THE ARK

Tickets cost $20 and go on sale at 10 a.m. this Friday.

ANN ARBOR, MI -- The Ark will be hosting its 35th annual Storytelling Festival this weekend, bringing in six local and regional storytellers to share a variety of tales. The Ark, 316 S Main St. in Ann Arbor, will be hosting six local and regional storytellers on Feb. 26 for its 2022 Storytelling Festival. Storytellers include Steve Daut, Lorelle Otis, Jane Fink, Rich Swanson, who are from the Ann Arbor Storytellers’ Guild. In addition to its annual event at The Ark, the Ann Arbor Storytellers’ Guild is known for its StoryFest, an annual fall storytelling event. The Ark’s Storytelling Festival will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 26. with both in-person and online options.

ANN ARBOR, MI — Acoustic Routes and The Ark have set a new date for Lucinda Williams and Her Band to perform live at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor. The concert has been rescheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 8, at the theater at 603 E. Liberty St. The benefit show was originally set for Feb. 11, but is being postponed to the spring due to the recent COVID-19 surge, organizers said. “We look forward to a great night of music and making a difference in the fight against hunger in our community,” Acoustic Routes Founder Jim Cain said in a statement. The Michigan Theater is requiring proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 for all guests attending.

Organized by Acoustic Routes and The Ark, the performance will support The Breakfast at St. Andrew’s during its 40th anniversary.

The Ark announced Friday it is canceling this year's Ann Arbor Folk Festival due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2022 Ann Arbor Folk Festival has been called off due to the COVID-19 surge in Michigan. Organizers made the announcement Friday in a post...

ANN ARBOR, MI -- The Ann Arbor Folk Festival has been canceled for the second time in three years, The Ark, which hosts the event, announced on Friday. It hosted a virtual festival in 2021. The Folk Festival originally was planned during spring and summer, when Michigan was beginning to lift restrictions. Under these circumstances, presenting the Folk Festival at Hill Auditorium with Covid protocols in place was a reasonable undertaking,” The Ark said. Read more from The Ann Arbor News:Emmylou Harris, Glen Hansard to headline 45th Ann Arbor Folk FestivalToledo man says he was shot in the leg while on Tinder date in Ann ArborSaint Joseph Mercy Health System pledges $1M to address homelessness in Washtenaw County

See Lucinda Williams in concert for a good cause on Feb. 11.

Sara Watkins will emcee the 45th Ann Arbor Folk Festival.

ANN ARBOR, MI -- The Ark has announced its musician lineup for the 2022 Folk Festival, with headliners including Glen Hansard, Punch Brothers, Emmylou Harris and Patty Griffin. This is the first in-person Folk Festival since January 2020, after the coronavirus pandemic suspended its live operation. Gold, Platinum and Benefactor-level tickets include benefits such as personalized seating, a parking pass and an invitation to the Folk Festival Pre-Glow Party before Saturday’s event. Tickets for Ark members at the $20 Friend level and up can buy pre-sale tickets Dec. 6 trough Dec. 8. Read more from The Ann Arbor News:Finding beauty in meat and cheese is a passion for this Ann Arbor charcuterie board businessAnn Arbor schools closing Thanksgiving week due to COVID uptick, staffing challengesJudge dismisses charges against owner of Ypsilanti crematorium

Folk and roots music fans can take part in the two-day festival at Hill Auditorium, 825 N. University Ave., on Friday, Jan. 28, and Saturday, Jan. 29

“Proof of full vaccination” will be required for everyone entering the downtown Ann Arbor entertainment venue

See The Ark's lineup of September events.

Help raise funds for The Ark during an evening of music, food and more.

ANN ARBOR, MI – Nashville-based singer/songwriter Kim Richey had the honor Thursday night of being the first artist to perform for an in-person audience at The Ark in more than a year. The Ark, fully renovated at 316 South Main St. in downtown Ann Arbor in early 2019, closed to the public in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, it’s hosted virtual live-streamed shows, including a virtual Ann Arbor Folk Festival, and as an alternate venue for the partially-rained-out Ann Arbor Summer Festival. Richey, who performs a blend of country and folk music, was also featured in the virtual Ann Arbor Folk Festival, performing with the Accidentals to open the first night of the livestream event. The Ark has established coronavirus safety protocols for the return of its in-person shows.

