Operating Support
ACHF Arts Access
North House Folk School will work to insure that people of all ages participate in the arts, expanding its array of family/youth programs and broadening community involvement. The second annual Family and Intergenerational Weekend will be hosted in October 2012 and enrollment in the course offerings will increase by 10%. Family programming elements will be integrated into each of our three major events to expand family involvement from our local community. At each of our major events, surveys are distributed to event attendees as a means of public evaluation. Standard written student and instructor evaluations are part of every course on campus. Regular conversations between instructors, staff, and volunteers explore life in the classroom every day. Building community is at the heart of North House's mission, which is why staff actively engage with students and visitors. Our lead staff rotate in the role of campus host directly connecting with students and gaining honest, direct feedback. Whether during the student welcome on their first day, in the school bookstore, or at the weekly student pizza bake, students are encouraged to share their ideas so that staff may work to improve courses for future participants. 2: North House Folk School will build momentum for its year-round coursework to nurture the thriving arts community on Minnesota's North Shore. Enrollment in catalog courses will increase, generating 6% growth in earned tuition revenue. Public outreach regarding our educational mission will increase membership and annual giving support by 10%. North House staff tracked all course catalog participants and membership, comparing last year's data to this year's numbers. North House's Programs Committee - made up of instructors, staff, board, and community members - meets monthly to discuss enrollment reports and strategize around course programming. Similarly, North House's Development Committee - composed of staff, board, and community members - meets on a monthly basis to review membership reports, financial summaries, and design outreach strategies.
In October 2012, North House offered its second annual Family Weekend featuring 10 family-oriented courses, a family contra dance, and a family storytelling session. A total of 48 students participated At North House's Unplugged event, families participated in a free community concert and cloth waulking demonstration with featured speaker Norman Kennedy. June's Wooden Boat Show included a family contra dance, the annual Solstice Puppet Show, and a new family storytelling session. Over 1,000 people attended the Puppet Show. Over 30 local youth and parents/adults participated as performers. During Northern Fiber Retreat, North House co-hosted a family program with the local Fiber Guild, resulting in participation from 15 adult-child pairs. A newly designed Instructor-In-Residence program in 2013 offers any campus visitors, including families and children, the opportunity to interact with an artist demonstrating live craft. 2: Build momentum for year-round coursework to nurture the thriving arts community on Minnesota's North Shore. Student enrollment in course catalogs and membership support were both at their highest rates ever in 2012. Student enrollment increased from 1,610 students in 2011 to 1,757 in 2012. An increase both in terms of total number of students served (+9%) and total student days (+10%). In the past year off-season programming was more robust than ever. For example, in February 2013, 244 students were on campus, exceeding late summer 2012 enrollment. Whether or not this continues as a growing trend, there has certainly been a shift in the feel on campus as the off season can be even busier than the summer high season. Membership was similarly successful, with a 20% increase in member numbers (from 800 in 2011 to 957 in 2012). Our annual campaign raised $157,138, an increase of 32% from 2011's $119,240.
Other
local or private