ELY - The Ely Folk School will officially open June 6. Classes begin the next day and run well into September durng this inaugural season.

Folk schools are a Scandinavian tradition, and teach one-day or multi-day courses in topics ranging from woodcarving and painting to boatbuilding and basket- weaving. The folk school movement has taken off all over the United States; there are more than 100 in operation, including the North House in Grand Marais. 

The Ely organization was officially chartered in January and is utilizing one of the numerous vacant storefronts on Sheridan Street, locally known as the old Fishermen’s Headquarters building.

The grand opening celebration begins at 4 p.m. on June 6 and will feature music by Joey Kenig. To kick off the season, Kenig will be conducting a songwriting class the next day.

“Waves of like-minded community members discussing ideas started a ripple, and several ripples came together in a swell of enthusiasm for starting this endeavor,” said board member Susan Polege.

“Some of the considerations in forming the Folk School were the number of very talented artists and craftspeople in Ely who could share their skills,” she said. “The interest of other Elyites, creativity inspired by our surrounding wilderness, and Ely’s status as a tourist destination for many visitors who might also be inspired to take a class were also factors in launching the idea. This idea has been rumbling around for a while among many Elyites,” she said.

Last fall John and Tanner Ott offered a space, rent-free for a year, in one of their newly-purchased properties for an opportunity to start up, so volunteers organized quickly and created a board, a mission, and an organization.

Polege estimated that as much as $15,000 is needed for first-season expenses. A recent fund-raising effort brought raised about $24,000. “We asked for donations and individuals and businesses from the community of Ely and beyond have responded very generously,” Polege said.

The Folk School is hoping to collaborate with local educational organizations like ISD 696 and Vermilion Community College to expand the variety of courses available. The school’s Community Education program “would be a perfect fit,” said Ely 6-12 principal Mary McGrane. Other partnerships with Outward Bound, U.S. Forest Service, Ely’s Bear Center and Wolf Center, YMCA and the Bois Forte Band could also be part of a collaborative effort with the Folk School.

A seven-member board, including Polege, Paul Schurke, Greg Heide, Tanner Ott, Jo Campe, Sarah Malick-Wahls and Gerry Snyder have been working with more than 20 volunteers in laying the groundwork for the teachers, classes, marketing, financial, and other start-up considerations. The organization is also looking for a part-time class coordinator for the summer.

“Our mission is to build community by providing learning experiences celebrating history, culture, craft, and art of the people of Northern Minnesota,” Polege said.

She said the organization could use help with planning events, marketing, as well as others to join the board. “We also need greeters and ambassadors for the folk school to talk about our class calendar so that the classes will fill. That’s the heart of this effort and what really matters.”

If anyone would like to become involved in this new organization, please email your interest, ideas, or inquiries to info@elyfolkschool.org. The Ely Folk School is looking for more community involvement, especially those who would like to teach classes, volunteer, or donate in some way. For more information, go to their website at  www.elyfolkschool.org. 

“A folk school is a place to learn and teach traditional skills and functional crafts; and the feeling of community with other teachers and learners of all ages is my favorite part,” Polege said. “Our volunteer curriculum committee has been challenged with the process of getting so many instructors and classes into a summer schedule. We hope all that work will pay off and students will sign up for classes that interest them.”