When the Asheville Symphony moved into its new offices at 27 College Place we were excited to gain an upstairs neighbor in the Explore Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau. And we were thrilled when the CVB and Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority decided to become a corporate partner for the 2019 Asheville Amadeus festival. Recently, Explore Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau President & CEO Stephanie Pace Brown shared with us her thoughts on supporting the festival, sharing space with the Symphony, and what she’s excited about in Asheville’s future.

Why is Explore Asheville supporting the 2019 Asheville Amadeus festival?

The Asheville Symphony exemplifies all of the characteristics that make Asheville so special – creativity, innovation, collaboration and community engagement. We are so fortunate to have a symphony that is nationally recognized and locally loved.

You share building space with the Symphony, how is that working out?

I absolutely love walking into a building every day that is filled with people who are so committed to making a difference for our community. The staff are just fantastic nice people, and all of our organizations – including the Sports Commission and AIR — are supported by passionate smart volunteers. The building is always busy with stakeholders coming and going.

What, in Asheville’s future, are you most excited about?

The BCTDA has just embarked upon a Tourism Management & Investment plan that will engage the community to prioritize needs and opportunities, and to develop a long-range investment strategy for our grant program. I’m enthusiastic about the potential of this collaboration and especially excited to engage with our municipal partners as we move forward together.