Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.

Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.

Monday, May 30, 2022
Gardening in the Mountains presents: Building a Wattle Gardening Bed
May 30 all-day
online w/ Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Buncombe County

 

Presenter: Carol Brown, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer

Newly constructed wattle gardening bed at The Learning Garden

If you’re looking to expand your garden and want a quick and inexpensive project, consider using the building method known as wattle. Wattling has been used for centuries and involves weaving thin, whippy branches around 2×2 inch stakes. It’s a project you can do by yourself, or as a way to get your kids involved in the garden. This short video shows you all you need to know to get started.

Video access:
To access this video on the Buncombe County Master Gardener website, click on the link below:

Building a Wattle Gardening Bed

Or go to www.buncombemastergardener.org , click on the ‘Gardening Videos’ tab at the top of the page and select the video from the list provided

Tuesday, May 31, 2022
Gardening in the Mountains presents: Building a Wattle Gardening Bed
May 31 all-day
online w/ Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Buncombe County

 

Presenter: Carol Brown, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer

Newly constructed wattle gardening bed at The Learning Garden

If you’re looking to expand your garden and want a quick and inexpensive project, consider using the building method known as wattle. Wattling has been used for centuries and involves weaving thin, whippy branches around 2×2 inch stakes. It’s a project you can do by yourself, or as a way to get your kids involved in the garden. This short video shows you all you need to know to get started.

Video access:
To access this video on the Buncombe County Master Gardener website, click on the link below:

Building a Wattle Gardening Bed

Or go to www.buncombemastergardener.org , click on the ‘Gardening Videos’ tab at the top of the page and select the video from the list provided

History @ Home – Virtual Exhibits w/ The Western North Carolina Historical Association (WNCHA)
May 31 all-day
online
Stories from the House is a virtual tour of our 1840s-era brick mansion as seen through the eyes of many of the people who walked these same hallways over a century ago and whose stories represent a microcosm of the history of western North Carolina.
In 1918 vs. 2020, we took an in-depth look at the 1918 influenza epidemic in Western North Carolina through newspaper clippings, advertisements, ephemera, photographs, and oral history and place the events of 1918 into context with our present-day response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Old Shiloh was one of Asheville’s first communities established by emancipated people. The community moved to its present-day location – New Shiloh – after George Vanderbilt, in an effort to expand his land holdings as he planned to build his Biltmore Estate, purchased the land and buildings and agreed to relocate the Shiloh church and cemetery.

Continuing the Challenge – Reproductive Justice
May 31 @ 9:00 am
online w/ YWCA

Reproductive Justice

We recently wrapped up our 21-Day Stand Against Racism Challenge in April. The conversation moves forward with continuing the challenge because the work is far from over! As we became aware of the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade, it is again evident that the systems in place that already harm young women of color the most can be regressed even more by those with power today. In these crucial moments and always, knowledge is a way to take back power.
WE CHALLENGE YOU TO…

2 mins
Watch Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice shares The History of Reproductive Justice (RJ), a powerful video clearly communicating the definition of RJ, watch here.

10 mins
Check out Planned Parenthood’s article, Roe v. Wade at Risk: Nationwide Legal Abortion May Be a Thing of the Past. Access the article here.

13 mins
Consider this from NPR, which featured an article titled, Roe’s Legal Fate is Unclear. But Studies already Show Who’d Likely Be Hit the Hardestread here.

42 mins
Listen. Parenting and Politics host Monica Simpson, a North Carolina Native and Executive Director of Sister SongSister Song is a Southern-based, national membership organization; our purpose is to build an effective network of individuals and organizations to improve institutional policies and systems that impact the reproductive lives of marginalized communities. Listen to the podcast here.

For more Continuing the Challenge resources click below:



What is the Stand Against Racism Challenge?

Many people are becoming newly aware of how systemic racism and violence are impacting people of color. Even if you are new to the conversation, that is OK. Our STand against racism challenge, formerly the  21 Day Challenge is designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege, and leadership. Participants who sign up for the Challenge will receive daily tasks via email to help foster their understanding and awareness, with activities such as reading an article, listening to a podcast, or reflecting on personal experience. If you’ve already completed this challenge with us in the past please know that our challenge is designed to be taken multiple times by selecting different daily challenges in order to expand what you have previously learned. Follow this link for the resources.

YMCA Lunch and Learn Series: “A Physical Therapist’s Guide to Healthy Hiking”
May 31 @ 12:00 pm
Reuter Family YMCA

Reuter Family YMCA

Lunch and Learn Series

On Tuesday, May 31st, at 12 p.m., the Reuter Family YMCA will host “A Physical Therapist’s Guide to Healthy Hiking” with Movement for Life Physical Therapist Sean Simonds. The event will feature snacks and chats about healthy hiking at any and every age. Inquire at the Membership Desk or call at (828) 651-9622 to register.

Creating Realistic Financial Projections for Your Startup
May 31 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
online w/ BLUE RIDGE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

No cost due to sponsor support

In this session, you’ll dive deeper into the business planning process and begin to focus on your financial forecasting. These steps are vital to determining viability and ensuring you have enough cash to operate.


