LEAF Renewed By Bruce Mulkey

Leaf renews with Bruce Mulkey

When my family packed up and headed to the LEAF Retreat that took place on the weekend of May 13-16, we weren’t sure what to expect. My wife Shonnie and I had been taking part in Lake Eden Arts Festivals since 1998, typically leading trail runs and hikes as our contribution to the joyful biannual […]

The History and Resilience of Pride

Blue Ridge Pride

Happy Pride Month LEAFers! Did you know that Pride Month is over 50 years old?! It was originally activated by the Stonewall Uprising in 1969. The incident happened June 28, 1969, and was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. During the 1960s, the Stonewall Inn in New York City’s […]

LEAF Member, David Nachlas, Opens Up

The festival retreat was a fortunate way to emerge from a year or more of semi-isolation, the feeling of gratitude was strong and the people were gentle.  I cried for real several times.  I had missed feeling kindness from and toward strangers, missed so many silly conversations, missed smiles and kids running crazy.  But mainly […]

The Power of Preservation

This month at LEAF, we are thinking more about cultural preservation. Throughout the year, we spend a lot of time thinking about points of connection and opportunities for growth. At every turn, we are met with the human desire to stand on our own foundation. Rick Warren once said, “We are products of our past,” […]

LEAF Celebrates the History of Jazz

Jazz music is widely considered one of America’s greatest contributions to the world–it completely revolutionized the way we listen to music, dance to music, and think about music. It is deeply rooted in the soul of LEAF. From the guidance of longtime LEAF-family and compass advisor Bootsy Collins to the LEAF International program in New […]

LEAF Celebrates Black History, by Staying the Course

With Pan-African programming spanning from Africa to WNC, honoring and reflecting Blackness is business as usual. LEAF is known for our world music festival, cultural arts education, and preservation work in 11 countries. But this month, we’re focused on Black history and looking at Black History Month through a new lens. After a year of […]

LEAF Global Makes You A Star

LEAF Global Star

The LEAF Global Classroom has become a shining example of what new possibilities can come out of difficult times. In partnership with the Christine W. Avery STARS program, we bring a “pod” of kids together a few times throughout their school week for COVID-safe cultural arts education, homework support, and community. Most recently, the kids […]

New Year, New Dates and A Newly Imagined LEAF

Every year around this time we announce the dates for the coming year of LEAF Festival experiences. For 25 years we’ve raised the stakes, elevated different cultures, and encouraged our communities to come together in search of another culture, a new friend, and life-affirming experiences. And while 2021 will require more creative resourcing, and bring […]

Tragedy in Haiti Creates Powerful Art

The world tends to feel incredibly big – especially in an era when we are spending more time alone and at home and where the things that make us different – income, culture, access, – are shifting how we are dealing with a universal issue. One of LEAF’s missions is to make the world feel […]

LEAF October Retreat 2020

LEAF Retreat was exactly what we all needed at a time like this. Celebrating 25 Years of community and connection with Safety, Gratitude, & Intention allowed us to go back to our roots – a small family-focused gathering that connects people to the world, each other, and the best in ourselves. It is the spirit […]