consistently creating pop songs with melodic hooks, their music has been called versatile, with a wide range of influences, melding diverse musical influences more successfully than some other Irish rock bands have previously.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FloydFest</span> Music and arts festival in Virginia, United States

FloydFest is a Music and arts festival held annually near Floyd, Virginia, in the Blue Ridge Mountains

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MerleFest</span> Annual "traditional plus" music festival

MerleFest is an annual "traditional plus" music festival held in Wilkesboro, North Carolina on the campus of Wilkes Community College. The festival, which is held the last weekend in April, was hosted by Grammy Award winner Doc Watson prior to his death and is named in memory and honor of his son, Eddy Merle Watson, who died in a farm tractor accident in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival</span> Defunct music festival held in Kansas

Wakarusa Music and Camping Festival was a four-day music festival held annually in early June from 2004 to 2015 at Mulberry Mountain near Ozark, Arkansas. Named for the Wakarusa River, the festival was first held at Clinton State Park immediately outside of Lawrence, Kansas. It moved to its new location, just outside Fort Smith and Fayetteville, Arkansas in 2009. The festival is known for an eclectic mix of music and has featured artists like Grammy award winners the Black Keys, The Flaming Lips, Wilco, and Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. Activities other than music included disc golf, yoga, hiking, and swimming in the Mulberry River.

KSMU is a listener supported radio station broadcasting a Public Radio format. KSMU is licensed to Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Kosek</span> American bluegrass fiddler

Kenny Kosek, is an American fiddler who plays bluegrass, country, klezmer, folk music and roots music. In addition to his solo career, he has performed with many other well-known performers and contributed to film and television soundtrack music. He is also a musical educator. Beyond the field of music, he is also known for his humor. He is a graduate of Bronx High School of Science and City College of New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Carolina Chocolate Drops</span> American string band

The Carolina Chocolate Drops were an old-time string band from Durham, North Carolina. Their 2010 album, Genuine Negro Jig, won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards, and was number 9 in fRoots magazine's top 10 albums of 2010.

New York State is a major center for all types of music. Its diverse community has contributed to introducing and spreading many genres of music, including salsa, jazz, folk, rock and roll, and classical. New York's plethora of music venues and event halls serve as popular markers which have housed many noteworthy artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center</span> Art museum in College Street Asheville, North Carolina

The Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center (BMCM+AC) is an exhibition and performance space and resource center located at 120 College Street on Pack Square Park in downtown Asheville, North Carolina dedicated to preserving and continuing the legacy of educational and artistic innovations of Black Mountain College (BMC). BMCM+AC achieves its mission through collection, conservation, and educational activities including exhibitions, publications and public programs.

Donald DePoy is an American bluegrass musician, music educator, and music event organizer. He is a fifth-generation bluegrass musician from the Shenandoah Valley and a multi-instrumentalist. He and his wife Martha Hills have performed as the duo Me & Martha since 2005. He is founder of the Shenandoah Music Trail and the first "bluegrass church". He won first place in dulcimer at the 2017 Old Fiddlers' Convention in Galax, Virginia.

<i>Make It Funky</i> (film) 2005 American documentary film

Make It Funky! is a 2005 American documentary film directed, written and co-produced by Michael Murphy. Subtitled in the original version as "It all began in New Orleans", the film presents a history of New Orleans music and its influence on rhythm and blues, rock and roll, funk and jazz. The film was scheduled for theatrical release in September 2005, but was pulled by distributor Sony Pictures Releasing so that they did not appear to take commercial advantage of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina.

References

    Further reading