Community Art Club

Looking for a fun, welcoming space to make art, get creative, and connect with others? Community Art Club is a free, drop-in art space led by Lotus Teen Engagement Lead Noga Gordon. Each week, participants can explore different crafts, creative projects, and hands-on ac......More

Looking for a fun, welcoming space to make art, get creative, and connect with others? Community Art Club is a free, drop-in art space led by Lotus Teen Engagement Lead Noga Gordon. Each week, participants can explore different crafts, creative projects, and hands-on activities in a relaxed environment. All ages and experience levels are welcome, whether you love making art or just want to try something new. Thursdays | 5–6 PMLotus Education & Arts Foundation105 S. Rogers St., Bloomington, INFree • Drop-ins welcomeParking is available in the Regions Bank lot. Come create, connect, and share your ideas!

105 S. Rogers Street

Conversations in Bloom: A Symposium on Arts, Community, and Memory

Tickets on Sale Now!September 30 – October 1, 2026Two-day Event Cost: $37 ($35 + processing fees) / Student Discount $11 ($9 + processing fees)This event spans 2 days at 3 venues. Wednesday, 9/30/26 from 9:00 AM – Midnight and Thursday, 10/1/26 from 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM.Lo......More

Tickets on Sale Now!September 30 – October 1, 2026Two-day Event Cost: $37 ($35 + processing fees) / Student Discount $11 ($9 + processing fees)This event spans 2 days at 3 venues. Wednesday, 9/30/26 from 9:00 AM – Midnight and Thursday, 10/1/26 from 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM.LocationThe iFell Gallery – 415 W. Fourth Street Bloomington, IN 47404FAR Center for Contemporary Arts – 202 S Rogers St, Bloomington, IN 47404Cicada Cinema – 615 N. Fairview St, Suite 1, Bloomington, IN 47404Lotus is hosting a series of conversations about the crucial role that the arts play in building our communities and identities. Conversations in Bloom: A Symposium on Arts, Community, and Memory invites participants to consider how the arts help us make sense of the world around us, connect individual and collective experience, and understand the communities we share. This event is ticketed and open to the public. A detailed schedule of events and speakers is coming soon! What can you expect?Conversation and dialogue are the beating hearts of this symposium. We have designed the program around a summer-long collaborative planning process with an emphasis on open and interactive session formats. On both days, the symposium offers an “UnConferencing” space for attendees and presenters to share questions, ideas, and feedback with one another. Symposium sessions will engage with themes such as: Creative Placemaking: Community Projects and Renovating SpacesStorytelling and Our Shared FuturesCultivating Intergenerational Collaboration in Arts and CultureThe Role of Global Arts Education in Our CommunitiesCreative Aging and Folk Arts PracticeTo conclude the program we invite you to attend a keynote session with Michael Orlove (National Endowment for the Arts) and Dr. John Fenn III (American Folklife Center) Conversations in Bloom is intended to be both a forum for shared reflection and a space for professional development. Participants will discuss the opportunities and challenges of activating, celebrating, and preserving community culture through the arts, while also considering how personal, institutional, and communal histories are interwoven into the fabric of Bloomington’s cultural life. Who will be there?Community partners for this event include: Cicada Cinema, Blueline Media, MDWST Fable, Black Vulture Project, Monroe County History Center, Exodus Refugee, Traditional Arts Indiana, Indiana University Arts and Humanities Council, Indiana University Center for the Study of Global Change, Indiana University Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology…and most importantly YOU!