Speaker(s): TenBiz

Co-Sponsor(s): Henderson County Chamber of Commerce, Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce

Webinar info will be emailed after registration

Wednesday, June 1, 2022
Gardening in the Mountains presents: Building a Wattle Gardening Bed
Jun 1 all-day
online w/ Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Buncombe County

 

Presenter: Carol Brown, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer

Newly constructed wattle gardening bed at The Learning Garden

If you’re looking to expand your garden and want a quick and inexpensive project, consider using the building method known as wattle. Wattling has been used for centuries and involves weaving thin, whippy branches around 2×2 inch stakes. It’s a project you can do by yourself, or as a way to get your kids involved in the garden. This short video shows you all you need to know to get started.

Video access:
To access this video on the Buncombe County Master Gardener website, click on the link below:

Building a Wattle Gardening Bed

Or go to www.buncombemastergardener.org , click on the ‘Gardening Videos’ tab at the top of the page and select the video from the list provided

Mission Accelerator class
Jun 1 @ 8:30 am – 1:00 pm
Blue Ridge Community College

Take your Business to the Next Level with the Mission Accelerator Program
Companies in 2022 will face a business landscape disrupted by a pandemic: staffing issues, supply chain issues, new business models, shift in consumer purchasing patterns, revenue disruptions, and new applications of tech just to name a few.
The 2022 Mission Accelerator class can help organizations you know develop new tools and strategies to proactively successfully navigate the ever changing business environment that 2022 will be.
Registration is open through January 24th. The program begins January 26th and will meet every-other Wednesday from 8:30 am – 1 pm through June 1st. The cost for the program is $295.
Not sure if your business could benefit from this program? Take the self-assessment below to rate your success.

Blue Ridge Community College and the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce have partnered once again to offer the Mission Acceleration Business Accelerator, a five-month, ten-course program.

 

January 26, 2022
Business Best Practices and KPI (Key Performance Indicators) Checklist by Department Identifying Opportunities for Acceleration

February 9, 2022
Management and Leadership

February 23, 2022
Human Resources, Legal and Insurance

March 9, 2022
Capital and Purchasing

March 23, 2022
Competition and Competitive Advantage

April 6, 2022
Branding, Marketing and Sales

April 20, 2022
Customer Service and Information Technology

May 4, 2022
Business Logistics: Best ways to meet customer needs

May 18, 2022
Accounting and Finance

June 1, 2022
Business Acceleration Plan Presentation and Graduation

Sessions run Wednesdays, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. except 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on January 26.
Cost for the course is $295.

Continuing the Challenge – Reproductive Justice
Jun 1 @ 9:00 am
online w/ YWCA

Reproductive Justice

We recently wrapped up our 21-Day Stand Against Racism Challenge in April. The conversation moves forward with continuing the challenge because the work is far from over! As we became aware of the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade, it is again evident that the systems in place that already harm young women of color the most can be regressed even more by those with power today. In these crucial moments and always, knowledge is a way to take back power.
WE CHALLENGE YOU TO…

2 mins
Watch Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice shares The History of Reproductive Justice (RJ), a powerful video clearly communicating the definition of RJ, watch here.

10 mins
Check out Planned Parenthood’s article, Roe v. Wade at Risk: Nationwide Legal Abortion May Be a Thing of the Past. Access the article here.

13 mins
Consider this from NPR, which featured an article titled, Roe’s Legal Fate is Unclear. But Studies already Show Who’d Likely Be Hit the Hardestread here.

42 mins
Listen. Parenting and Politics host Monica Simpson, a North Carolina Native and Executive Director of Sister SongSister Song is a Southern-based, national membership organization; our purpose is to build an effective network of individuals and organizations to improve institutional policies and systems that impact the reproductive lives of marginalized communities. Listen to the podcast here.

For more Continuing the Challenge resources click below:



What is the Stand Against Racism Challenge?

Many people are becoming newly aware of how systemic racism and violence are impacting people of color. Even if you are new to the conversation, that is OK. Our STand against racism challenge, formerly the  21 Day Challenge is designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege, and leadership. Participants who sign up for the Challenge will receive daily tasks via email to help foster their understanding and awareness, with activities such as reading an article, listening to a podcast, or reflecting on personal experience. If you’ve already completed this challenge with us in the past please know that our challenge is designed to be taken multiple times by selecting different daily challenges in order to expand what you have previously learned. Follow this link for the resources.

Learn about Polymer Clay with the Blue Ridge Polymer Clay Guild
Jun 1 @ 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Leicester Library

Learn about Polymer Clay with the Blue Ridge Polymer Clay Guild

Learn how to work with polymer clay with the guidance of the Blue Ridge Polymer Clay Guild. Newcomers welcome to drop in to observe and practice. No supplies needed. Adults and teens 16 and above welcome. No registration required

Summer Animal Encounters
Jun 1 @ 2:00 pm
Chimney Rock State Park

Image result for Chimney Rock Park

Did you know our staff had a wild side? Join a Park naturalist to meet some of our live Animal Ambassadors and learn what kind of wildlife inhabits the Park and their important roles in the ecosystem. Some of our best teachers have feathers, fur, shells or scales!

Organic Growers School and Carbon Harvest Info. Session
Jun 1 @ 7:00 pm
online
feed post IG Live_OGS+CH-1

Learn more about the project, Carbon Harvest, during an Instagram Live Session with OGS and Meredith Leigh. You can tune in live through your Instagram account (@organicgrowersschool) on June 1st at 7 pm, or you can watch it later by heading to our “video” tab on Instagram.

 

Carbon Harvest is a regional carbon offsets project based in Southern Appalachia focused on driving investment to small-scale landholders for their land stewardship. By focusing on agroforestry, Carbon Harvest hopes to create a positive, concrete pathway to community-powered climate drawdown in the region by facilitating design and investment for carbon farming on working lands.

