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Scholarship support aids record-breaking Interlochen Arts Camp enrollment
More than 50% of the Camp’s 3,344 students received merit- or need-based scholarships—empowering hundreds of young artists to enjoy transformational artistic experiences.
Picture this: You’re sitting in the crowd at the Interlochen Bowl, waiting to witness the 97th performance of “Les Préludes.” But as Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Music Director JoAnn Falletta takes the podium, half of the seats on stage remain empty.
This summer, a record-breaking 3,344 young artists are attending Interlochen Arts Camp—more than 50% of whom received merit aid or need-based scholarships. For many recipients, that support was the difference between taking their place beneath the pines and leaving a seat unfilled.
“Many of our students—including some of our most talented students—could not afford to come to Camp without financial assistance,” says Heather Lee, Dean of Admission & Financial Aid. “Thanks to the support from our amazing donors, we are able to make students' and families' dreams come true by helping reduce the cost to attend Interlochen Arts Camp.”
For the 2024 Camp season, the Office of Admission & Financial Aid awarded more than $4 million in need- and merit-based aid—which includes donor-supported scholarships. Lee shared one high school music student’s reaction to learning they had been offered a scholarship.
“It is an absolute blessing to even attend a camp like Interlochen, but the scholarship surpassed my wildest expectations,” the student said. “Every day now, I just think of all the possibilities: music, people, learning, and the campus."
Julia B., an Arts Camp singer-songwriter student, echoes the awe of attending Interlochen—and the remarkable personal and artistic growth that transpires here.
“Working with world-class musicians and artists has opened my eyes in countless ways in terms of my writing and professionalism, and I won't forget the lessons I've been taught since I've been here,” Julia said. “The inspiration that Interlochen provides is incomparable to any other place I've been. I am so fortunate to have made beautiful connections with not only the people I work with every day, but also with my cabin-mates. It is truly a gift to be here, and I value this experience incredibly.”
As Interlochen approaches its centennial, the institution is committed to making our programs more accessible to every young artist who is offered admission. Our plan by 2028 is to be able to meet the full demonstrated financial need of new Camp and Academy students as they enroll.
Dozens of generous donors have already answered the call to increase access to Interlochen. In Fiscal Year 2024, donors established 32 new endowed scholarships and 11 new named annual scholarships, bringing the current total to 370 endowed scholarships and 71 annual scholarships.
Heidi S., an All-State and Arts Academy alumna, honors her own Interlochen experiences by supporting today’s students.
“When I was a student, I was given quite a bit of financial support,” Heidi says. “I’m happy to try to pay it back at least in a little way."
For Lee, increased scholarship support means her team can offer incredible opportunities to even more young artists.
“Year after year, we hear feedback from students and their families that their experience at Interlochen was life-changing,” Lee says. “Our goal in Admission is to change as many lives as we can through arts education. The support of our donors makes this all possible.”
Thanks to scholarship support, Interlochen can be united through the universal language of the arts—and ensure that every seat is filled.
