As the 26th Lotus World Music Festival is set to begin in just a few days, I have been thinking a lot about the event. The staff is working long hours to ensure each band safely arrives, each venue is properly set up and each volunteer knows exactly what to do. This year will be […]
The Lotus Festival schedule is packed! From performances with artists to interactive art exhibits. There’s something for every person of every age. The best part? So many Festival events are free, thanks to donors, sponsors, and all the volunteers that bring it together. Here are some of the free activities happening at Lotus Festival next […]
We are happy to welcome Sarah Lollis to be our 2019 Interim Festival Volunteer Coordinator! Sarah is a senior at Indiana University, majoring in Arts Management, with a concentration in music, and minoring in Folklore and Ethnomusicology. She is originally from Northwest Indiana, and music has always been her passion. Her past three years volunteering […]
If you’ve been perusing the performer list on our website, you know that Balla Kouyaté will be playing at the 26th Lotus World Music & Arts Festival, as part of a duo, with Mamadou Diabate. What you may not know is that Balla has just been awarded a 2019 National Heritage Fellowship Award, an honor […]
Lotus 2019 Be More Award Nominee
How did you first hear about the Lotus organization?
As a graduate student, I worked on the Victorian Studies staff alongside Carol Simmons. At a party in 2005, she suggested me as a potential Board of Directors member to our mutual friend LuAnne Holladay (with whom I was a grad student in English at […]
A Night With Alash
Tamara Loewenthal has experienced hundreds of Lotus performances yet still finds inspiration in the special “Lotus Moments,” including yesterday when she spent the day sharing the amazing art of Tuvan throat singing with Paoli. The following excerpt captures so beautifully the moments that feeds the hearts of everyone involved, from audience, to volunteers, and even Lotus […]
Cure your spring fever with sounds from the Dominican!
Lotus ushers in March with sights and sounds from the barrio during six performances by Dominican artist DREAM (Dominican Republic Education and Mentoring) Bachata Academy on Tuesday, March 5, and Wednesday, March 6, as seven musicians ages 15-20 join award-winning faculty musician Martires De Leon to share their […]
A long-time supporter of the arts and education, local entrepreneur and consultant Denise Lessow has stepped in at Lotus Education and Arts Foundation for the next few months while the Board searches for a permanent Executive Director. Denise is a seasoned administrator, with over 25 years as a non-profit leader, facilitator, evaluator, fundraiser, and university faculty member. She […]
We hope you'll join us as we open our newly renovated Firebay venue to our friends and neighbors. Stop by the Lotus Firebay on Saturday, February 23, from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. for an event packed with free hands-on fun, live performances, interactive activities, and more.
When an organization produces an annual event known to attract thousands and thousands of music and art fans to Bloomington every September, it’s easy to forget that the very same organization is a non-profit with just five folks on staff and a very limited budget. We couldn’t do it without the support of so many […]
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