Lotus announces 2026 Blossoms season with performances, workshops and community events

Written from announcement

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — March 16, 2026

The Lotus Education & Arts Foundation is gearing up for its 2026 Lotus Blossoms season, a four-week spring series of performances, workshops and cultural events designed to bring global music and arts experiences to south-central Indiana.

According to a recent announcement from Lotus, the annual Blossoms program connects visiting artists with children, students and community members through performances, hands-on activities and educational programming.

Organizers said this year’s lineup includes concerts, workshops, community dances and family activities, along with a volunteer-driven World Bazaar and a monthlong donation drive to support refugee families in Bloomington.

Lotus also announced a change in the schedule. Shelley and Fabian, who had previously been slated to appear during the Blossoms season, will no longer perform because of a scheduling conflict. In their place, Lotus said world-renowned Hoop Dancer and storyteller Violet Duncan, of Plains Cree and Taos Pueblo heritage, has been added to the lineup.

Among the featured performances is Making Movies, a Latin Grammy-nominated band founded by Panamanian songwriter and musician Enrique Chi. The group blends Afro-Latino rhythms with rock, blues, salsa, soul and traditional Panamanian sounds.

Another highlighted event is A Night in Argentina, an intimate dinner-and-concert program featuring Eleanor Dubinsky and Darío Acosta Teich, joined by Continuo, a collective of classical and crossover musicians.

Lotus is also promoting a Lotus Lanterns Workshop on April 2 during IU First Thursday, where participants will create lanterns from recycled materials. The organization said the lantern project is intended to reflect themes of hope, guidance and light.

A performance by Eleanor Dubinsky and Darío Acosta Teich is also planned as part of IU Arts and Humanities First Thursday programming. Lotus described the duo as internationally recognized performers known for multilingual music that draws from jazz, global classics and original songs.

Other community events include a square dance at the Lotus Firebay, with live music and instruction intended to welcome both experienced dancers and beginners.

For families, Lotus will again present its Lotus Blossoms World Bazaar, a free all-ages event at Fairview Elementary School featuring more than 25 hands-on activities focused on world music, languages, instruments and cultural traditions. Volunteers are being sought for setup, a fourth-grade day and a community day.

The season will also include a performance by Cécilia, a Quebec-based trio performing French-Canadian traditional music, along with step dancing and fiddle.

In addition to arts programming, Lotus is partnering with Exodus Refugee Immigration for a “Refugee 101” presentation that will cover refugee resettlement in the United States, the work of Exodus and recent impacts on refugee communities under the current administration.

Lotus is also hosting an April resource drive for Exodus Refugee Immigration, collecting toiletries, pantry staples and gift cards to support newly arrived refugee families in the Bloomington area. Donations may be dropped off at upcoming Lotus events or during designated hours at the Lotus Firebay.

The organization is also calling on Indiana University students interested in music, culture, storytelling, production and community engagement to help launch an official Lotus Student Club at IU. The proposed student group would help connect campus life with the Lotus World Music & Arts Festival and related cultural programming.

The post Lotus announces 2026 Blossoms season with performances, workshops and community events first appeared on The Bloomingtonian.