“The participation of some of the best artistic venues in Asheville is an exciting step towards launching this uniquely innovative and creative event,” said Alison Watson, co-chair of Asheville HATCHfest. “The festival dates are set and we’re continuing to build our roster of emerging and established artists who will share their talents and mentoring abilities with aspiring artists from our community and beyond.”
Watson said that the founding festival in Bozeman was an inspiration to her when she visited last October.
“The original HATCH is a great example of what creative minds can do when they collaborate. The founders are visionary and we really hope to develop a sister-city connection that nurtures artists and provides a platform for excellence.”
The event will showcase some of the world’s best creative artists in film, music, architecture, technology, design, journalism, photography and fashion. Designed to develop and foster growth of creative minds through mentorship, HATCHfest has also become a catalyst for economic development.
“We hope HATCHfest is an event that contributes positively to Asheville not only from a cultural perspective but also as an economic driver,” said Neal Reed, manager of the Fine Arts Theatre. “The artistic community of Asheville is a main attraction for visitors. The festival will highlight our thriving arts scene, reinforcing Asheville’s reputation as a creative hotspot.”
When, where and who started the Hatch Festival?
HATCHfest Asheville will take place April 14–18, 2010. The event is the exclusive partner of the annual HATCH festival in Bozeman Montana, which started five years ago and takes place each October. The Asheville partner company, HATCHfest Inc., has an exclusive contract to produce the only other HATCH festival in North America.
Who can attend the festival?
HATCHfest draws participants from the local community as well as from afar, funding the travel and accommodation of industry professionals called Mentors as well as selected up and coming artists called Groundbreakers. Some of the past Mentors from Bozeman’s HATCH include Rodrigo Garcia (Gia, Four Rooms, Lola, Mi Vida Loca), Rick Schroder (Black Cloud, NYPD Blue, Lonesome Dove), Chris Eyre (Smoke Signals, Edge of America) and Erica Huggins (Producer, and Senior Exec Imagine Entertainment). The festival is open to local creative professionals, students and enthusiasts who are able to participate on many levels, from attending free panels, to signing up for one-on-one sessions with Mentors, as well interfacing with other attendees at late-night networking parties and going to Groundbreaker showcases or exhibits around Asheville.
How much does it cost to attend the festival?
The panels are open to the public and free of charge, however advance tickets may be required due to high demand. One-on-one mentoring sessions will also be free and available to the public, however reservations must be made in advance. Tickets for showcased films, concerts, the fashion exhibit and design showcases, VIP passes, and the closing night awards party will be available to the public for a cost.
What’s different about the HATCH Festivals?
HATCH is based on the fundamental principal that mentorship is the most effective way to bridge the gap between successful artists and aspiring young talents. Mentorship is the core value that distinctly separates HATCH from other festivals. Hatch programming is designed to create intimate meetings of the mind, where those new to a particular creative field have the rare opportunity to learn hands-on from industry veterans. HATCHfest puts Asheville’s creative professionals in direct contact with approximately forty of the world’s leading ground-breaking artists and industry veterans. The result is a catalyst for international networking and economic development.
What disciplines of creativity are explored at HATCHfest Asheville?
Each year the HATCH board of directors selects a limited number of artistic disciplines. HATCHfest Asheville selects film, fashion, music, architecture, design & technology, journalism and photography. These disciplines can change each year to serve the community (i.e. Performing Arts and Fine Arts may be added), but we needed to be realistic the first year!
Where in Asheville will HATCHfest take place?
HATCHfest Asheville occurs around downtown in a variety of venues and spaces. The Innovators' Lounge is the creative hub at the festival and this year at a soon to be announced event space. The Lounge is the location of panels during the day. Networking events are held at other centralized locations in the evenings. Other showcase and exhibit locations include Pack Place Gallery, AAAC Front Gallery, Fine Arts Theatre, Blue Spiral, the Orange Peel, Shay Brown Events and Echo Mountain Recording Studio.
Tell me more about the panels, exhibitions and networking events.
The general public can see exhibitions of Groundbreakers work during the day by buying tickets. The festival has a submission process for each discipline and then a selected committee chooses the up and coming artists as Groundbreakers. Groundbreakers can come from any where in the world.
Examples of Exhibitions:
The festival will screen movies at the Fine Arts Theatre during the days and evenings. Groundbreaking Filmmakers will be available for Q&A after the screenings. In Fashion, a committee will curate an exhibition in a gallery like setting to learn more about the designer's work and process.
The Innovators Lounge will host the mentors on panels that cover topics specifically for creative professionals in that field. While these are free and open to the public, they are not designed for the novice. These panels consist of 4-5 mentors, a moderator and an hour session followed by Q&A.
Networking events are held to encourage conversation, collaboration and professional connections. They are held in the downtown area at different locations during the festival and are invitation only for creative professional in the area, Mentors, Groundbreakers and HATCHfest volunteers.
For additional information on Asheville HATCHfest, visit www.ashevillehatchfest.org.
Asheville HATCHfest creative artists festival is April 14-18, 2010, with events being held in prime downtown locations including Asheville Area Arts Council (front gallery), Echo Mountain Studios, Fine Arts Theatre, Pack Place and The Orange Peel. Film screenings, concerts and exhibits from groundbreaking artists from around the world will occupy these venues. HATCHfest’s mission is to encourage economic development through mentorship, educational panels and labs. All educational events will be free to the general public.