This year at Connect Beyond Festival, we are leaning into the issues that shape our lives—both nationally and right here at home. From the challenges affecting our communities to the broader forces at play across the country, we recognize that these struggles are deeply interconnected.
But this festival is not just about the problems we face—it’s about how we come together, through art, storytelling, and shared experience, to find a path forward. Music, film, conversation, and performance have always been powerful tools for connection, and we believe they can help us process, heal, and take action.
This is a space to celebrate resilience, embrace creativity, and put one foot in front of the other—together. Whether it’s through thought-provoking discussions or the simple joy of live music, Connect Beyond is an opportunity to move forward as a collective, reimagining what’s possible for both our community and the world beyond.
FEATURED EVENTS
A King Like Me - award-winning documentary film screening, with director Matthew O. Henderson Q+A to follow
The Bibi Files - documentary film screeening, with Q+A to follow
They Will Call You Back, with Tim Z. Hernandez - author chat and writing engagement
Paddling the Same Canoe - interactive multi-artist installation & panel
...and more
FEATURED PANELISTS & ARTISTS
Tim Z. Hernandez, Matthew O. Henderson, Charly Louise, Marie Cochran, and more!
THE VENUE
The Third Room
46 Wall St, Asheville, NC 28801