Eight years ago, women members of the Lotus Board of Directors formed a giving group, Women of Lotus, to support women artists performing at the Lotus World Music & Arts Festival. Women have always had a strong presence at the Festival, but are still woefully underrepresented in the world music scene at large. Women of Lotus is dedicated to raising the profile of and financial support for women performers.
This year, the remarkable artists whose Lotus performances are underwritten by Women of Lotus donations are:
- Flamenco dancer and choreographer Vanesa Aibar (from Spain);
- The ensemble Banda Magda, led by Greek-born singer, accordionist, film scorer and composer Magda Giannikou;
- Vietnamese zither player Van-Anh Vanessa Vo;
- Bloomington’s own glorious all-woman a cappella ensemble, Kaia;
- Acclaimed singer and “Voice of the Tunisian revolution,” Emel Mathlouthi;
- Rising Americana artist Nora Jane Struthers and the Party Line; and
- Singer-songwriter Catherine MacLellan, from Prince Edward Island.
Women of Lotus donations go toward the costs associated with presenting these artists (including fees, accommodations, and hospitality). Each donor will be listed as a Friend of Lotus; the Women of Lotus group will be named among the Festival’s corporate sponsors, acknowledged at selected Lotus performances, and listed in Lotus publications and websites.
- If you’re interested in joining Women of Lotus, contact Development Director Kristin Varella (kristin [at] lotusfest [dog] org, or 812-336-6599) with your pledge amount, then click on the “Donate” to the left, on this page. Make sure to click on “Add special instructions,” and mention “Women of Lotus.”
- If you prefer to send a check, download a donor form here, and send it with your payment to the Kristin Varella, Development Director / Lotus Education & Arts Foundation / P.O. Box 1677 / Bloomington IN 47402 (make sure to mention “W of L” on the memo line).
Your support for Lotus — and the women artists who take the stage at our Festival — helps Lotus create visionary programming that nurtures our curiosity about different cultures, people, and places.