ANN ARBOR, MI — Live music is returning to the stage of downtown Ann Arbor’s premier folk music venue. The Ark concert venue on Main Street is reopening its doors for an in-person show featuring Nashville songwriter Kim Richey on Thursday night, July 29. The Ark has been doing shows virtually since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020. Full-capacity shows start with Marc Cohn on Aug. 22, Molly Tuttle on Aug. 26, Lee DeWyze on Aug. 27, George Bedard on Aug. 28 and Paul Thorn on Aug. 29. With the return to live audience shows, The Ark has coronavirus safety protocols in place.

Friday's concerts at the Ann Arbor Art Fair have been canceled.

The Ark will soon reopen its doors for live shows.

The Ark will present two stages at the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair July 15-17.

Here’s a rundown of some areas to explore in Ann Arbor.

Here’s a rundown of some areas to explore in Ann Arbor.

“I miss it,” Jeffries said of the thrill of live music. “There are lots of different comfort levels that people have about returning to live music,” James said. - The finished remodeled facade of the Ark, 316 S Main St. in Ann Arbor Monday, Feb. 11 2019. “There is no experience like the experience of being together with people that are riding the same wave,” James said of live music. “It’s quite apparent that there is an increased desire for live music everywhere in America, post-COVID,” Berry said.

The Ark and Ann Arbor Summer Festival will put on three outdoor benefit shows in June.

Birds of Chicago perform at U-M's Hill Auditorium at the 41st Ann Arbor Folk Festival on Jan. 27, 2018. (Credit: Andrew Rogers)ANN ARBOR – The National Endowment for the Arts has approved a $10,000 Grants for Arts Projects award for The Ark to support the Ann Arbor Folk Festival. The Ark, an intimate folk music venue in downtown Ann Arbor, has been presenting, preserving and encouraging folk, ethnic and roots music for 55 years. Each year, The Ark presents the Ann Arbor Folk Festival at the end of January in the University of Michigan’s historic Hill Auditorium. “The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support this project from The Ark,” Arts Endowment Acting Chairman Ann Eilers said in a statement.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Like many holidays in 2020, Valentine’s Day in 2021 is going to feel different. Listen to nationally-recognized storytellers Lyn Ford, Chetter Galloway, Antonio Rocha and emcee Steve Daut, president of the Ann Arbor Storytellers Guild. Work together to draw a design on a ceramic lidded container in one of Gutman Gallery’s Take & Make: Valentine’s Day Art Box. The Ann Arbor Art Center is offering special Valentine’s Day Art Boxes. AdRead: Melon, bonfires, mass weddings: How Valentine’s Day has been celebrated around the worldGalentine’s DaySwap out Valentines for Galentines.

ANN ARBOR – The Ark announced Monday that its 44th Ann Arbor Folk Festival will be extended by one day for a special tribute to John Prine by various Michigan artists. On Sunday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m., tune in to the virtual John Prine tribute show, which will feature covers of his classic songs performed by artists with Michigan roots. Read: Jeff Daniels will host this year’s Ann Arbor Folk FestivalStreaming passes ($10) are now on sale for the show, which will be available for unlimited viewing through Feb. 7. John Prine (Credit: Andrew Rogers)“When we say The Ark wouldn’t be what it is today without John Prine, that’s not just a figure of speech,” read a news release by The Ark. “John Prine was the headliner for the very first Ann Arbor Folk Festival in 1976, at a time when the club was deep in debt, and closing the doors was a distinct possibility.

Todd Snider will perform at the virtual Ann Arbor Folk Festival on Saturday, Jan. 30. ANN ARBOR – The Ark announced on Monday a change to the 44th Ann Arbor Folk Festival’s Saturday night lineup. Read: Jeff Daniels will host this year’s Ann Arbor Folk FestivalTicketsMember pricingSingle night passes: $20 livestream only; Silver Bundle $60 livestream + exclusive #arkfamily festival shirt; Gold Bundle $110 all benefits of Silver + festival branded mask; Platinum Bundle $225 all benefits of Gold + festival mug and poster; Benefactor Bundle $450 all benefits of Platinum + snack basket. Public saleSingle night passes: $25 livestream only; Silver Bundle $75 livestream + exclusive #arkfamily festival shirt; Gold Bundle $125 all benefits of Silver + festival branded mask; Platinum Bundle $250 all benefits of Gold + festival mug and poster; Benefactor Bundle $500 all benefits of Platinum + snack basket. There are great ticket bundles that include exclusive Folk Fest merchandise (not available for separate purchase), as well as a livestream only ticket starting at $25.

