January 17, 2020 — Through the generous philanthropy of Lotus supporters, the Lotus Education & Arts Foundation has reached its goal of raising $65,000 by January 31, 2020. The Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County, through its Lily Endowment Match Program, donated an additional $32,500 to the Lotus-Fitzgerald Endowment and the new Lee Williams Artist Fund. Lotus could not be happier to announce this wonderful accomplishment that will help it continue connecting South Central Indiana with artists from around the world.
The Lee Williams Artist Fund was established in 2019 to honor the first executive director and one of the founders of Lotus, Lee Williams, who continues to be passionate about supporting artists in the Bloomington community and from around the world. This fund honors his incredible legacy and supports expenses related to working with artists.
“One of the greatest assets that Lotus has is love, and Lotus is particularly loved by the artists that work with Lotus,” Williams said. “My wife, Carol, and I couldn’t be more satisfied to know that our gift will help bring the world’s greatest artists to Indiana for so many to enjoy.”
The Lotus-Fitzgerald Endowment, established in 1996 by Michael Fitzgerald and the Fitzgerald family, provides funds that offer current and future generations the opportunity to experience cultures from around the world. The endowment, which has a balance of over $720,000, has benefited from generous donations from the Bloomington community and multiple rounds of participation in the Community Foundation’s “Matchstick” Initiative. To learn more about endowment giving, contact the Lotus office at 812-336-6599.
Established in 1994, the Lotus Education & Arts Foundation works continually to enact its mission to create opportunities to experience, celebrate, and explore the diversity of the world’s cultures through music and the arts. Since its inception, the Lotus Education & Arts Foundation has attracted over 12,000 people annually to its flagship event, the Lotus World Music & Arts Festival. Through its educational outreach program, Lotus Blossoms, the foundation has provided world-music programming to over 140,000 K-12 students in South Central Indiana. None of this would be possible without the generous gifts of Lotus supporters.
“We are extremely grateful to our many generous donors who expressed their support for the Lotus mission through their gifts to the Lee Williams Artist Fund,” Lotus Executive Director Tamara Loewenthal remarked. “Lee’s vision to bring incredible musicians from around the globe to our Bloomington doorstep will continue to be funded through this endowment, and for that, we are so very thankful.”
About Lotus Education & Arts Foundation
The Lotus Education & Arts Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in Bloomington, Indiana, with a mission to create opportunities to experience, celebrate, and explore the diversity of the world’s cultures, through music and the arts. For more information, visit www.lotusfest.org/or contact us at 812-336-6599.
Lotus Upcoming Events
Lotus at the Bloomington Music Expo| 10 am- 4 pm; Saturday, February 8; Monroe County Convention Center
Lotus Blossoms World Bazaar Community Day| 11 am- 3 pm; Saturday, April 4; Fairview Elementary School
