Ely Folk School

Ely Folk School classes offer intergenerational non-competitive learning for life opportunities to people of all backgrounds and abilities. Our organization holds firm to an early philosophical premise that education embrace heart mind and body. Our mission is to build community by providing learning experiences that celebrate the wilderness heritage art history culture and craft of the people of northern Minnesota. The Folk School movement is growing as is EFS with a desire to increase mutually beneficial connection between people and their places for a sense of belonging. EFS focuses most on arts programming with opportunities in ceramics; fiber arts; folk arts; humanities; metalworking; Northwoods crafting; nourishment; and music and writing all designed around EFS values of freedom intergenerational stewardship joy resilience wellness and connection. EFS fosters a culture of inclusion to serve as a welcoming and safe space for folks of all opinions beliefs cultures races gender expressions sexual orientations ages and abilities. EFS serves a broad rural community with 400 programs annually serving 1,700 students from across the state learning from 75 individual instructors. 61% of students register with an address from the Ely area and 87% of students reside in Minnesota. Students rediscover a love of learning and art and build strong relationships with others. These results are reinforced by responses to our evaluation surveys as well as by students returning to take more classes. Across our class evaluation surveys in 2025 less than 5% of students reported feeling somewhat satisfied or unsatisfied with the experience and outcomes of their class. One reported The instructor had the gift to instill confidence in our abilities during the making of the basket. She was very encouraging and she happily took as much time as we needed to demonstrate all the particular parts during the basket making process. It was a satisfying joyful feeling to make a basket. I found basket making to be a bit challenging but with the instructors encouragement she provided the resilience needed to persevere through the process. The Ely Folk School hosts classes across nine different program areas - Fiber Arts; Folk Arts; Humanities; Metalworking; Music Voice & Page; Northwoods Skills & Crafting; Nourishment; and Youth & Family. Nourishment Folk Arts and Northwoods Skills & Crafting are our biggest program areas offering classes such as Slovenian Walnut Potica Norwegian Rosemaling and Craft Your Own Wooden Paddle.

The Ely Folk School Mercantile promotes area artists by offering a downtown store front with consignment and wholesale options. The Ely Folk School Mercantile celebrates the rich history and inspiration found in the Northwoods by uplifting local teaching artists. Artwork is displayed attractively with information about how visitors can learn to make something similar themselves through classes with the Ely Folk School. Also found in the Mercantile are tools and resources for beginning or continuing a craft journey and education. The Mercantile seeks to promote and preserve exploration of craft as an essential and accessible piece of life.