Join Us for the FRINGE FESTIVAL!
(if you're lucky, you might meet the Leper King!)

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For inspiration and education, special events, multicultural arts extravaganzas, movement classes and studio space, come to the Future of Tradition Center for Folkloric Arts, located at 129 Roberts Street in Asheville, NC's River District.

History and Mission:

The Future of Tradition Center for Folkloric Arts was founded in the year 2000 in Asheville, North Carolina. The FoT fosters awareness of and respect for the relevance that the artistic traditions of diverse world cultures can have in our contemporary lives. The Center hopes to use the excitement created by having many Ethnic Arts under one roof to show the community at large that these folkways are the heritage of today to be treasured, adapted, and passed on to generations to come.

The Center approaches this in a number of ways:

· Offering beautiful and affordable space for classes in Yoga, movement Arts of the African Diaspora, Middle Eastern Dance and more.

· Regularly scheduling events at the Future of Tradition to showcase artistic and strategic disciplines from the world over.

· Leasing out art studios at the Center, available on a short-term to long-term basis to artists in a variety of disciplines from painting to poetry, percussion to performance art.

· Developing a video library of resources that will be enjoyed on site by those who want to learn more about the world and its ancient folkways.

· Researching options for an on-site childcare space in Summer or Fall of 2003, for people wanting to study at the Future of Tradition.

· Expanding the Center's programming for Spring 2003 to offer guardian/child cooperative projects and children's classes in drumming, dance, martial arts and more.

Though currently self-funded, the FoT is seeking help in attaining 501(c) status to better realize these goals. The Center exists to support people in making their lives meaningful through connection with Tradition, and to keep those folkways alive for the Future.

About the Organizers:

A husband and wife team, Draven Arcane and Lauren Onça O'Leary have been involved professionally in the arts for many years as artists, teachers, organizers, and now as co-proprietors of the Future of Tradition. With much determination and effort, a second floor wing in a warehouse in the River District of Asheville was renovated into a sunny, cheerful place that is a haven for folks from many different walks of life. Asheville is growing with the FoT, as the city has now undertaken the official revitalization of the River District area, making it as inviting and hip as we always knew it could be! This project is the fulfillment of a long-held vision, and the beginning of great things to come, as yet undreamed of.

The photo at the top of the page is by Draven Arcane, and it is a picture of the "Drumming for Dancers Workshop with Gwen Cornell of the FoT."

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