Poet laureate, folk-rock-opera highlight 2025 Red Branch Arts Festival at Carson-Newman

If one happens to have a visual, musical or poetical bent toward the Appalachian region, the 2025 Red Branch Arts Festival at Carson-Newman University checks all of the boxes.

The University, in collaboration with “Red Branch Review” literary arts journal, will host the day festival on Thursday, April 10. Free and open to the public, the event will be held in the Appalachian Cultural Center on campus. Seating is limited.

This year’s event features celebrated poets Nome Emeka Patrick, a Cave Canem fellow, and Kari Gunter-Seymour, poet laureate of Ohio. Attendees will have the opportunity to view the art installation, “understory,” by Thomas Flynn II and Melissa Newman along with an artist talk by Newman. The event will close with a performance of folk-rock-opera guest Rumble & Scream.

Dr. Wesley McMasters, director of the Appalachian Cultural Center, says the event celebrates the art and literature of the Appalachian region.

“We are thrilled to continually collaborate with the “Red Branch Review,” whose work is regionally centered, to hold events with such an exciting array of art, poetry, and music,” McMasters said. “This arts festival is a beautiful project that centers so much culture from Appalachia here in one space, our space, for a full day. We are very lucky to be a part of this annual event for the third year in a row.”

Carson-Newman’s Appalachian Cultural Center is located at 1603 Russell Ave., Jefferson City.

The Red Branch Arts Festival Schedule
Thursday, April 10 

Building and Gallery open at 9:30 a.m.

Poetry Reading and Artist Talk: 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.

Gallery Open through Lunch

Rumble & Scream: 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.