Impact and Programs
Accomplishments
In its 11th annual season the Lakes Area Music Festival continued to grow artistic products featuring 187 all-star artists from around the world, collaborating on chamber music, orchestra, opera, and ballet. This season included our first world-premiere (a co-commission); we introduced a new partnership with the Amsterdam-based House of Makers company; and we inaugurated a unique String Quartet Residency inviting the Altius Quartet to take up residence with statewide tour and numerous outreach activities. In addition to year-round concerts, youth education programs included a weeklong summer daycamp for kids; a lesson exchange program for youth volunteers; and school programming which served over 2,000 public school children in central Minnesota. Outreach programming brought our mission beyond the walls of the concert hall, with activities for kids at the public library; our first sensory friendly concert for individuals with autism or high sensitivities; 8 concerts at the Crow Wing County Jail; a creative song-writing workshop for victims of domestic abuse; and numerous activities in senior living communities and nursing homes. Each of these programs demonstrates the cultural and educational impact our organization has on the residents and visitors of rural, central Minnesota.
Current Goals
Following a longer range strategic planning session at the board retreat in October 2019, the following goals have been determined for the current year:
PROGRAMMING: Create a new artistic advisory committee of international industry professionals to help build artistic levels and reputations; create a new Vocal Fellowship Program providing young singers from around the country with performance-based learning.
DEVELOPMENT: Develop and implement an Individual Giving Strategy to support growth in our largest category of income.
ADMINISTRATION: Hire a new part-time Operations Coordinator; begin succession planning with Phase I: create job descriptions for all paid and volunteer positions and updating organizational chart.
Community or Constituency Served
The Lakes Area Music Festival serves permanent and seasonal residents, and visitors of the Lakes Area of central Minnesota.
Geographic Area Served
Serving permanent and seasonal residents, and visitors of the Lakes Area of central Minnesota, defined generally as a 50-mile radius from downtown Brainerd. In addition, a growing sector of our audience comes from outside our geographic area, promoting arts tourism and economic development in the region.
