Located in the building that once housed historic Club Del Cardo in Asheville, North Carolina, LEAF Global Arts weaves together elements of an interactive museum and an arts center.
“At LEAF Global Arts, our mission is to cultivate a thriving global community generated by the power of cultural curiosity, connection and preservation through global music and arts education and experiences,” said Marsha Almadovar, community engagement director at LEAF Global Arts.
On a field trip, students have access to a number of experiences aimed to help them become global citizens.
Use one of the largest interactive touch-screen maps in the world with the Go Global World Map. Here, students will discover the flag, currency, capital and language of every country.
The Virtual Reality C.A.V.E. offers students a chance to travel, learn to play an instrument, sing a song or dance with VR.
Other experiences include the Easel Rider Art Bar, Onemic Recording Studio, Mural Trail and many more immersive activities.
Almadovar says an overall experience lasts around 90 minutes.
Since March 2020, LEAF Global Arts has found ways to keep students and teachers connected through virtual classes.
“We’ve offered classes in Stop Motion Animation, West African Drumming and Culture, Hip Hop Dance, Creative Writing, Songwriting, Percussion with Household Objects and more,” Almadovar said.
The cultural and arts center has held a number of masked, outdoor classes as well.
Located in historic Club Del Cardo on Eagle Street, the neighborhood’s rich past as a thriving African American community and business hub is featured in two experiences at LEAF — the Del Cardo History & Local Connects and the Del Cardo Music Trail.
“Our creative team has deep connections to the history of this place or their areas of cultural curation,” Almadovar said.
For more information on student group visits, email GlobalArts@theLEAF.org.
