Your gift will ensure that The Bates Dance Festival continues to provide dancers, students and our community access to classes, performances, events and programs that we are proud to offer each and every year. Here are some ways your gift supports our mission of offering a transformative dance experience to all who participate.

An average scholarship is $675 for a residential training program and $215 for a student in our Youth Arts Program.
Each community event costs approximately $2,000 in fees, marketing, transportation, and supplies.
The Artist in Residence program costs $18,000 to support 4 companies to develop new work and show that work to our students and audiences.

Your gift makes a difference!

Current Supporters

The Bates Dance Festival gratefully acknowledges the following contributors for their generous gifts, received since June 1, 2026

$25,000 +

National Endowment for the Arts, New England Foundation for the Arts

$10,000 +

National Performance Network, Jean Wilson and John Roberts

$1,000 – $9,999

Amelia Brown, Androscoggin Savings Bank, Baxter Brewing, Estate of Suzanne Crowell, Davinci’s Eatery, Platz Associates, Running Brook Home Solutions

$500 – $999

Gregory Catellier and Kristin O’Neal, Kayla Farrish, David Plavin, Sloane Shevrin, Christopher R. Tine and Michael Ohlhausen, Darby Ray and Raymond Clothier

$250 – $499

Shakia F. Barron, Lynda P. Fitzgerald

$100 – $249

Scott Andrew, Catherine L. Bradford, Lynne Kelly in memory of Bette Thibeault, Kenneth Nelson in memory of Bette Thibeault,

Up to $99

Margaret Atwood, Louis S. Dennig IV ’07, Kristin Guglietti, Maria E. M. Toppi, Elizabeth A. Yguico ’20,

Additional thanks to:

The Bates Dance Festival wishes to thank these individuals and businesses for their valued support: Joanne Roberts, Erik Oleson, Victoria Blaine-Wallace, Courtney Smith, Mike Quinn, Kati Vecsey, Brenda Pelletier, Christine Schwartz, Justin Good, Jason Moreau, Mary Pols, Phyllis Graber Jensen, Christine Holden, and the many Bates College employees who provide ongoing support and assistance. Many thanks to The Advisory Board for their tremendous contributions. Thanks to our Community Partners – The Maine People’s Alliance, L/A Arts, Maine MILL, New Beginnings, Tree Street Youth, The Lewiston Farmers Market, Nezinscot Farm.

Significant support has been provided by the New England Foundation for the Arts National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon foundation, with additional support from the National Endowment for the Arts; and the New England States Touring Program made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts Regional Touring Program and the six New England state arts agencies.

The Bates Dance Festival is a member of the National Performance Network which supports artist’s residencies and performances with funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Ford Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency).