Why support Next Fest?
Because the need is great
"It is twice as hard to get into an orchestra than to get onto a major league baseball team." Guest artist Alecia Lawyer notes the uphill battle musicians are facing, and how Next Fest offers a "360° view" that enables artists to thrive in this competitive landscape.
Because of how much we offer
Next Fest is a rural residency, New York performance tour, groundbreaking cross-disciplinary workshop — and much more.
Because everyone wins
Your donation expands portfolios for emerging artists, delivers commissions to established artists, and offers donation-based performances to audiences.
Because of who we are
Your contribution helps us lift up diverse voices. More than 75% of the works presented this year were by artists of color, female-identifying artists, or both.
Because it's tax deductible
We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit, so your donation is completely deductible.
Because we care
Since 2013, we've had hundreds of Fellows participate at a price they name. We are fiercely committed to young artists and to our signature, equity-based "pay-what-you-can" policy. While the "big" summer festivals can charge more than $12K per participant, our Fellows pay only what they can afford — often a few hundred dollars at most. This is thanks to the generosity of tax-deductible gifts from donors like you.
Fellow Spotlights
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!
We greatly appreciate the support of our donors, who have helped us to connect artists and audiences, and to provide ongoing career guidance and resources to emerging artists. We are committed to making the Festival available to young artists, regardless of financial circumstances.
FOUNDING DONORS
Duane Conover
Kerry Donahue and Guy Story
Newton Freeman
Gary Hickling and Dennis Moore
James Michels
SEASON SPONSORS
Kitty Bateman
Kerry Donahue and Guy Story
Karin Fong and Arjan Schütte
Elizabeth and Justus Schlichting
The Heineman Foundation
The New York State Council on the Arts
2024-25 Donors
Anonymous
Peter Askim
Robert Austin
Stuart M. Benkert
Ruthie Birger
Tanya Blaich
Gregory Bottomley
Whitman Bowman
Stephanie Collins
Meredith and Pell Cooper
Tracie Coyle
Madeleine Crouch
Caroline Crumpacker
Michael Dudley
Corey Field
Michael Friedmann
Alexander Glantz
Guy Story
Arlene Hajinlian
Gary Hickling
Rich Holly
Maureen Hurd Hause
Christopher Keene
Aaron Kernis
Susie Lee
Matt Liston
Sheng-mei Ma
Adelaide Martens
Jean McLoughlin
James Michels
James Mitchell
Andrea Moore
Tamar Muskal
Melissa Ngan
Nokuthula Ngwenyama
Yoji Nimura
Rachel Oestreicher Bernheim
Vasuvedan Panicker
Olga Pecoraro
Marlena Pellegrino
Charlie Plowman
Movses Pogossian
Nevena Rakonjac
Bill Reed
Rufus Reid
Harumi Rhodes
Emily Ross
Suzanne Rousso
Jonathan Schapiro
Elizabeth and Justus Schlichting
Victor Schuster
Arjan Schütte
Maurice and Genie Schwartz
Carl Shuster
Monica Sinclair
Richard and Ingrid Suisman
Katie Sullivan
Kathryn Teng
Kristen Turner
Liliya Ugay
Brian Valentyn
Felicia Walker
Sally Waxman
Seth Weinreb
Stephen Williams
Sarah Wood
Cora Yamagata
In Honor of Stephanie Yoshida
Roger Zahab
Special thanks to The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, The Alice P. Ditson Fund at Columbia University, the BMI Foundation, New Music USA, The Williamson Foundation, The Heineman Foundation, and the New York State Council on the Arts.