Lotus is committed to selecting world-class performers who represent the highest standards of musicianship and professionalism. Lotus is distinguished among festivals by not relying on “headliners”, but rather presenting a non-hierarchical mix of performers and prioritizing discovery and inspiring encounters with the new and often unfamiliar. Lotus is also somewhat unique in considering American music as part of the “world” in “world music”– be that American roots and folk music, or music reflecting our tapestry of immigrant experiences. Each year, the festival typically showcases a roster of 25-30 different artists or groups.

Over the last 25 years, Lotus has hosted nearly 575 artists or ensembles from 120+ different countries or culturally distinct regions. The Festival regularly attracts an unusually multi-generational audience, participation from local and regional ethnic/cultural communities, and a significant out-of-town population from across the state and across the country. Estimates in partnership with our local Visitors Bureau calculate that Bloomington enjoys an annual economic impact of ~$500,000 on each Festival weekend.

Lotus transforms downtown Bloomington for the Festival, creating a 10-block pedestrian-friendly perimeter and filling 6-8 different venues simultaneously with music and dance. Venues include a range of public spaces, from large outdoor tents perfect for dancing to family-friendly city parks for interactive workshops, to intimate churches and art spaces suited for attentive listening and contemplation. Ticket-buyers get a wristband that provides access to all Festival venues, allowing listeners to sample, discover, and relish in unexpected encounters. In addition to ticketed evening showcases, the Lotus vision of inclusion, diversity, and access also reaches into the wide scope of activities that Lotus offers free of charge on Festival weekend — 40+ hours of free outreach that invites participants from all economic walks of life. We present a free “Lotus in the Park” event with workshops and concerts, a free and interactive Arts Village displaying community-generated visual arts, as well as parades, processions, and exhibits. Lotus is committed to accessibility and to drawing the widest possible cross-section of participants to become part of the music and arts of the world around us.