Farmers and landowners in the Southern Appalachian region are encouraged to apply to participate between May 18th-June 20th. Farms and landowners selected for the project’s first phase will receive project design support and a carbon land assessment and will be eligible for investment from local businesses based on the offset value of their farm enterprise, allowing them to diversify farm income and increase farm resiliency.

For further questions, email [email protected].

West Coast Swing Night
Jun 1 @ 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Continuum Art Gallery, Hendersonville

Come check out for yourself the popular West Coast Swing dance style that can be done to a
wide variety of music, including pop, country, blues, and contemporary music, come at 7pm for a group classes: intermediate
classes with Pflumm and Alain Rogozhin and beginner classes with Rachel Harris and Tola Sun, Followed by a social dance at
8pm, Dress is casual and no partner is needed, BYO wine or beer,

Thursday, June 2, 2022
Farmer-to-Farmer Training: WNC Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT)
Jun 2 all-day
Organic Growers School
CRAFT-Main-Header

Farmer-to-Farmer Training

WNC Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) is a farmer-led effort to bring established farmers, farm apprentices, and aspiring farmers together for year-long training in the art and science of sustainable agriculture, straight from the hearts, mouths, and fields of seasoned local farmers in Western North Carolina (WNC).

 

Why join CRAFT?

  • Network with beginning and experienced farmers to exchange your ideas and knowledge and build community in the region.
  • Expand your training opportunities beyond your farm to bolster the robustness of your apprenticeship offerings.
  • Attract aspiring farmers to your apprenticeship positions to cultivate success and improve the future of our region’s agriculture.
Gardening in the Mountains presents: Building a Wattle Gardening Bed
Jun 2 all-day
online w/ Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Buncombe County

 

Presenter: Carol Brown, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer

Newly constructed wattle gardening bed at The Learning Garden

If you’re looking to expand your garden and want a quick and inexpensive project, consider using the building method known as wattle. Wattling has been used for centuries and involves weaving thin, whippy branches around 2×2 inch stakes. It’s a project you can do by yourself, or as a way to get your kids involved in the garden. This short video shows you all you need to know to get started.

Video access:
To access this video on the Buncombe County Master Gardener website, click on the link below:

Building a Wattle Gardening Bed

Or go to www.buncombemastergardener.org , click on the ‘Gardening Videos’ tab at the top of the page and select the video from the list provided

Continuing the Challenge – Reproductive Justice
Jun 2 @ 9:00 am
online w/ YWCA

Reproductive Justice

We recently wrapped up our 21-Day Stand Against Racism Challenge in April. The conversation moves forward with continuing the challenge because the work is far from over! As we became aware of the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade, it is again evident that the systems in place that already harm young women of color the most can be regressed even more by those with power today. In these crucial moments and always, knowledge is a way to take back power.
WE CHALLENGE YOU TO…

2 mins
Watch Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice shares The History of Reproductive Justice (RJ), a powerful video clearly communicating the definition of RJ, watch here.

10 mins
Check out Planned Parenthood’s article, Roe v. Wade at Risk: Nationwide Legal Abortion May Be a Thing of the Past. Access the article here.

13 mins
Consider this from NPR, which featured an article titled, Roe’s Legal Fate is Unclear. But Studies already Show Who’d Likely Be Hit the Hardestread here.

42 mins
Listen. Parenting and Politics host Monica Simpson, a North Carolina Native and Executive Director of Sister SongSister Song is a Southern-based, national membership organization; our purpose is to build an effective network of individuals and organizations to improve institutional policies and systems that impact the reproductive lives of marginalized communities. Listen to the podcast here.

For more Continuing the Challenge resources click below:



What is the Stand Against Racism Challenge?

Many people are becoming newly aware of how systemic racism and violence are impacting people of color. Even if you are new to the conversation, that is OK. Our STand against racism challenge, formerly the  21 Day Challenge is designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege, and leadership. Participants who sign up for the Challenge will receive daily tasks via email to help foster their understanding and awareness, with activities such as reading an article, listening to a podcast, or reflecting on personal experience. If you’ve already completed this challenge with us in the past please know that our challenge is designed to be taken multiple times by selecting different daily challenges in order to expand what you have previously learned. Follow this link for the resources.

The Brevard Project: Reimagining the Future of Orchestral Programming
Jun 2 @ 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
apply online

Dates: July 11 – 16, 2022
Application: Available now through MyBMC
Cost: A $600 fee covers all housing, meals, classes, materials, and concert tickets. Spots are limited and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Please note: Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required for all students, faculty, and summer staff for the 2022 season. Please see our FAQ page for more information.


Program Summary

Brevard Music Center (BMC) presents The Brevard Project: Reimagining the Future of Orchestral Programming, a six-day intensive seminar and think-tank on orchestral programming intended for professionals and influencers in the orchestral field. Presented by Brevard Music Center in partnership with Bard College, the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University, the Chicago Sinfonietta, the South Dakota Symphony, the University of Michigan School of Music, and Project Director Joseph Horowitz, The Brevard Project takes place July 11-16, 2022. The central goals of The Brevard Project are to re-evaluate the artistic mission of the American orchestra and to share the skills needed to curate a more comprehensive, more inclusive American orchestral repertoire.


