ART FOR ALL
Fueling Creativity in the Northwoods
Help us keep world-class art free and accessible for every child, every neighbor, every dreamer.
In just five seasons, Emberlight has delivered more than 140 events — Met Opera voices, Broadway stars like Emma Stratton and Arica Jackson, chamber musicians, award-winning filmmakers from around the world, and the extraordinary visual artists of our own region. Our stages, screens, and galleries have connected our small towns to 85+ countries and welcomed visitors from across the United States.
But the soul of Emberlight is our community. Through Performance Infusions, regional artisans share the stories, skills, and cultural traditions that shape life in the Northwoods.
Art in the Park fills the forest trails with artworks created by neighbors, families, and multigenerational teams — a yearly celebration where the community quite literally builds the festival itself. And our artist classes, workshops, and talkbacks give locals rare access to world-class performers in intimate settings.
And year after year, something beautiful has grown: a loyal, joyful, intergenerational audience. People tell us, “It’s the thing to do every summer — the perfect excuse to get dressed up and see your friends.” Couples plan their vacations around Emberlight; families reunite here; locals return night after night because it feels like a summer homecoming — alive with conversation, laughter, and festival energy.
More than 70% of our programming is free, and attendees 20 and under never pay. That access is intentional: art should shape everyone’s summer, not just those who can afford it.
But to keep this artistic home thriving — especially as nationwide arts funding continues to shrink — we rely on you. Your support protects access, empowers local creators, and ensures that the next generation of dreamers finds inspiration right here in the Northwoods.
Stand with us. Keep the arts blazing bright. Support Art For All.
Your Impact on Emberlight
$25 – SUPPORTER CIRCLE helps bring world-class art to our rural community — accessible to all
$50 – YOUTH TICKET ANGELS provides free festival access for young people to inspire future artists and leaders
$100 – ART IN THE PARK FRIENDS supports free outdoor art installations that bring creativity to our trails and towns
$250 – FESTIVAL IGNITER funds artist appearances and expands free programs across the festival
$500 – EMBERLIGHT DIRECTOR sponsors a Performance Infusion or underwrites a prize for Art in the Park of the International Film Festival
$1,000 – PRODUCER powers exceptional performances and expands access to creative events in our region
$1,500 – ARTIST SPONSOR directly funds a visiting artist’s residency, performances, and local engagement
THE ACTUALS
How we produce our annual festival:
$3,315 the cost to produce our annual photography show
$1,350 a visiting artist’s travel and housing for one week
$8,720 the cost or printing our program book, posters, brochures and signs
$33,865 the cost for one weekend of live performances
$1,030 the monthly costs of operating our office and website
$6,250 the amount of prizes we award to artists every summer
$8,450 the cost to produce Art in the Park
$26,210 the cost to produce the International Film Festival
HOW TO JOIN ART FOR ALL
There are many ways to help keep the arts open to all. Whether you give today, underwrite an event, join our monthly donors, or contribute towards our “Hundred @ $25” Giving Tuesday goal, your generosity shapes the summer and strengthens our community.
Donate
INVEST IN A FESTIVAL THAT TRANSFORMS A COMMUNITY A one-time …
Monthly Donor Club
Monthly donors power everything at Emberlight. Their reliable support gives us stability in a rural region where arts access is vulnerable …
Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday returns on December 2, 2025 and this year we’re trying something new: 100 donors giving $25 gifts …
Underwriting
Emberlight’s artists come directly from Broadway shows, The Metropolitan Opera and the world’s stages to bring audiences in the western Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin …
