Meet Jennifer Pickering | Visionary Connector & Founder of LEAF Global Arts and Steward of Lake Eden Retreat

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Pickering and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, what habits do you feel play an important role in your life?
Keeping healthy mentally and physically is key. A few of my daily rituals…

-I wake up and look at the 4 windows and one big one and listen to 5 of my elders’ wisdom and our bright light Kynzi who left us too soon at 10yrs old last year.
-My mornings start with hot tub with hot tea, meditation then reading from 1-4 inspirational books with my favorite being The Book of Joy with Dali Lama & Desmond Tutu.
-then a walk around Lake Eden with my dog who is my ambassador of happiness.

Let the day roll

-at some point Taekwondo or swimming give me a respite of grounding, focus and feeling good
-i usually do a late work night session then always finish the day with…
-5 Tibetan Rites and 5 things I am thankful for that happened that day. Finale’…”Today was a Good Day”

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The journey of LEAF Global Arts has been my artful journey. From the beginning, LEAF was created as a place where all generations could come together—where you bring your baby and your grandmother, where whoever you are, you are welcome. It was designed to celebrate the rich artistic traditions of Western North Carolina while taking people on a global journey through music. LEAF was one of the first events—perhaps the first—that wove poetry, healing arts, dance, and multi-genre music into one experience. Advisors told me it wouldn’t work, but we stayed true to our vision, and it has always remained family-friendly, inclusive, and deeply connected to the varied experience of arts which is now common in events.
Another defining piece of LEAF is Lake Eden—once home to Black Mountain College and always a sanctuary for artists. It has been an honor to continue that legacy, to transform this sacred space where I grew up as a kid into a global family gathering twice a year.
I am proud that LEAF has brought more global artists to Western North Carolina than any other entity, with performers from 111 countries. Beyond the festival, our work runs deep in the community—bringing international artists into local schools, enriching education with global arts experiences. Many know LEAF as a festival, but its true mission unfolds behind the scenes and in the heart of communities. Tonight, at Folk Alliance International in Montreal, we are still having the same vital conversation: How do we engage audiences with international music and extraordinary culture keepers?

One of my proudest accomplishments is LEAF International, which began when I found myself on the island of Bequia in St. Vincent & the Grenadines, asking: Are the children here learning their local tradition of steel pan? That question led to a beautiful journey—supporting culture keepers in 10 countries and three First Nations, ensuring that traditional arts are passed down their way, by their elders, in their communities. These programs connect culture keepers around the world, strengthening traditions and creating global bridges. There have been many INSANE unbelievable journeys for 20 years working in Rwanda to Haiti to answering Dr. Jane Goodall’s question “Why haven’t we partnered” then off we went to Tanzania and a Congolese Refugee Camp.

LEAF has always been small but mighty. Because we built a strong brand, people have often assumed we had excess funding, making budgeting a constant challenge. Yet, that perception has also pushed us to become experts in creative resourcing and thank goodness for so many sponsors, partners and members. While I’ve always dreamed of being stronger in business planning, what matters most is that we have never wavered from our mission—to connect people to global cultures and create opportunities for local and international artists to share their music and traditions.

I don’t want to live in a world without culture and music. I am profoundly grateful for the musicians, culture keepers and families who keep traditions alive and keep our world culturally rich and connected to beautiful artful roots that are the essence of culture and life.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh I love a “Wander”…first we start with a walk and wander about Lake Eden. Through the fields, around the lake and through the woods with special little secret spots and historic tales of this sanctuary,

Discover my Swannanoa- PEOPLE that inspire me through the storm and life. Two of the trailor parks have become my happy place with families and kind “not to be underestimated” people from so many places.

Black Mountain has so many dreams found in small stores and restaurants…The Bush Farmhouse is where I feel at home and inspired, all locals including myself have a Town Pump story and it always feels good and local, a walk down Cherry Street into the magical little stores, a great bookstore then a drive about.

My favorite thing to do in Asheville is bike ride at Biltmore Estate- feels like we take a trip far away. Then let’s get off the beaten path and explore so many great places to eat like Dobra Tea House, Zambras, Mamcitas, Baba Nahm, Pupersia Patti.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh wow—what a beautiful question! I have to take a breath of big gratitudes on this. LEAF has always been a collective journey, made possible by an extraordinary community of LEAF Staff, Board, Compass Advisors, Artists, and LEAFers. From the very beginning in 1995, so many have believed in this vision and walked alongside us through the waves of the past 30 years. Life and LEAF takes a team! A special shoutout goes to Leigh Maher, my husband, who has been the backbone of operations, turning dreams into reality. We met at LEAF—he was a sponsor from NYC, a FileMaker Pro database designer, and a world music aficionado.

The foundations of this dream were built by an incredible starting crew:
Carol Mallet Rifkin (our first Artist Curator, who introduced me to the folk music world),
Kelly Hanson (our first Vendor Director, who brought artful joy and event efficiency),
Nave’ (SLAM Host and co-dreamer of LEAF, still shaping the vision with me weekly through the LEAF Book),
Shakira Khan (our first Healing Arts Director, who kept me healthy enough to make it through those early years),
And my family, who taught me the skills to run summer camps—because, after all, events are just summer camps compressed from 2.5 months into 2.5 weeks!
A deep bow of gratitude to our Elder Super Team, who have shown up for LEAF (and for me) time and time again, even in the face of loss or physical challenges—Mike Compton, Barbara Rogers, Deborah Bryant & The Bryant-Davis Family, Justice Rogers, and so many longtimer families like the Kabats, Munns, Bilich-Twiggs Village & on and on with LEAF Love.
And, of course, to the mission-dedicated, kind, powerhouse team carrying LEAF forward over the past 5-15 years—Erinn, Schree, Chelcie, Adama, Heather, Kyrie, Melissa, Derian and so many more.
LEAF is a dream re-dreamed over and over and brought to life in new chapters by amazing teams! ❤️

Website: https://theLEAF.org

Instagram: leafjennifer

Facebook: Jennifer Jane Pickering

Youtube: @LEAFGlobalArts

Image Credits
LEAF Global Arts
Steve Atkins Photography