Curriculum

The Brevard Project: Reimagining the Future of Orchestral Programing complements Brevard Music Center’s week-long “Dvořák’s Prophecy” festival from July 11-16 and is inspired by Joseph Horowitz’s acclaimed new book Dvořák’s Prophecy and the Vexed Fate of Black Classical Music. Part think-tank, part seminar, this inaugural Project gathering equips practitioners and scholars alike to begin to answer questions about the dense nexus of culture and race, of historical, political, and moral reckonings surrounding the story of American orchestral music. The central goals of this program are to re-evaluate the artistic mission of the American orchestra and to share the skills needed to curate a more comprehensive, more inclusive American orchestral repertoire. The Brevard Project is designed for conductors, artistic administrators, executive directors, community engagement specialists, conservatory students, and engaged orchestra Board members.

Moving forward requires a fresh and closer look at our musical past – and to the lagging formation of an American symphonic canon. A new narrative of American classical music will be proposed that explores timely and topical issues that impact present and future orchestral programming. Why did our repertoire remain so stubbornly Eurocentric? What can we learn from this history? What can be mined from the treasure trove of long-hidden indigenous and Black music that can help to pave the future?

Classroom sessions will be highly interactive, drawing upon first-hand accounts of humanities-infused approaches to programming and community engagement. Topics of exploration include creating a “new paradigm” for American orchestral repertoire, rethinking the concert experience, and redefining the role of the music director. Participants will be challenged to envision programming and organizational initiatives to promote symphonic events grounded in the American experience, past and present.


The Faculty

A remarkable faculty has been assembled for this groundbreaking exercise.
*virtual participant

Joseph Horowitz, Project Director
Leon Botstein, President, Bard College; Music Director, American Symphony; Founder, Bard Festival and The Orchestra Now
Lorenzo Candelaria, Dean, Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University
Mark Clague, Music Historian, University of Michigan
JoAnn Falletta*, Music Director, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
Christopher Gibbs*, Music Historian, Bard Conservatory; Artistic Co-Director, Bard Festival
Delta David Gier, Music Director, South Dakota Symphony
Blake-Anthony Johnson, CEO, Chicago Sinfonietta
Keith Lockhart*, Artistic Director, Brevard Music Center
Douglas McLennan, Founder/Editor, ArtsJournal
Jason Posnock, Chief Artistic Officer, Brevard Music Center
Jesse Rosen, Former CEO, League of American Orchestras
Larry Tamburri, CEO, Newark School of the Arts (former CEO, Pittsburgh and New Jersey Symphonies)

The Performers

Lara Downes, Pianist, producer, arts advocate
Sidney Outlaw, Baritone/pedagogue, Ithaca College
George Shirley, Tenor/pedagogue, University of Michigan


Enrollment Information

Conductors, artistic administrators, executive directors, community engagement specialists, conservatory students, and Board members are all encouraged to apply for The Brevard Project.

Capacity is limited. A $600 fee covers all housing, meals, classes, materials, and concert tickets for the week. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Apply now through MyBMC.

Wilma Dykeman Legacy – Green Money: Natural Costs and Benefits Panel – Webinar
Jun 2 @ 9:00 am – 11:00 am
online w/ Blue Ridge National Heritage Area

** Evan Couzo of the University of North Carolina at Asheville will present some guiding principles for an economic look at the environment.
** Anne Keller of RiverLink will present findings from the recent Economic Impact Study of the French Broad River.
** Kathy Newfont of the University of Kentucky will discuss “The Political Economy of Forests.”

Speakers

Evan Couzo
Associate Professor, STEM Education @UNC Asheville
Evan Couzo joined UNC Asheville’s Department of Education in 2015 and is Associate Professor of STEM Education. He is an atmospheric and environmental scientist by training and survived Boston’s record-setting winter while a postdoctoral associate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Evan’s research interests cover a broad range of air quality issues from pollutant formation and public health to regulatory decision-making and climate change. His most recent work investigated how sustainable development decisions in Saudi Arabia will affect air quality and health impacts. Evan’s interest in public education was formed in the Mississippi Delta, where he taught middle school math as a member of the Mississippi Teacher Corps. Evan majored in Physics at Williams College, earned an MA in Curriculum and Instruction at The University of Mississippi, and received his MS and PhD in Environmental Sciences and Engineering at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Anne Keller
Chair of the Board of Directors @RiverLink
Dr. Anne E. Keller has nearly 30 years’ experience working in state and federal agencies focused on water quality, aquatic toxicology, and community sustainability. While at the US Fish and Wildlife Survey, she developed study techniques for endangered freshwater mussels while at the USFWS and contributed to the Great Lakes Water Quality Initiative. At EPA, she worked on strategic planning for the regional office, assisted with states on water quality programs, served as the River Navigator on the St. Johns River, Florida as part of the American Heritage Rivers Initiative, and coordinated the southeast region’s interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities. Since retiring, Anne has served in a number of environmentally related volunteer roles in the Asheville area. She holds an MS in Zoology (physiology) from the University of South Florida, and an MS in Limnology and Ph.D. in Aquatic Toxicology from the University of Florida.
Kathy Newfont
Associate Professor of History @University of Kentucky
Kathy Newfont is Associate Professor of History at the University of Kentucky. Kathy majored in History at Haverford College and earned her MA and PhD in History at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She worked as a researcher in the Southern Oral History Program at UNC, taught history at Mars Hill University, and currently teaches History as well as Environmental and Sustainability Studies at the University of Kentucky. In 2020, she chaired the 43rd Annual Conference of the Appalachian Studies Association. Kathy is the author of the award-winning 2012 study, Blue Ridge Commons: Environmental Activism and Forest History in Western North Carolina.
Eliada Home guided walking Farm Tour
Jun 2 @ 11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Elida Homes

Join us at Eliada Home’s campus for a small group guided walking Farm Tour. Tours last approximately 1 hour. Participants will learn about outdoor and greenhouse growing practices, aquaponics, hydroponics, market gardening, corn maze production, and learn about our Animal Therapy program.

