Tofte Lake Center

Make Residencies & Retreats Possible for Artists!

At TLC we envision a world where all artists are recognized as the meaning-bearers of our culture and are equitable supported and sustained in their artistic voice. With that vision driving our work, we've committed to paying $40,000 in direct support for artists in 2027 in the form of stipends and travel subsides. Our Give to the Max Day goal of $10,000 will help us towards fulfilling our commitment to provide equitable access for artists. We know we can achieve this with your help!

Now more than ever, we need art, and the artists who create it, to help us understand and empathize with one another. In this product-driven world where measurable outcomes are prioritized, at TLC, artistic process lives at the center of what we do. TLC is an artistic campfire that, with tending, stirs the creative sparks of nearly 100 artists who come to the lake to create each season. We continue to need your help to ensure that artists from across disciplines, life stages, identities, and geographies have access to the time, space, resources and community that a residency at TLC provides. 

 

We hope you share our belief that supporting artists is essential. Like many non-profit organizations, TLC has been rocked by changes impacting funders, foundations, grant makers, and individual donors. Unlike many organizations, we were impacted this summer by an unprecedented wildfire season leading to an evacuation of our property and interruption of our programming. Despite these setbacks, in 2026 we were able to provide approximately 70 resident artists the opportunity to center their work and nurture their spirit. In 2027, TLC will welcome another 100 artists to the lake. Your gift today helps us make a tangible difference in the lives of artists!

Who We Are

Tofte Lake Center (TLC) is a nature-based retreat center providing space and time for artists to experience community, nature, play and rejuvenation — all in support of their creative lives and work. TLC is open to individual artists seeking growth through guided workshops and/or retreats, arts organizations that want to make time to re/focus on their goals or mission, and arts leaders seeking to exchange ideas and thoughts with colleagues in their field. 

Our Mission: We provide time and space for artists to be transformed by their connection with nature and their art-making in creative community.

Our Vision: We envision an interconnected world in harmony with nature, where all artists are valued, supported, and celebrated.

In the video below some of our amazing artists share just what is so special about the TLC community. If you'd like to hear more from our artists click here! click here!

Thank You!

It takes a community to continue our important work, and we are so glad that you are a part of it. Will you join us in reaching our goal? Every gift, no matter the level, means the world to us. Together we can make a difference in the lives of artists – and through them, in our lives as well. Thank you for your support of TLC!

- Liz Engelman, Executive Director 

In 2021 former TLC board member Bernadette Christiansen established the Birch Fund as a legacy gift to TLC with the intention of subsidizing our individual artist residencies. Providing this level of financial support to artists is challenging – and it’s essential. 2026 Give to the Max Day gifts will help contribute to the growth of the Birch Fund. Click the tab at the top of this page entitled "From an Artist" to learn more about the artist who directly benefited from our 2025 Give to the Max Campaign!