Big Tent Multimedia Experience is one of several featured 25th Anniversary Spectacles planned for the Lotus World Music & Arts Festival. The Big Tent installation incorporates 360° video and audio projection, leveraging immersive technology to create a communal viewing experience. The large-scale A/V-surround environment echoes the Festival ethos by creating a venue for people to interact and […]
How did you first hear about the Lotus organization?
As with most of the best things in my life- purely a happy accident. My freshman year at IU, I took a class that required each of us to join any campus organization. I randomly choose Union Board. At the call out meeting, I had to choose […]
How did you first hear about the Lotus organization
Lee told us about the very first one, which we attended. Been volunteering ever since the following week or so.
What initially inspired you to volunteer for our organization?
The first Lotus Festival was such a vibrant, exciting evening of music and community that it COULD NOT be a […]
Artist Margie VanAuken shares the background on this year’s Volunteer T-Shirt art as well as some of her favorite Lotus highlights in a special pre-Festival behind-the-scenes peak at some of the moving parts that converge during Festival weekend!
When was your first Lotus Fest?
It was the very first one. I forget exactly which year that was, but […]
Crankies & The Art of Storytelling
In May, the Lotus Education & Arts Foundation officially launched the 2017 visual arts project, “The Art of Storytelling.” As an art, storytelling contains both visual components, like drawing and coloring, as well as the folk art of oral storytelling.
Lotus will partner with local social service and community organizations, as well as local artists for multi-day cranky storytelling workshops and performances. Cranky performances will be recorded and shared with the public in a “Cranky Experience Tent” at the Arts Village on Friday and Saturday, September 29-30, during the 24th annual Lotus World Music and Arts Festival.
Learn more about our 2017 Visual Arts project during months leading to the Festival at at family and community including Arts Fair on the Square and the 4th Street Festival of the Arts and Crafts, where Lotus invites exploration into the art of storytelling with make-and-take crankies and other cranky activities. During the Festival, find similar activities at Arts Village and Lotus in the Park.
In parallel, participants from Rhino’s Youth Center will collaborate with local artist, Sam Bartlett, on a larger “Life is Real: Lotus Dickey Cranky” to be performed at this year’s Festival opening concert.
This project is supported in part by the City of Bloomington Arts Commission’s Arts Project Grant Program.
About Crankies
Crankies are an old storytelling art form consisting of a long, illustrated scroll that is wound onto two spools and loaded into a box with a viewing screen. The scroll is hand-cranked while the story is told, brought to life with a song or tune. Crankies date from the 19th century and have strong ties to ballad songs and old-time American music traditions. Previous 2016 Festival artists Anna and Elizabeth are known for their crankies. Catch one during a NPR Music’s “Tiny Desk Concert Series” (cranky begins at 1:25).
About Workshops
Lotus staff and volunteers will facilitate workshops this summer with community partners. Local storyteller Patty Callison, of the Bloomington Storytellers Guild, will provide assistance at workshops by sharing stories and explain the elements of creating a story. A typical workshop will begin with participants being given a story strip of paper, given story prompts or possible themes, which could include stories from one’s family and how has music played a role in your life, basically sharing stories of our lives with one another. Further, visuals and/or words will be put on to paper to create a cranky, then rolled on to a wood frame and “hand-cranked” and one’s story will be told and shared with co-participants. Selections from the workshops will be then be part of the “Crankie Experience Tent” in the Arts Village at the Festival.
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The Lotus Education & Arts Foundation officially launches its year-long 2016 initiative, “One Million Stars to End Violence: Lotus International Star-Weaving Project” on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2016.
Weave a star at the Lotus World Music & Arts Festival, and meet the project’s founder! Details here.
Visit our Events Calendar for dates & details on […]
Your everyday shopping can benefit Lotus! Amazon and Kroger will donate a percentage of each purchase to Lotus when you designate us in your account. All it takes are a few easy steps!
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