We will be meeting at the PARC building and walking to the different greenhouses, garden site, and a visit with our animals. Reservations required, tickets are $10 each visitor (to be collected at the time of the tour).

We recommend bringing the following: comfortable shoes for walking on pavement and grass, hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.  This tour is not handicap accessible and will require participants to climb stairs and walk on uneven ground.

We will begin out tour promptly at the starting time, so please arrive 5-10 min early to allow for parking and check-in. If you are running late or cannot make your tour, please email [email protected] or call #828-348-2287.

All proceeds from ticket sales from your farm tour go directly back to helping the Campus Farm Program grow more food for the children of Eliada!

Click above photo to sign up for a time slot and number of people in your group. Payment for tour will be collected when you arrive. Cards accepted.

This tour is best suited for school age children ages 10+ and adults.

Lifestyle Choices that May Lower Your Risk for Dementia
Jun 2 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
online

Can your risk for Alzheimer’s and other dementias be lowered? What foods are best for our brains?  What effect does exercise have on brain function?  What about the importance of sleep and social connection?  Come join us for a presentation and discussion of why healthy lifestyle behaviors are critical for optimal brain function.

Presented by Dr. Stelley Gutman, MemoryCare Staff Physician

Wilma Dykeman Legacy – Green Money Forum: “Valuing the Environment” Panel
Jun 2 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
online w/ Blue Ridge National Heritage Area

Speakers

Leah Mathews
Professor and Chair of Economics @Uuniversity of North Carolina Asheville
Dr. Leah Greden Mathews is an applied environmental economist. Her research focuses on estimating the value of those things you can’t buy on grocery store shelves – like water quality, scenic quality and cultural heritage. Leah is a founding member of the Food for Thought cluster at UNC Asheville, a multidisciplinary faculty group teaching courses across campus. Food for Thought focuses on developing students as informed consumers of food by providing a platform for discussion of what we eat, why we eat, where our food comes from, its journey from production to consumption, and how food affects our bodies and health. As a systems-thinking teacher/scholar, Leah engages students and colleagues from multiple disciplines in order to enrich her intellectual life and to broaden her understanding of the world. Dr. Mathews earned her BA in Economics, French, and International Affairs from Marquette University, and her PhD in Agricultural and Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota.
Jamie Ager
Chief Executive Officer @Hickory Nut Gap Farm
Jamie Ager is a fourth-generation farmer at Hickory Nut Gap Farm in Fairview, North Carolina. Jamie, in partnership with his wife Amy, built Hickory Nut Gap into a well-established regional brand and created a destination farm that welcomes visitors to learn about agriculture. The farm currently raises organic cattle, pasture-raised hogs and poultry, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. In addition to the farming production, the Agers built and oversee an on-farm store and butcher shop. Jamie and his wife Amy have three sons and live at Hickory Nut Gap Farm. In his spare time, Jamie enjoys working on the farm, swimming in the farm pond, learning, and spending time with his family.
David Gantt
Attorney and former Chair @Board of Commissioners of Buncombe County
David Gantt is an Asheville-based Social Security Disability and Workers’ Compensation lawyer. He earned his BA in Economics at The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and his JD at Campbell University Law School. David was elected to the Buncombe County Commission in 1996 and served as Chair from 2008 to 2016. The governor appointed him to the North Carolina Employment Security Commission (2008-2012), as well as to the Mountain Resources Commission (Chair, 2010-2013). David has won the Sierra Club of Western North Carolina’s Leadership Award, the Minnie Jones Social Justice Award, the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Legacy Award, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Association of Asheville and Buncombe County’s Humanitarian Award.
Online Spanish Practice Group 
Jun 2 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
zoom

an older woman takes an online course

 

Are you looking for a way to develop your Spanish language skills or a way to keep your skills fresh? Join this friendly and welcoming Spanish Language Practice Group organized by Pack Library. Newcomers are always welcome on the first Thursday of each month at 5 p.m. This group meets online and is focused on providing an intermediate level, immersive discussion experience. This event is free, but you do need to register. Please visit the library web page and use the link on the calendar for this program to sign up.

“Queer Voices of the Past and Present”: Documenting, Remembering, and Celebrating LGBTQ Lives in Western North Carolina
Jun 2 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
zoom

Join the Western North Carolina Historical Association (WNCHA) Thursday, June 2 at 6PM as we kick off our month of Pride and LGBTQ+ history programming. This event airs live via Zoom.

West of Asheville there has been little research on LGBTQ history or activism. Just last year, Dr. Travis Rountree and colleagues from Western Carolina received an internal grant to expand drag performer oral narratives to include other LGBTQ+ voices from Jackson County, NC. Our speaker will talk about how collecting these voices helped to recognize LGBTQ groups established from the 1960s to current, newly formed, local LGBTQ organizations. He will also touch upon how these narratives helped to spark the first ever Sylva Pride (the first Pride to occur west of Asheville) in addition to a local community production inspired by some of these voices. These collections and events are critical in recognizing the past and present LGBTQ voices of Western NC.

About the Presenter:

Dr. Travis A. Rountree is an assistant professor in the English Department at Western Carolina University. He earned his PhD from the University of Louisville, his MA in English from Appalachian State University with a certificate in Appalachian Studies, and his BA in English from James Madison University with a minor in American Studies. He is from Richmond, Virginia, but lived in Boone, NC for 9 years.

Dr. Rountree’s research interests include queer archival research and pedagogy, Appalachian rhetorics, place-based pedagogy, and public memory studies. He has been published in The North Carolina Folklore JournalJournal of Southern History, and Appalachian Journal. He continues to work on his manuscript under contract with University Press of Kentucky titled Hard to See Through the Smoke: Rhetorical Remembering of the 1912 Hillsville, Virginia Courthouse Shootout.

He enjoys running, weight lifting, and gardening. He is an avid fan of old time, bluegrass, and country music and lives in Sylva, NC with his two cats.

Tickets: $5 for WNCHA members/ $10 for General Admission. We also have no-cost, community-funded tickets available. We want our events to be accessible to as many people as possible. If you are able please consider making a donation along with your ticket purchase. These donations are placed in our Community Fund, which allows us to offer tickets at no cost to those who would not be able to attend otherwise.

Viewing: Registrants will receive a Zoom link with which to view the program. It will also be recorded and later available on our website.

(Image: “Lavender Bridges First Year Anniversary” courtesy Western Carolina University, Hunter Library Digital Collections)

“Queer Voices of the Past and Present”: LGBTQ Lives in WNC
Jun 2 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
online w/ Western North Carolina Historical Association

“Queer Voices of the Past and Present”: LGBTQ Lives in WNC

Join the Western North Carolina Historical Association (WNCHA) Thursday, June 2 at 6PM as we kick off our month of Pride and LGBTQ+ history programming. This event airs live via Zoom.

West of Asheville there has been little research on LGBTQ history or activism. Just last year, Dr. Travis Rountree and colleagues from Western Carolina received an internal grant to expand drag performer oral narratives to include other LGBTQ+ voices from Jackson County, NC. Our presenters will talk about how collecting these voices helped to recognize LGBTQ groups established from the 1960s to current, newly formed, local LGBTQ organizations. They will also touch upon how these narratives helped to spark the first ever Sylva Pride (the first Pride to occur west of Asheville) in addition to a local community production inspired by some of these voices. These collections and events are critical in recognizing the past and present LGBTQ voices of Western NC.

About the Presenter:

Dr. Travis A. Rountree is an assistant professor in the English Department at Western Carolina University. He earned his PhD from the University of Louisville, his MA in English from Appalachian State University with a certificate in Appalachian Studies, and his BA in English from James Madison University with a minor in American Studies. He is from Richmond, Virginia, but lived in Boone, NC for 9 years.

Dr. Rountree’s research interests include queer archival research and pedagogy, Appalachian rhetorics, place-based pedagogy, and public memory studies. He has been published in The North Carolina Folklore JournalJournal of Southern History, and Appalachian Journal. He continues to work on his manuscript under contract with University Press of Kentucky titled Hard to See Through the Smoke: Rhetorical Remembering of the 1912 Hillsville, Virginia Courthouse Shootout.

He enjoys running, weight lifting, and gardening. He is an avid fan of old time, bluegrass, and country music and lives in Sylva, NC with his two cats.

Sarah Steiner is the gender and sexuality studies specialist at Western Carolina University’s Hunter Library. She also coordinates the Jackson County LGBTQ+ archive at WCU.

 

Tickets: $5 for WNCHA members/ $10 for General Admission. We also have no-cost, community-funded tickets available. We want our events to be accessible to as many people as possible. If you are able please consider making a donation along with your ticket purchase. These donations are placed in our Community Fund, which allows us to offer tickets at no cost to those who would not be able to attend otherwise.

Viewing: Registrants will receive a Zoom link with which to view the program. It will also be recorded and later available on our website.

(Image: “Lavender Bridges First Year Anniversary” courtesy Western Carolina University, Hunter Library Digital Collections)

VIRTUAL Adult Studio: In the Absence of Consent, Exploitation Remains: Documenting Communities with Intention
Jun 2 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Online w/ Asheville Art Museum

In the absence of consent, exploitation is what remains. When documenting communities, particularly those who are marginalized, there is the potential to either support or exploit said communities by our intention and actions behind the camera. This 4-part class series will explore themes within Gillian Laub’s Southern Rites exhibition, examples of both exploitation and consent, and offer feedback & perspective to current documentary projects. Particular to this class are discussions about racism, sexism, classism, homophobia, transphobia and other discussions around intersections of identities.

Please note:

  • This class will be held via Zoom and requires participants to have a Zoom account and access to a computer with video/audio capabilities.
  • This class series is intended for photographers of all levels, but some experience behind a camera is required.
  • 2 seats for this class will be offered at $15 and priority will be given to BIPOC artists.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Jupiter “Jupe” Javeta is a Black, southern, queer, nonbinary person who resides in Albany, Georgia where they were born and raised. They are an artist, culture keeper, and community member who practices community healing through visual art, documentation, written work, and installations. Their visual work (photography and documentary short films) center reconciliation and reprieve for Black folks in the Deep South. Their written work centers grief as a ritual and rites process, and digs into the transformative potential of grieving. Their community work (events and arts spaces) focuses on marginalized communities and connecting people across those communities to places and spaces of rest, affirmation, and communion. In each modality, they are driven by a deep love for their people and a determination to reflect it back to the communities they come from.

