Northern Lakes Arts Association is proud to present Nudibranchs: The Soft Sculptures of Anna Faye Crockett, a special exhibition featuring the imaginative work of the late Ely artist Anna Faye Crockett (1939–2023). At the center of the show are soft sculptures inspired by nudibranchs, brilliantly strange marine animals that look less like sea life and more like something dreamed up by an especially theatrical costume designer.

To sing, to dance, to tell stories, to sit in a dark room with your neighbors and watch something unfold that reminds you what it means to be alive, that is not a luxury. That is one of the oldest things we do. That is how we make meaning. That is how we grieve. That is how we celebrate. That is how we imagine something better. And if I am being honest, in a place like Ely, that matters even more.

Creative ecosystems do not automatically include everyone. In rural communities, access to the arts is shaped by cost, distance, time and familiarity long before anyone walks through the door. At NLAA, access is not an afterthought. It is designed intentionally through scholarships, Pay What You Can performances and layered programming that builds belonging through repeated participation.