Lark Traditional Arts (LTA) is a new nonprofit, but our flagship event, LARK CAMP, has been happening since 1979. The LTA crew and community has origins in the California folk music and dance scene, all of us performers, teachers, students, and enthusiasts embracing countless styles and cultural traditions, working together to present, preserve, and encourage wider participation in global roots and traditional music, dance, and performing arts.
When Lark Camp’s founder, Mickie Zekley, retired, community members formed LTA to continue the legacy of one of California’s premiere traditional music educational events. Now, five years and one global pandemic later, LTA has grown.
Besides our magical week of Lark Camp (August), we host our annual Jug Handle Campout (October) in Mendocino County, our FREE ONLINE Virtual Lark (February), three-days of streamed workshops and jams, and our “LTA Presents” education series presenting workshops and jams in the Bay Area and the Mendocino Coast.
Our Mission Statement is:
“Lark Traditional Arts is dedicated to creating educational events and assets that bring people together through traditional music, song, and dance.”
Lark Traditional Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 83-2424940)
LARK CAMP 2025: Aug 1st-9th
Registration is OPEN!
Lark Camp (established in 1980) is our family friendly Summer event where musicians, singers, and dancers learn global roots and traditional styles from all over the world.
Any and all information you need to register for camp is located here, including:
- Payment Options
- Work trade Options
- New Camper Discount
- Returning Camper Referral Discount
Registration includes the fees for your tuition and camping combined. Meals are a separate amount.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Lark Camp including Full Schedule and Instructor List
TICKETS NOW ON SALE!!!
LTA’s First Annual All-Day Fundraising Event
This is going to be an amazing day, and one heck of a night with a double bill of 2 of the Bay’s grooviest dance party bands, Wake The Dead and Fanfare Zamblaleta.
“WORLDS OF MUSIC” SCHEDULE
- DOORS: 3pm
- CLASSIC COUNTRY/CAJUN SESSION 3:30-5pm (Main Hall) (dance floor open) led by SUZY THOMPSON and FRANNIE LEOPOLD
- IRISH TUNES SESSION 3:30-5pm (Back Studio) led by SHAY BLACK:
- BALKAN DANCE LESSON 5-6pm (Back Studio) led by SUE WILLARD
- WAKE THE DEAD (Irish-laced Grateful Dead jams) 7:30-8:45pm
- FANFARE ZAMBALETA (Balkan/Roma Brass beats) 9 -10:30pm
Add in a Food Truck or two, some LTA giveaways, a glorious raffle, some beer, wine, soft drinks, and sweets, and we have ourselves a special day.
WORLDS OF MUSIC RAFFLE
- 2 PAIRS OF TICKETS TO THE FREIGHT AND SALVAGE
- 2 PAIRS OF TICKETS TO ASHKENAZ
- LTA SWAG BAG (includes 2025 Lark Camp T-shirt, LTA hat, LTA tote bag, Classic Lark Camp pin, and more)
- MORE ITEMS TBD, but we’re getting some good ones.
ALL PROCEEDS GO TO LARK CAMP
Virtual Lark 2025 (Feb. 7,8,9) was a wonderful success. We had 834 people signup and record-breaking numbers of participants in all of our 27 workshop sessions and 6 open jam sessions. Thank you so much to all our talented volunteer instructors and session leaders, to our hard working, above-and-beyond volunteer staff, and to all of our online “campers” who attended, learned, and had fun.
LTA 2025 UPCOMING EVENTS
| WHEN | WHAT | WHERE | LINK TO MORE INFO/TICKETS |
| March 22 | LTA “Worlds of Music” Spring Celebration (Fundraising Event) | Ashkenaz, Berkeley | LINK HERE |
| April 13 | LTA Presents: Julia Chigamba workshop/concert (Zimbabwean dance/music) (if you attend the workshop, you can perform the dance you learn at the concert that night) | Ashkenaz, Berkeley | DETAILS TO COME |
| Aug 1-9 | LARK CAMP | Mendocino Woodlands | LINK HERE |
And Thank You, Lark Community!
We surpassed our 2024 End of Year Fund Drive goal! 43 individual donors came together to raise $22,147. Our original goal was 100 individual donors to support our $20,000 goal.
The funds raised during the 2024 End of Year Fund Drive will be used to recover our roughly $20,000 loss on producing Lark Camp in 2024. In our 2nd year back from the Covid shutdowns, dramatic rising costs and fewer paid Campers were factors in our current production losses. We remain optimistic, as our woes are the same as most arts, performance, and nonprofit spaces these past few years.
In the future, as our camper numbers and production costs re-balance into breakeven status, our End of Year Fund Drive goals will become project specific, such as new equipment, community and educational outreach, and Program expansion.
LTA Community suggestions as to projects/goals to direct Fundraising efforts towards in the future are more than welcomed, just email: development@larktraditionalarts.org.
LTA thanks all of you for your support in every way, from reading these newsletters and coming to LTA events, to telling new folks about Camp, passing out brochures, or sharing links and social media posts. Everything matters. Cheers to you!
A small taste of the one-of-a-kind experience of Lark Camp, our shared happy place deep in the Mendocino redwoods. Once you experience it, you understand why our campers call it “Home.”
LTA ETSY STORE
for LTA and Lark Camp T-shirts, hats, merch, and more (https://www.etsy.com/shop/LarkTraditionalArts)
All sales go directly to LTA’s Educational Program, and support our vision of presenting, promoting, and preserving traditional music, arts, and dance from around the globe.