ADULT STUDIO

The Museum’s studio program for adults offers a core curriculum in drawing, painting, printmaking, and three-dimensional media, and also explores the intersections between them. Local and visiting artists help students of all levels and abilities develop skills in media that reflect techniques and themes featured in the Museum’s Collection and special exhibitions. Classes meet for 3–12 weeks, and are designed for anyone interested in exploring specific media in depth; daylong workshops introduce new media or processes. To add your name to our Adult Studio mailing list, click here or call 828.253.3227 x133.

Friday, June 3, 2022
Farmer-to-Farmer Training: WNC Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT)
Jun 3 all-day
Organic Growers School
CRAFT-Main-Header

Farmer-to-Farmer Training

WNC Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (CRAFT) is a farmer-led effort to bring established farmers, farm apprentices, and aspiring farmers together for year-long training in the art and science of sustainable agriculture, straight from the hearts, mouths, and fields of seasoned local farmers in Western North Carolina (WNC).

 

Why join CRAFT?

  • Network with beginning and experienced farmers to exchange your ideas and knowledge and build community in the region.
  • Expand your training opportunities beyond your farm to bolster the robustness of your apprenticeship offerings.
  • Attract aspiring farmers to your apprenticeship positions to cultivate success and improve the future of our region’s agriculture.
Gardening in the Mountains presents: Building a Wattle Gardening Bed
Jun 3 all-day
online w/ Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Buncombe County

 

Presenter: Carol Brown, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer

Newly constructed wattle gardening bed at The Learning Garden

If you’re looking to expand your garden and want a quick and inexpensive project, consider using the building method known as wattle. Wattling has been used for centuries and involves weaving thin, whippy branches around 2×2 inch stakes. It’s a project you can do by yourself, or as a way to get your kids involved in the garden. This short video shows you all you need to know to get started.

Video access:
To access this video on the Buncombe County Master Gardener website, click on the link below:

Building a Wattle Gardening Bed

Or go to www.buncombemastergardener.org , click on the ‘Gardening Videos’ tab at the top of the page and select the video from the list provided

Continuing the Challenge – Reproductive Justice
Jun 3 @ 9:00 am
online w/ YWCA

Reproductive Justice

We recently wrapped up our 21-Day Stand Against Racism Challenge in April. The conversation moves forward with continuing the challenge because the work is far from over! As we became aware of the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion to overturn Roe v. Wade, it is again evident that the systems in place that already harm young women of color the most can be regressed even more by those with power today. In these crucial moments and always, knowledge is a way to take back power.
WE CHALLENGE YOU TO…

2 mins
Watch Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice shares The History of Reproductive Justice (RJ), a powerful video clearly communicating the definition of RJ, watch here.

10 mins
Check out Planned Parenthood’s article, Roe v. Wade at Risk: Nationwide Legal Abortion May Be a Thing of the Past. Access the article here.

13 mins
Consider this from NPR, which featured an article titled, Roe’s Legal Fate is Unclear. But Studies already Show Who’d Likely Be Hit the Hardestread here.

42 mins
Listen. Parenting and Politics host Monica Simpson, a North Carolina Native and Executive Director of Sister SongSister Song is a Southern-based, national membership organization; our purpose is to build an effective network of individuals and organizations to improve institutional policies and systems that impact the reproductive lives of marginalized communities. Listen to the podcast here.

For more Continuing the Challenge resources click below:



What is the Stand Against Racism Challenge?

Many people are becoming newly aware of how systemic racism and violence are impacting people of color. Even if you are new to the conversation, that is OK. Our STand against racism challenge, formerly the  21 Day Challenge is designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege, and leadership. Participants who sign up for the Challenge will receive daily tasks via email to help foster their understanding and awareness, with activities such as reading an article, listening to a podcast, or reflecting on personal experience. If you’ve already completed this challenge with us in the past please know that our challenge is designed to be taken multiple times by selecting different daily challenges in order to expand what you have previously learned. Follow this link for the resources.

The Brevard Project: Reimagining the Future of Orchestral Programming
Jun 3 @ 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
apply online

Dates: July 11 – 16, 2022
Application: Available now through MyBMC
Cost: A $600 fee covers all housing, meals, classes, materials, and concert tickets. Spots are limited and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Please note: Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required for all students, faculty, and summer staff for the 2022 season. Please see our FAQ page for more information.


Program Summary

Brevard Music Center (BMC) presents The Brevard Project: Reimagining the Future of Orchestral Programming, a six-day intensive seminar and think-tank on orchestral programming intended for professionals and influencers in the orchestral field. Presented by Brevard Music Center in partnership with Bard College, the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University, the Chicago Sinfonietta, the South Dakota Symphony, the University of Michigan School of Music, and Project Director Joseph Horowitz, The Brevard Project takes place July 11-16, 2022. The central goals of The Brevard Project are to re-evaluate the artistic mission of the American orchestra and to share the skills needed to curate a more comprehensive, more inclusive American orchestral repertoire.


Curriculum

The Brevard Project: Reimagining the Future of Orchestral Programing complements Brevard Music Center’s week-long “Dvořák’s Prophecy” festival from July 11-16 and is inspired by Joseph Horowitz’s acclaimed new book Dvořák’s Prophecy and the Vexed Fate of Black Classical Music. Part think-tank, part seminar, this inaugural Project gathering equips practitioners and scholars alike to begin to answer questions about the dense nexus of culture and race, of historical, political, and moral reckonings surrounding the story of American orchestral music. The central goals of this program are to re-evaluate the artistic mission of the American orchestra and to share the skills needed to curate a more comprehensive, more inclusive American orchestral repertoire. The Brevard Project is designed for conductors, artistic administrators, executive directors, community engagement specialists, conservatory students, and engaged orchestra Board members.

Moving forward requires a fresh and closer look at our musical past – and to the lagging formation of an American symphonic canon. A new narrative of American classical music will be proposed that explores timely and topical issues that impact present and future orchestral programming. Why did our repertoire remain so stubbornly Eurocentric? What can we learn from this history? What can be mined from the treasure trove of long-hidden indigenous and Black music that can help to pave the future?

Classroom sessions will be highly interactive, drawing upon first-hand accounts of humanities-infused approaches to programming and community engagement. Topics of exploration include creating a “new paradigm” for American orchestral repertoire, rethinking the concert experience, and redefining the role of the music director. Participants will be challenged to envision programming and organizational initiatives to promote symphonic events grounded in the American experience, past and present.


The Faculty

A remarkable faculty has been assembled for this groundbreaking exercise.
*virtual participant

Joseph Horowitz, Project Director
Leon Botstein, President, Bard College; Music Director, American Symphony; Founder, Bard Festival and The Orchestra Now
Lorenzo Candelaria, Dean, Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University
Mark Clague, Music Historian, University of Michigan
JoAnn Falletta*, Music Director, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
Christopher Gibbs*, Music Historian, Bard Conservatory; Artistic Co-Director, Bard Festival
Delta David Gier, Music Director, South Dakota Symphony
Blake-Anthony Johnson, CEO, Chicago Sinfonietta
Keith Lockhart*, Artistic Director, Brevard Music Center
Douglas McLennan, Founder/Editor, ArtsJournal
Jason Posnock, Chief Artistic Officer, Brevard Music Center
Jesse Rosen, Former CEO, League of American Orchestras
Larry Tamburri, CEO, Newark School of the Arts (former CEO, Pittsburgh and New Jersey Symphonies)

The Performers

Lara Downes, Pianist, producer, arts advocate
Sidney Outlaw, Baritone/pedagogue, Ithaca College
George Shirley, Tenor/pedagogue, University of Michigan


Enrollment Information

Conductors, artistic administrators, executive directors, community engagement specialists, conservatory students, and Board members are all encouraged to apply for The Brevard Project.

Capacity is limited. A $600 fee covers all housing, meals, classes, materials, and concert tickets for the week. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Apply now through MyBMC.

Wilma Dykeman Legacy – Green Money Forum: “Policy Choices” Panel
Jun 3 @ 9:00 am – 11:00 am
online w/ Blue Ridge National Heritage Area

Speakers

Jackson Ewing
Senior Fellow @Duke University’s Nicholas Institute of Environmental Policy Solutions
Jackson Ewing is a senior fellow at Duke University’s Nicholas Institute of Environmental Policy Solutions as well as an adjunct associate professor at the Sanford School of Public Policy. He works closely with the Duke Kunshan University Environmental Research Center and International Masters of Environmental Policy programs to build policy research collaboration across Duke platforms in the United States and China. Jackson holds a PhD in environmental security and an MA in international relations from Australia’s Bond University, in addition to a BA in political science from the College of Charleston. Prior to joining Duke, Ewing was director of Asian Sustainability at the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York, where he led projects on carbon market cooperation and sustainable resource development. He previously served as a MacArthur Fellow and head of the Environment, Climate Change and Food Security Program at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
Julie Mayfield
Co-director of Mountain True and a sitting North Carolina State Senator
Julie Mayfield was elected to the North Carolina Senate in 2020, representing District 49. Before that, she served five years on Asheville’s City Council where she led the Council’s work on transportation, the environment, clean energy, affordable housing, and land use. Senator Mayfield is also co-director of MountainTrue, a regional environmental advocacy organization. She has served on and/or chaired numerous boards, including the Mountain Resources Commission, the Environmental Quality Institute, and the North Carolina Conservation Network. Prior to moving to Asheville and MountainTrue in 2008, Senator Mayfield worked as VP and General Counsel for the Georgia Conservancy, directed the Turner Environmental Law Clinic at Emory University School of Law, and practiced environmental law at Kilpatrick Stockton. She is a graduate of Leadership Asheville and Leadership Atlanta. Senator Mayfield received her BA from Davidson College and her JD from Emory University School of Law.
Michael Fisher
former VP and Senior Economist @Abt Associates
Michael Fisher is a former VP and Senior Economist with Abt Associates, a public policy research and advisory firm. He has over 40 years’ experience in economic/financial analysis of issues of environmental and energy policy and regulation, and energy resource development. At Abt, Mr. Fisher directed the firm’s clean water policy and energy/climate change policy practices in Abt’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. Mr. Fisher has provided analytic and public policy counseling support for diverse clients, including U.S. federal agencies such as the EPA, state and international governments, and U.S.-based non-government organizations. Since retiring from Abt Associates, Mr. Fisher has supported the Carolina Mountain Club and Cape Fear River Watch in environmental policy work. He currently chairs the Carolina Mountain Club’s Conservation Policy and Advocacy Committee. Mr. Fisher holds a Master of Philosophy in Economics, and M.A. and B.A. in Economics, all from Yale University.