Connect Beyond Festival Announces Lineup, Tickets
CONNECT BEYOND FESTIVAL RETURNS TO ASHEVILLE MAY 29–31, 2026 WITH THREE DAYS OF MUSIC, STORYTELLING, AND IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES
ASHEVILLE, NC — Connect Beyond Festival returns May 29–31, 2026 at The Orange Peel for a three-day gathering of filmmakers, musicians, artists, journalists, and creative thinkers exploring the ideas shaping how we live now.
Blending live performances, conversations, and interactive installations, the festival creates a shared space for curiosity, creativity, and connection across disciplines.
This year’s programming will also see the debut of The Community Garden, a large-scale interactive art exhibit that invites attendees to engage directly with systems that shape daily life, from infrastructure and media to economics and health. Through hands-on elements and collaborative play, participants become part of the experience rather than observers. This exhibit is created by some of the talent behind Meow Wolf, Epic Games and Calart
“In a time when it’s easy to feel disconnected, overwhelmed, or even helpless, Connect Beyond is about creating space for people to come together and remember what’s possible. It’s a place where connection leads to creativity, and where we can start to imagine—and build—something better together,” says Festival Director Jessica Tomasin.
The 2026 lineup will feature a mix of nationally recognized voices and local talent across film, music, art, and media.
Initial lineup highlights include:
SPEAK - film screening and Q&A with filmmakers Guy Mossman and cast member Sam Schaefer
The Community Garden - a venue wide interactive art experience brought to you by some of the creative talent behind Meow Wolf and Epic Games
Oakland Rising Artist Collective - performances by vocalists August Lee Stevens, B. Deveaux, and NAIM
Songwriter in the Round - performances and stories with acclaimed musicians and songwriters Mary Gauthier, Marisa Blake, and Shana Tucker
StoryLab: Build The World You Want - youth workshop where participants can explore different types of media from newspaper design to film storyboarding to social storytelling
Additional speakers, performers, and collaborators will be announced in the coming weeks.
Another new aspect for this year’s festival is its partnership with Youth Envision Asheville (YEAVL). Over the years, Connect Beyond has found ways to welcome youth and partner with youth programs as part of its mission to have the festival shaped by current and future generations. Four organizations came together this year to create YEAVL and provide youth with paid learning opportunities, creative skill development, technical training and production experience.
Working with kids of all ages each week, Connect Beyond and the other organizations – KL Training Solutions, Impractical Instruments, and Slay The Mic Multimedia – give them a glimpse into what it takes to create an interactive art experience (The Community Garden) and what it takes to produce a festival (Connect Beyond). These hands-on projects bring the groups together to learn teamwork, tech, media, art, communication and more.
“Asheville has always been a place where creativity and community intersect, and this year’s festival really leans into that spirit. What people will feel at Connect Beyond is a sense of possibility—it’s immersive, collaborative, and deeply human. You leave feeling more connected to yourself, to others, and to what’s possible.” says Tomasin.
Connect Beyond Festival continues to position Asheville as a destination for creative exchange, bringing together local and national voices for a weekend that feels both intimate and expansive.
Tickets are now available at connectbeyondfestival.com.
ABOUT CONNECT BEYOND FESTIVAL
Connect Beyond Festival is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts and ideas festival based in Asheville, North Carolina. Through curated programming across film, music, literature, and interactive media, the festival brings together diverse voices to explore shared experiences, spark conversation, and build meaningful connections. Its mission is to use storytelling and creative collaboration to inspire curiosity, creativity, and social impact.
