Festivals

Ashley Capps

Executive and Artistic Director, Big Ears Festival

Founder and executive/artistic director of the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, and founder of AC Entertainment and co-founder of Bonnaroo.

Last updated 2026-09-16

In short

Ashley Capps is Executive and Artistic Director at Big Ears Festival. Curates one of the country's most distinctive genre-crossing festivals after selling his former promotion company, AC Entertainment, and his Bonnaroo interest. Ashley Capps is the executive and artistic director of the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee, a role confirmed in September 2025 and March 2026 interview coverage of the festival's programming [1](https://insideofknoxville.com/2025/09/catching-up-with-ashley-capps-about-the-2026-big-ears-lineup-beyond/).

Quick facts

Current role: Executive and Artistic Director
Organisation: Big Ears Festival
Primary category: Festivals
Known for: Big Ears Festival; Bonnaroo co-founder; AC Entertainment founder; Knoxville live-music market

Executive summary

Ashley Capps is the executive and artistic director of the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee, a role confirmed in September 2025 and March 2026 interview coverage of the festival's programming [1](https://insideofknoxville.com/2025/09/catching-up-with-ashley-capps-about-the-2026-big-ears-lineup-beyond/). This is his current, active operating role.

He founded AC Entertainment and co-founded the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, but 2025 reporting states he sold both AC Entertainment and his interest in Bonnaroo several years ago and now concentrates on Big Ears, which this profile treats as historical ventures rather than current positions [5](https://blanknews.com/big-ears-founder-ashley-capps-realizes-a-dream/).

Big Ears has grown to more than 250 events across 20-plus downtown Knoxville venues over four days, a scale that trade and local press credit to Capps's continuing curatorial control even as day-to-day production is run by a full-time festival team [3](https://blanknews.com/ashleycappsinterview26/).

Why Ashley Capps matters in live music

Capps's shift from a multi-festival independent promotion company to a single curated festival illustrates a distinct path among independent operators: consolidation of focus rather than sale to a national promoter, while retaining full editorial control of one event.

Big Ears' programming model, mixing classical, jazz, avant-garde and popular acts across sacred and civic spaces in a mid-size city, has made it a reference point for festival diversification strategies distinct from major-promoter festival portfolios.

Career record

Early 1980sBegan as a local concert promoter and radio host in Knoxville.
AC EntertainmentFounded AC Entertainment, which grew into one of the largest independent promoters in the country before Capps sold it, per 2025 reporting.
BonnarooCo-founded the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival; later sold his interest in the festival, per the same reporting.
CurrentServes as executive and artistic director of the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville.

Sphere of influence

Levels are categorical — Core, Major, Significant, Limited — and each is stated with the evidence it rests on. No numeric score is published, because none would be defensible.

Festival curation: Sole artistic director of Big Ears, a genre-crossing festival spanning more than 20 downtown Knoxville venues.
Independent promotion: No longer operates AC Entertainment or holds a Bonnaroo ownership stake, both sold according to 2025 reporting; his current promotion activity is limited to Big Ears.

Entity relationships

Current

Ashley Capps is executive and artistic director of Big Ears Festival.

Historical

Ashley Capps founded AC Entertainment.
Sold several years prior to 2025, per trade reporting.
Ashley Capps co-founded Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.
Sold his ownership interest, per trade reporting.

Timeline

2002Co-founded Bonnaroo.
2009Founded the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville.
2010sSold AC Entertainment and his Bonnaroo interest, according to 2025 profile coverage.
2026-03Continued as Big Ears' executive and artistic director for the festival's 2026 edition.

References and sources

Catching up With Ashley Capps About the 2026 Big Ears Lineup & Beyond — Inside of Knoxville. Trade press. Retrieved 2026-09-16.Cited for: States his current title as Big Ears executive and artistic director.
Big Ears founder Ashley Capps realizes a dream — Blank Newspaper. Trade press. Retrieved 2026-09-16.Cited for: Reports that Capps sold AC Entertainment and his Bonnaroo interest and now focuses on Big Ears.
The beautiful agony of Big Ears – An interview with creator Ashley Capps — Blank Newspaper. Trade press. Retrieved 2026-09-16.Cited for: Describes the 2026 festival's scale across downtown Knoxville venues and Capps's continued curatorial role.