For me, it’s never really, truly spring until I’m prepping for the LEAF Festival out at Lake Eden in Black Mountain. The spring edition of the fest, which draws over 10,000 people, happens in just a few short weeks, on May 9-12. Have tickets yet?

And I’m loving this year’s music lineup, with headliners like India.Arie, Shovels & Rope, and Trevor Hall, as well as other acts like the Jon Stickley Trio, Black Violin, and Jane Kramer. 🎶 Plus, I’m already hyped for one of my favorite fest events, the Southern Fried Poetry Slam, happening Saturday at 2 p.m., with the championship round at 8 p.m. It’s a #MustDo for LEAFers.

The fest this year is full of goodness, but LEAF Community Arts is so much more than a festival. In fact, the festival is only one part of what the non-profit organization does. Their mission is simple: building community, connecting cultures and enriching lives through music and art – locally and globally.

The festival supports all of the other great things LEAF Community Arts is up to, like LEAF International + LEAF Schools & Streets. And while LEAF International is the global arm of the organization, LEAF Schools & Streets happens right here at home.

So, to get ready for spring LEAF next month, we’re taking a closer look at the local impact LEAF has in the 828.

🎒 Meet LEAF Schools & Streets

It’s a collection of youth-focused cultural arts programs that build connections through year-round programming in community centers, after-school programs + more. Here’s how it works:

Resident or Easel Rider mobile art lab Teaching Artists lead programs, which end with a final performance or a visual arts project. Programs have included Intro to DJing, Stop Motion Animation, Puppetry, African Diaspora + more.
Visiting Teaching Artists, who tour nationally or internationally and come for the spring and fall festivals, also work with youth for 3-5 days before the festival. And, their students have the chance to perform onstage at LEAF.
There’s a low-cost Arts & Parks summer camp for rising 1st through 5th graders in Buncombe County in July + early August. This year’s camp will be held at the Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Center.
Goals include fostering six developmental assets in youth: adult role models, community values, creative arts, cultural competency, personal power + self-esteem.
And the impact is huge: Parents + youth overwhelmingly report positive changes in behavior and self-esteem after a LEAF Schools & Streets program.
Plus, LEAF Schools & Streets programs are aligned with Common Core State + N.C. Essential Standards, which means they supplement and support what children are already learning.

🎒 Schools & Streets by the numbers

Since it was created in 2004, LEAF Schools & Streets has racked up some serious stats:

Programming. It’s created 548 artist’s programs, 344 school programs, 447 cultural art education programs + 70 community center programs, and it’s offered programs in five public housing communities and three correctional facilities.
Youth. It’s served a total of 75,124 youth, including 18,207 Easel Rider youth + 8,334 youth performers.
Teaching artists. There have been 12 teaching artists and nine Easel Rider artists involved in teaching + program development.

🎨 What’s Easel Rider?

You may have seen the Easel Rider at the LEAF Festival or around town. As part of LEAF Schools & Streets, it’s a mobile art lab (made from a converted bread truck) that has 80 feet of art supplies, its own sound system, and projectors. It’s also staffed by LEAF Teaching Artists who inspire community members to express their creativity.

Easel Rider partners with the City of Asheville’s Parks + Recreation Department to offer free events organized by city staff. It’s also available to book for other events for a small fee that supports the artists, as well as transportation + supply costs.

Special Easel Rider events this spring + summer include movie screenings, a summer meals program, Arts in the Park, and community engagement events. Check out the schedule here to see everything Easel Rider is up to.

Want to support LEAF Schools & Streets? Find out about partnerships, sponsorships, and donations here.

Interested in becoming a LEAF Teaching Artist? Apply here.

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