Northern Lakes Arts Association (NLAA)

Northern Lakes Arts Association (NLAA) Inspiring creativity in Ely, MN! NLAA brings bold theater, transformative youth programs, and inclusive arts experiences to the Northwoods.

From the stage to the studio, we make art that connects, uplifts, and belongs to everyone. Find our offices in the Vermilion Community College or call us at (218) 365-5070

A rope trick here.A harmony line there.A scene that suddenly clicks.That's the magic of week two.The cast of Oklahoma! s...
06/06/2026

A rope trick here.

A harmony line there.

A scene that suddenly clicks.

That's the magic of week two.

The cast of Oklahoma! spent this week digging deeper into the music, the story, and the world of the show. Piece by piece, what began as a script and a score is becoming a production.

In less than two weeks, audiences will get to experience the result.

We are incredibly proud of the work this company is doing and can't wait to share it with you.

Oklahoma!
June 18-28, 2026

Pay What You Can Performances
June 20 at 2 PM
June 25 at 7 PM

Tickets are on sale now at northernlakesarts.org.

Presented by Northern Lakes Arts Association and Boundary Waters Connect.

Broadway in the Boundary Waters is supported by the Minnesota State Arts Board, Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Board, Vermilion Campus Foundation, and our many donors, sponsors, members, and volunteers.

Two weeks until Oklahoma! opens in Ely.The cast has spent the last two weeks rehearsing. In two more, audiences will fil...
06/05/2026

Two weeks until Oklahoma! opens in Ely.

The cast has spent the last two weeks rehearsing. In two more, audiences will fill the theater.

Only 11 performances.

Professional artists. Local talent. One unforgettable summer production.

Oklahoma!
June 18-28, 2026

Pay What You Can
June 20 at 2 PM
June 25 at 7 PM

Tickets are on sale now at northernlakesarts.org.

Presented by Northern Lakes Arts Association and Boundary Waters Connect.

Made possible through support from the Minnesota State Arts Board, Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Board, Vermilion Campus Foundation, and our donors, sponsors, members, and volunteers.

You don't have to drive to Duluth, Minneapolis, or Nashville to hear great music.This summer, six outstanding Minnesota ...
06/05/2026

You don't have to drive to Duluth, Minneapolis, or Nashville to hear great music.

This summer, six outstanding Minnesota artists are coming to Ely.

Northern Lakes Arts Association is proud to sponsor The Listen-In at Brainstorm Bakery, a free concert series featuring acclaimed singer-songwriters and musicians from across the region.

Every Tuesday afternoon, you'll have the chance to hear live music up close in one of Ely's favorite gathering spaces.

No tickets.

No long drive.

No expensive night out.

Just great music, fresh baking, and an hour well spent.

Brainstorm Bakery
Tuesdays | 4:00 PM–5:00 PM
Free Admission

Summer Lineup

July 7 • Molly Maher

July 14 • Becky Kapell

July 21 • Chris Koza

July 28 • Haley E. Rydell

August 4 • The Nunnery

August 11 • Simon Cropp

At Northern Lakes Arts Association, we believe world-class arts experiences belong in rural communities. That's why we're proud to help bring professional artists to Ely and keep these performances free and accessible for everyone.

Bring a friend.

Support local arts.

Discover your next favorite artist.

We'll see you at The Listen-In.

At this point, we might have to stop calling Dovid Adler a guest artist and start calling him a summer resident! This is...
06/04/2026

At this point, we might have to stop calling Dovid Adler a guest artist and start calling him a summer resident!

This is his third summer in Ely.

After appearing in Bright Star, Into the Woods, Next to Normal, and Sister Act, Dovid is back for another season of Broadway in the Boundary Waters, which means he officially knows where the good swimming spots are and has probably accumulated enough Ely memories to last a lifetime.

Hailing from Houston, Texas and currently a rising senior Musical Theatre major at Missouri State University, Dovid has become a familiar face on the NLAA stage over the past few summers.

You may have seen him as:

• Billy in Bright Star
• Cinderella's Prince / Wolf in Into the Woods
• Henry in Next to Normal
• Joey in Sister Act

Recent university credits include:

• Melchior in Spring Awakening
• Mark in Rent

Which is a pretty impressive range when you stop and think about it.

What keeps bringing him back? According to Dovid, it's the people, the community, and the chance to spend another summer making theater in one of his favorite places.

Honestly, we get it.

And this is not just one show. It is a whole summer worth planning for.

The 2026 Broadway in the Boundary Waters season includes:

• Oklahoma!
• Jesus Christ Superstar
• Newsies Jr.
• Mean Girls: High School Version

All part of NLAA's 40th Anniversary Season.

Broadway in the Boundary Waters is built on artists who return year after year, forming friendships, creating unforgettable performances, and becoming part of the fabric of this community. We are thrilled Dovid is one of them.

Give Dovid a warm welcome back in the comments, then make your summer plans now.

Tickets + season info:
www.northernlakesarts.org

Supported in part by the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation, and the Minnesota State Arts Board.

Imagine spending a summer day surrounded by live music, dancing, great food, rich cultural traditions, and stories that ...
06/03/2026

Imagine spending a summer day surrounded by live music, dancing, great food, rich cultural traditions, and stories that connect generations.

On Saturday, August 1, that opportunity comes to northern Minnesota.

As part of the National Slovenian Union of America Convention, the Ely Branch of the Slovenian Union of America and Northern Lakes Arts Association are proud to present Zarjafest, a day-long celebration of Slovenian heritage, music, culture, and community at the Minnesota Discovery Center in Chisholm.

Throughout the day, guests can enjoy:

• Live Slovenian music and performances
• Dancing and sing-alongs
• Cultural presentations and heritage activities
• Genealogy resources
• Outdoor recreation opportunities
• Food, fellowship, and community

Featured performers include:

• The Rod Cerar Orchestra
• Denis Novato
• Rosanne Omersa
• Singing Slovenes
• Krila
• Bill Koncar

More than 230 tickets have already been reserved, leaving fewer than 70 spots available.

Tickets:
• $35 for Slovenian Union of America members and Northern Lakes Arts Association members
• $40 for non-members

Whether you have Slovenian roots or simply enjoy discovering new cultures, Zarjafest offers a unique opportunity to be part of a celebration that only comes to our region because of this year’s national convention.

Reserve your spot today at northernlakesarts.org/tickets

School just got out, but we're already preparing for fall.Registration is now open for the 26th Annual Greenstone Art Ca...
06/03/2026

School just got out, but we're already preparing for fall.

Registration is now open for the 26th Annual Greenstone Art Camp.

As Ely transitions to a four-day school week, Greenstone Art Camp is evolving to meet the needs of local families with four Friday mornings of hands-on visual arts programming for students in grades 1–6.

2026 Greenstone Art Camp

October 2, 9, 23 & 3010:00 AM–12:00 PM

$100 per participant

Limited to 20 students

Limited scholarships available

For more than 25 years, Greenstone Art Camp has helped young artists build confidence, develop creative skills, and discover the joy of making art. Participants will create original projects, explore a variety of artistic techniques and materials, and learn from local artists and volunteers in a welcoming environment.

This program requires a minimum of 10 participants to operate, with enrollment confirmation on September 1.

If your child enjoys creating, exploring, and making things with their hands, we'd love to have them join us this fall.

Registration is now open. Reserve your spot today.

https://www.northernlakesarts.org/classes

Some people list hobbies in their bio. Evelyn Bunce lists knife fights.Honestly, iconic.Evelyn joins Northern Lakes Arts...
05/28/2026

Some people list hobbies in their bio. Evelyn Bunce lists knife fights.

Honestly, iconic.

