Our Mission
Our Objectives
- Sponsor and produce a series of concerts, dances, and workshops throughout the year.
- Generate income to support our mission through a variety of methods, typically through ticket sales, grants, memberships, and donations.
- Engage in partnerships at every opportunity, e.g., joint ventures with local entities.
- Act as a musical arts consultant and a link between musical performers and educators and those seeking contact with them.
- Use the Arrowhead Center for the Arts (ACA) as the primary venue for NSMA concerts.
- Use volunteers effectively in the promotion and production of NSMA activities.
Our Legacy
For over 30 years, the NMSA has hosted live concerts, community dances, and educational programming for young and old. NSMA has hosted hundreds of musical artists—from local and regional virtuosos to internationally renowned and beloved icons. Just a few artist highlights from the past few years include:
- Blues – Guy Davis, Shemekia Copeland, Ruthie Foster, Annie Mack, Kelley Hunt
- Country/Bluegrass – GM Ole Opry, Bluegrass Masters Weekend, Rosie Flores, The Roe Family Singers, Monroe Crossing
- Guitar – Adrian Legg, Phil Heywood, Leo Kottke, Ray Bonneville, Sam Miltich
- World Music – Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca, McInnis’ Kitchen, Siama Matuzungidi, Samite
What Makes Us Unique
NSMA offers high-quality musical performances at comfortable, accessible venues where listeners are immersed in the experience without distractions. Our audience members tell us the connection they feel with artists onstage is both sensory and emotional—a joining of hearts and minds in joy, shared sorrow, and uplift that great music by generous souls can offer.
We provide a wide array of musical genres from various cultural and ethnic backgrounds each season, to broaden our community’s awareness and sense of belonging within the global community.
NSMA is Cook County’s principal provider of educational music outreach for all ages. Each season we offer interactive programs and workshops tailored to meet the needs of child and adult learners. Whether it’s a classical guitar master class for adults, a “garage band” mentorship for youth, all-age Flamenco, Celtic, and West-African music and dance workshops, or a “junk jam” school percussion residency that teaches teamwork and self-esteem—our aim is to engage individuals and to enrich our community through unique opportunities for personal, cultural, and artistic growth.
Since 2013, NSMA has served as a sponsor for the Borealis Chorale & Orchestra, enabling the BCO to expand opportunities for community participation in choral and orchestral music. From the early days of Cook County’s Symphonium Music Club in the 1950s to today’s BCO, hundreds of talented and devoted community members have kept the fine tradition of choral music alive in Cook County. NSMA is proud to play an important role in continuing this tradition.
Board & Staff
Address
Box 1376
Grand Marais, MN 55604
All concerts are held at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts unless noted otherwise.
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