Read Our 2025 Impact report
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.
Your Donation supports
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Tuition Scholarships
Your gift helps us provide free or substantially reduced tuition for musicians and dancers attending the festival.
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COMMISSIONING FUND
Join us in celebrating innovation! Your support helps underwrite new work from gifted young composers.
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World-premiere performances
Our Fellows perform at world-class venues alongside leading artists in the field, bringing exciting new work to life.
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Professional Recording Sessions
Each Festival season concludes with a recording session at locations such as NYC’s fabled Reservoir Studios.
Ways to give
We offer several convenient options for your tax-deductible donation.
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Complete the form below. All online donations are processed securely via Stripe.
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A no-fee online giving option ideal for larger donations. Click HERE to access Next Fest’s 501(c)(3) charity page.
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Send a check made out to:
Next Edge Arts, Inc.
℅ Guy Story
151 Spring Street, Apt 3
New York, NY 10012. -
To make a contribution from your Donor-Advised Fund (DAF), please select “Next Edge Arts, Inc. (d/b/a The Next Festival of Emerging Artists)” as the recipient organization. Our IRS Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 84-3535421.
Note that gifts made through a donor-advised fund are not tax-deductible, as the deduction was already taken when the donor established the fund. Please check with your donor advised fund provider for more information.
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To make a contribution via stock transfer, or to make a tax-deductible IRA donation (for people 71 years old or older), please contact our executive director, Brian Valentyn, at executivedirector@next-fest.org.
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Matching Gifts are easy to arrange and make for an instant doubling of your support. Please reach out to us at executivedirector@next-fest.org for more information.
Complete the form below to give using Credit Card, Bank Transfer (ACH), PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
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 & Guy Story
Newton Freeman
Gary Hickling & Dennis Moore
James Michels
SEASON SPONSORS
Kitty Bateman
Lydia Kontos
Kerry Donahue & Guy Story
Karin Fong & Arjan Schütte
Elizabeth & Justus Schlichting
The New York State Council on the Arts
The Alphadyne Foundation
The Shearer-Owen Music Foundation
2025-26 Donors
Anonymous
Suzanne Ahn
Christopher Albee
Robert Austin
John Balaban
Michael Bishop
Tanya Blaich
Gregory Bottomley
Laura Bottomley
Yuka Nagashima & Robert Brewer
James Budinich
Grace Chung
Stephanie Collins
Duane Conover
Tracie Coyle
Madeleine Crouch
Ania Custodio
Emily Darigan
Corey Field
Becca Fox
Donna Weng Friedman
Justin Garrett Moore
Alexander Glantz
Eric Greenberg
Ann Grigg
Arlene Hajinlian
David Halpern
Paul Hawkshaw
Gary Hickling
Kurt Hunciker
Marilou & John Hyson
Andrew Jones
Pawan Kahndavilli
Christopher Keene
Daniel Kennedy
Aaron Kernis
Ambica Pawan Khandavilli
Helene Kisch
Nuru Kiyemba
Lydia Kwee
Susie Lee
Matt Liston
Sandra Masur
Barbara Mayer
Mary McKellar
Heather McRay
Vic & Sandra Masur
Barbara Mayer
Philip McCaffrey
Mary McKellar
Heather McRay
Hilary Meltzer
Peggy Monastra
Tamar Muskal
Mitch Newman
Melissa Ngan
Yoji Nimura
Vasudevan Panicker
Alisa Pearson
Olga Pecoraro
Elyssa Peters
Charlie Plowman
William Reed
Doris Reid
William Rixon
Elisabeth Salonen
Eleanor Schiff
Elizabeth & Justus Schlichting
Paul Schubert
Maurice Schwartz
Carl and Claudia Shuster
Monica Sinclair
Richard Smykla
Steven Somkin
Curtis Stewart
Kay Sullivan
Kevin Sullivan
Kathryn Teng
Elizabeth Toraason
Sarah Torrey
Greg Turner
Kristen Turner
Liliya Ugay
Thu Vo
Seth Weinreb
Nicole Wendl
Tyler White
Cora Yamagata
Tristan York
Stephanie Yoshida
Special thanks to The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, The Alice P. Ditson Fund at Columbia University, The Williamson Foundation, The Amphion Foundation, The Alphadyne Foundation, The Shearer-Owen Music Foundation, Stewart’s Shops, Upstate Theater Coalition for a Fairgame, and the New York State Council on the Arts.