Evelyn joins Northern Lakes Arts Association’s 2026 Broadway in the Boundary Waters season bringing a mix of musical theater, dance, new play development, and one very specific special skill: she is a certified Level Three Actor Combatant specializing in knife fights and contemporary stage violence.

Which definitely makes her one of the more intimidating people in the rehearsal room, in the best way.

Evelyn holds a BFA in Musical Theatre and a BA in Dance from the Dobbins Conservatory at Southeast Missouri State University, where she built a career balancing performance with a deep love for new work and storytelling.

Her credits include:

• Floyd Collins (Floyd Collins)
• Godspell (Anna Maria)
• Legally Blonde

She has also originated leading roles in several world premiere productions, including:

• Our Play (Jessica Moss)
• Girlhood (Ida Esmiley)
• Ja****it (Presley L. Yeager)

Beyond performing, Evelyn served as Associate Artistic Director for the Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival, helping support the development of new plays from writers across the country, especially stories centered on young women.

So yes, she brings a lot more than just a résumé to the season.

And this is not just one show. It is a whole summer worth planning for.

The 2026 Broadway in the Boundary Waters season includes:

• Oklahoma!
• Jesus Christ Superstar
• Newsies Jr.
• Mean Girls: High School Version

All part of NLAA’s 40th Anniversary Season.

Broadway in the Boundary Waters is built on artists who bring curiosity, collaboration, and their full creative selves to Ely each summer, and we are thrilled Evelyn is part of this season’s company.

Give Evelyn a warm Ely welcome in the comments, then make your summer plans now.

Tickets + season info:
www.northernlakesarts.org

Supported in part by the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation, and the Minnesota State Arts Board.

05/28/2026

You can feel it already.

Two days into rehearsal, and the room is full of that kind of electricity you cannot fake, local artists, professional performers from across the country, harmonies shaking the walls of the theater, and a company becoming a community in real time.

This summer, Oklahoma! comes to Ely as part of Broadway in the Boundary Waters 2026. Big voices. Big skies. A classic musical built by people who just met and already sound like they’ve been making theater together for years.

If this is what Day Two sounds like, just wait until opening night.

Presented by Northern Lakes Arts Association and Boundary Waters Connect.

Oklahoma! Performance DatesJune 18 at 7 PMJune 20 at 2 PM, Pay What You Can sponsored by the Vermilion Campus FoundationJune 20 at 7 PMJune 21 at 2 PMJune 25 at 7 PM, Pay What You Can sponsored by the Vermilion Campus FoundationJune 26 at 7 PMJune 27 at 2 PM and 7 PMJune 28 at 2 PM

Tickets: northernlakesarts.org

Broadway in the Boundary Waters is supported in part by the Minnesota State Arts Board, Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, and Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation.

FREE giant puppet and costume workshop in Ely.On Saturday, June 6, Northern Lakes Arts Association is turning the Ely Co...
05/27/2026

FREE giant puppet and costume workshop in Ely.

On Saturday, June 6, Northern Lakes Arts Association is turning the Ely Community Center into a hands-on puppet studio where families, artists, theater lovers, and curious creatives can build wearable art, masks, parade puppets, and larger-than-life creations together.

Led by 2026 Creative Spirit of the North Awardee Jane Dandron Holtz, this all-ages workshop is playful, collaborative, and designed for anyone who wants to make something with their hands and imagination.

No experience needed.
Just show up ready to create.

Saturday, June 6
10 AM to 2 PM
Ely Community Center
FREE • All Ages Welcome

Space is limited so we can prepare materials.

Register here:
https://www.northernlakesarts.org/classes

Address

1900 E Camp Street
Ely, MN
55731

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 10pm
Tuesday 9am - 10pm
Wednesday 9am - 10pm
Thursday 9am - 10pm
Friday 9am - 10pm
Saturday 9am - 10pm
Sunday 9am - 10pm

Telephone

+12182359937

Website

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