Arts Village

Friday October 2nd from 6PM – 10PMSaturday October 3rd from 6PM – 10PMKirkwood on the Square (Between College Ave and Walnut)The Arts Village is where creativity comes to life during the festival weekend. Wander through a vibrant evening atmosphere filled with live art ......More

Friday October 2nd from 6PM – 10PMSaturday October 3rd from 6PM – 10PMKirkwood on the Square (Between College Ave and Walnut)The Arts Village is where creativity comes to life during the festival weekend. Wander through a vibrant evening atmosphere filled with live art demonstrations, interactive activities, local and regional artists, and a Night Bazaar celebrating handmade work, creativity, and community. Discover new artists, try your hand at creative experiences, and enjoy the energy of the festival after dark. During the festival-wide break at 8:30 PM Friday evening, enjoy a special Taste of the IU Drumline bringing rhythm and excitement to the heart of downtown. Then on Saturday evening, the 2026 Parade returns, lighting up the streets with music, movement, and celebration once again. The Arts Village is alive from 6 PM – 10 PM on Friday, October 2nd and Saturday, October 3rd, 2026. This is a free event to attend. Donations are appreciated and help support the mission of the Lotus Education and Arts Foundation. Interested in participating as an artist? Email KP at [email protected].

Arts Camp

Saturday, October 312:00 PM – 4:00 PMThe annual Lotus Arts Camp is back..this time on the Square! Join us on Saturday, October 3, 2026, from 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM for an afternoon of free, family-friendly crafts, activities, and community fun in the heart of downtown. Fami......More

Saturday, October 312:00 PM – 4:00 PMThe annual Lotus Arts Camp is back..this time on the Square! Join us on Saturday, October 3, 2026, from 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM for an afternoon of free, family-friendly crafts, activities, and community fun in the heart of downtown. Families are invited to explore hands-on activities, connect with local organizations, and celebrate creativity together. Admission is free and all are welcome. Interested in partnering with the Arts Camp?Community partners are invited to host a hands-on craft, activity, or interactive experience for kids and families. Or contact our production manager – Chaz Mottinger at [email protected].

Parade Through the Lights

Date: October 3rdTime: 8:30 PMLocation: Courthouse SquareAs the sun sets and the lanterns begin to glow, the Lotus Festival Parade invites the community to step into a living work of art. Led by the spirit of Lotus and brought to life through music, dance, movement, and......More

Date: October 3rdTime: 8:30 PMLocation: Courthouse SquareAs the sun sets and the lanterns begin to glow, the Lotus Festival Parade invites the community to step into a living work of art. Led by the spirit of Lotus and brought to life through music, dance, movement, and imagination, this illuminated procession transforms downtown into a celebration of connection and creativity.Guided by the warm light of the Trail of Luminaria, participants and spectators alike will journey together through a night filled with rhythm, color, and wonder. From handmade lanterns to spontaneous joy, every light and every person becomes part of the story. All are welcome. All are needed. Whether you dance, carry a lantern, create art, volunteer, or simply walk beside us, your presence helps brighten the path forward. Interested in joining the effort, volunteering, or partnering?Email KP at [email protected] and share your light.

Festival Unwind Yoga

$10 donation suggested at the door. Limited tickets available! The event is at Nourishing Heart Studio. Students of all levels are welcome to join these accessible practices and are encouraged to work at their own pace. Participants may drop in or leave as they choose. ......More

$10 donation suggested at the door. Limited tickets available! The event is at Nourishing Heart Studio. Students of all levels are welcome to join these accessible practices and are encouraged to work at their own pace. Participants may drop in or leave as they choose. Multiple teachers will be on hand to demonstrate. Lotus Festival artists are invited to participate in these yoga sessions along with Festival patrons and the general public. All voluntary donations support Lotus Blossoms Education & Outreach programs and Lotus Education and Arts Foundation. Order Tickets 9–9:50 a.m. — Slow Flow with Live Acoustic SoundWith Matece Skow and Sarah FlintA grounding, spacious practice accompanied by live acoustic music—a gentle continuation of the Festival experience. 10–10:50 a.m. — Rhythm & Roots: An All-Levels Community FlowA joyful, accessible practice set to music from around the world. Move, breathe, and reconnect in a class celebrating rhythm, community, and our shared humanity. 11 a.m.–11:50 a.m. — Soulful SoundscapeWith Jill CourtneyImmersive sound from various instruments and crystal bowls invite the body to soften, the nervous system to settle, and the Festival weekend to come to a deeply restful close.

Nourishing Heart Studio, 582 E Hillside Dr #1, Bloomington, IN, 47401, United States