Summary
Organization name
Northern Lakes Arts Association
Tax id (EIN)
36-3485240
Categories
Arts & Culture , Education , Community
LGBTQ+ Serving
LGBTQ+ Serving
Address
1900 E. Camp St.Ely, MN 55731
Northern Lakes Arts Association
A nonprofit organization
$40,123 raised by 68 donors
89% complete
$45,000 Goal
About
Donation Perks
Keep the Light Alive: A Future to Believe In
For forty years, Northern Lakes Arts Association has kept the light alive in Ely.Neighbors have built sets in garages, sewn costumes at kitchen tables, and believed—deeply—that art belongs here.
Because of that belief, we’ve grown from a handful of volunteers into a regional arts ecosystem reaching more than 21,000 people each year.
Now it’s time to write the next act.
“Art doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because a community believes in it.
At NLAA, that belief is what keeps the light alive.” - IAN FRANCIS LAH, Executive Artistic Director
Join us today and help keep the light alive.
A Future to Believe In
This Give to the Max season, your gift builds a future where:
- every child finds their voice
- every artist can thrive
- every neighbor belongs
Our goal is to raise $20,000 and engage 200 donors by November 20, 2025.
Every dollar you give will be matched up to $20,000, doubling your impact and helping creativity continue to shine across the Northwoods.
Your Gift at Work
Each level of giving creates tangible, life-changing impact. Choose the story you want to write:
Provides art materials for one child’s first art camp, sparking a lifetime of self-expression.
Gives a local family free admission to a live theater performance, creating memories that strengthen community bonds.
Supports a professional artist masterclass, connecting youth with mentors who help them see what’s possible.
Funds 10 weeks of dance or theater classes for Ely youth, nurturing confidence, discipline, and joy.
Sustains Greenstone Art Camps and Stars of the North workshops, ensuring every child can learn, grow, and thrive.
$1,000 – Connect the Community
Helps underwrite community-wide events like Broadway in the Boundary Waters, bringing our region together through art and belonging.
Supports stipends for regional and visiting artists, ensuring professional talent can continue to live, create, and teach in northern Minnesota.
(This level helps sustain artist wages and attracts professionals to rural stages.)
Underwrites an entire production or youth program, from costumes to lights.
Your leadership gift anchors the next generation of artists, ensuring the creative heartbeat of Ely continues to thrive for years to come.
Why Your Gift Matters
You’re not just keeping the lights on.You’re investing in the creative heartbeat of Ely—where the arts are not a luxury, but a way of life.
- 21,000 people experience NLAA programs each year.
- $500,000+ in annual local economic impact.
- Every $1 spent on a ticket brings $6 to local businesses.
- 1,750 youth engaged in theater, music, and visual arts programs.
- 10 scholarships awarded last year—no young artist turned away.
- 3,000 volunteer hours fueling performances, concerts, and murals.
- $100,000+ paid to artists, investing directly in regional talent.
Your generosity sustains a creative economy, strengthens community belonging, and builds a future rooted in beauty, hope, and belief.
Thank You for Supporting the Northern Lakes Arts Association
Your generosity keeps creativity alive in the Northwoods.This Give to the Max season, every dollar you give will be matched, up to $20,000, doubling your impact and helping us reach our $40,000 goal to build A Future to Believe In.
Each donation level offers exclusive perks as our way of showing appreciation for your commitment to the arts:
Your gift, large or small, keeps Ely’s creative light alive. Together, we can reach $20,000 and unlock $40,000 in total impact. Give today and help build A Future to Believe In.
Giving Activity
Media gallery
Organization Data
Ely, MN 55731