Homegrown Innovation: Building an Ecosystem That Lasts At this 2025’s EVOLVE Conference, Venture Central , in partnership with Tom Tom Foundation  and regional innovation leaders, convened The Homegrown Innovators’ Roundtable —a candid conversation about what it takes to start, grow, and sustain high-impact companies in Charlottesville. Moderated by Rebecca Haydock , CEO of Venture Central, the session brought together founders and executives representing the region’s most pr

Thurs, Dec. 18 6:30 - 8:00 pm Tom Tom Foundation, 100 W. South St As we prepare for the 14th Annual Tom Tom Festival (April 22–26, 2026), whose theme is COURAGE , the Tomorrow Talk series invites us to explore what courage looks like—in our personal lives, our neighborhoods, our communities, and our society. As psychedelic spirituality enters a new era of visibility, few scholars have examined its lived reality with the depth and nuance of Jeffrey Breau, researcher at Harvard

The Albemarle–Charlottesville Regional Jail (ACRJ), opened in 1974, houses roughly 324 people. Over the past three years, community members have gained unprecedented access to the jail through an initiative, the Reflective Jail Tours, that are co-led by Tom Tom at the Festival. What began as an organic partnership with local justice organizations and leadership at the regional jail, has grown into an annual community staple—one that has strengthened understanding, inspired di