Thanks to the teaching artists and brave students who stepped onto the stage at this year’s LEAF Global Arts Festival!
As part of the LEAF Schools and Streets program, artists from around the world took up “residencies” at several BCS elementary and middle schools, along with Community High School. They spent the days leading up to last weekend’s LEAF Festival teaching our students a huge range of different visual and performing arts – from indigenous storytelling to Malawian dances to break-dancing. On Saturday, Oct. 21, students performed alongside these globetrotting artists and wowed their parents and the broader community.
“Our students have had the opportunity to host these teaching artists in their schools, perform on stage with Grammy musicians, culture keepers, and internationally renowned artists at the LEAF Festival and in their schools,” said BCS Arts Education Specialist Laura Mitchell. “Finding a bridge to help students see the impact music, dance, and art has on a culture and on people not just in WNC, but globally is an important element of the programming. Students can grow as musicians and artists, make connections between content areas, and see the beauty and dire importance that the arts have on humanity.”
Buncombe County Schools and LEAF Global Arts have been working together for years and expanded their partnership in 2018 by committing to be Partners in Education through The Kennedy Center. Through this partnership, LEAF Global Arts and Buncombe County Schools have been able to offer dozens of professional development workshops for BCS staff to learn to integrate the arts into their content area with a focus on global arts.