ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Connect Beyond Festival is a multidisciplinary arts festival that prizes the power of community connection.
Connect Beyond returns to Asheville beginning at noon on Saturday, April 5 at Third Room, 46 Wall St.
This year, Connect Beyond will feature several panels, mixers, presentations and film screenings.
“I’ve curated a weekend to bring our community together to celebrate our victories, feel rejuvenated and get creative together,” wrote Connect Beyond founder Jessica Tomasin in an email.
“I wanted to curate this project for a couple of reasons. One reason is that our artistic community was hit particularly hard by Helene. Also, it feels like we are all navigating an incredibly trying time right now. In moments like these, creativity is more than just an outlet—it’s a way to process, heal, and connect. I want to create space for everyone to express themselves, whether or not they consider themselves an artist. No experience is needed—just a willingness to engage.”
The Connect Beyond schedule features events on Saturday, April 5 and Sunday, April 6.
Highlights include “Paddling the Same Canoe,” an interactive art piece by seven different artists.
“We’ve hired 7 artists that have been collaborating with one another to create an interactive art piece which connects into a larger piece and can be changed by festival attendees,” Tomasin wrote. “The piece symbolizes how art can bridge divides and foster unexpected connections.”
Another is the “Think Global, Act Local” panel moderated by Asheville city council member Kim Roney. Panelists Keynon Lake from My Daddy Taught Me That, Dawn Blagrove from Emancipate NC and Sharon Oxendine from Medicine Wheel Way will discuss the power of making social change in small communities.
There will also be two film screenings with Q&A sessions at Connect Beyond: “The Bibi Files,” a documentary about Benjamin Netanyahu, and “A King Like Me,” a documentary about bringing the Zulu parade back to Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
Tickets for the festival are pay-what-you-can or available for as little as $3.85. For more information, visit www.connectbeyondfestival.com.