Join us later this month for a free symposium for artists, event producers, cultural workers, first responders, and anyone else involved in the arts, events, culture, and emergency sectors! I’m helping bring the national Art of Mass Gatherings program to beloved LEAF Festival’s 50th anniversary edition in Black Mountain outside of Asheville. This touring symposium uses festivals as classrooms to build community resilience and climate change preparedness. It invites event and emergency professionals to come together to share practices for creating resilient events and communities, focused on the four themes of safety, sustainability, accessibility, and community engagement. Through workshops, participatory asset mapping, site tours, and interactive demos, professionals across disciplines gain fluency in each other’s craft, all while experiencing the music, art, food, and atmosphere of their regional festivals.

The symposium is free to attend thanks to the generous support of the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, with childcare and accessibility accommodations available by request during registration. Reserve your spot today! Art of Mass Gatherings attendees can also upgrade their symposium ticket to a full LEAF weekend experience. See details on the registration page and check out the LEAF Festival Schedule & Experiences to learn more about the festival.