Jeff Daniels will emcee the Ann Arbor Folk Festival for the second time. ANN ARBOR – Actor and musician Jeff Daniels will emcee the 44th Ann Arbor Folk Festival, The Ark announced on Wednesday. Lineup for the 44th Ann Arbor Folk Festival. TicketsMember pricingSingle night passes: $20 livestream only; Silver Bundle $60 livestream + exclusive #arkfamily festival shirt; Gold Bundle $110 all benefits of Silver + festival branded mask; Platinum Bundle $225 all benefits of Gold + festival mug and poster; Benefactor Bundle $450 all benefits of Platinum + snack basket. Public saleSingle night passes: $25 livestream only; Silver Bundle $75 livestream + exclusive #arkfamily festival shirt; Gold Bundle $125 all benefits of Silver + festival branded mask; Platinum Bundle $250 all benefits of Gold + festival mug and poster; Benefactor Bundle $500 all benefits of Platinum + snack basket.

ANN ARBOR, MI - Emmy award-winning actor, director, singer/songwriter and Chelsea native Jeff Daniels is joining the 44th annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival lineup, serving as the event’s emcee. Daniels was among the additions to the Folk Festival lineup announced by The Ark on Wednesday, Jan. 6, along with Nashville singer/songwriter Kim Richey. The upcoming Folk Festival offers attendees the option of livestreaming the festival for $25 per night. Additional bundles with access to livestreaming the festival and a donation to The Ark include Folk Festival merchandise. In addition to the live performances from The Ark, other artists will submit their own live performances to the festival, which will be presented for the first time during the Folk Festival.

ANN ARBOR – The Ark announced on Tuesday that it has added seven additional artists to its two-night Ann Arbor Folk Festival lineup. The 44th annual festival is going virtual this year due to the pandemic and will take place Jan. 29 and 30. The artists added include Kiefer Sutherland, Gina Chavez, Willie Watson and Ron Pope on Friday night’s bill and Crys Matthews, Andrea von Kampen and David Bromberg on Saturday night’s bill. TicketsMember pricingSingle night passes: $20 livestream only; Silver Bundle $60 livestream + exclusive #arkfamily festival shirt; Gold Bundle $110 all benefits of Silver + festival branded mask; Platinum Bundle $225 all benefits of Gold + festival mug and poster; Benefactor Bundle $450 all benefits of Platinum + snack basket. Public saleSingle night passes: $25 livestream only; Silver Bundle $75 livestream + exclusive #arkfamily festival shirt; Gold Bundle $125 all benefits of Silver + festival branded mask; Platinum Bundle $250 all benefits of Gold + festival mug and poster; Benefactor Bundle $500 all benefits of Platinum + snack basket.

ANN ARBOR, MI - Despite being unable to bring the 44th annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival to a live audience, organizers have taken steps to make sure the upcoming two-night festival has some familiar elements. “The Folk Festival is a big piece of that, because that’s bringing a big event into people’s homes. It’s connects them to The Ark,” James said. Additional bundles with access to livestreaming the festival and a donation to The Ark include Folk Festival merchandise, Chaffer Authier said. “One nice thing is that because it’s virtual, folks can access that from wherever they are in the world,” Chaffer Authier said.

ANN ARBOR – The Ark has announced the lineup for the 44th Ann Arbor Folk Festival - At Home to be held on Jan. 29 and 30. Member pricing includes:Single night passes: $20 livestream only; Silver Bundle $60 livestream + exclusive #arkfamily festival shirt; Gold Bundle $110 all benefits of Silver + festival branded mask; Platinum Bundle $225 all benefits of Gold + festival mug and poster; Benefactor Bundle $450 all benefits of Platinum + snack basket. 2-night Series passes: $37.50 livestream only; Silver Series Bundle $115 livestream + 2 exclusive #arkfamily festival shirts; Gold Series Bundle $200 all benefits of Silver Series + 2 festival branded masks; Platinum Series Bundle $400 all benefits of Gold Series + 2 festival mugs and one poster; Benefactor Series Bundle $800 all benefits of Platinum + 2 snack baskets. Public pricing includes:Single night passes: $25 livestream only; Silver Bundle $75 livestream + exclusive #arkfamily festival shirt; Gold Bundle $125 all benefits of Silver + festival branded mask; Platinum Bundle $250 all benefits of Gold + festival mug and poster; Benefactor Bundle $500 all benefits of Platinum + snack basket. 2-night Series passes: $45 livestream only; Silver Series Bundle $135 livestream + 2 exclusive #arkfamily festival shirts; Gold Series Bundle $225 all benefits of Silver Series + 2 festival branded masks; Platinum Series Bundle $450 all benefits of Gold Series + 2 festival mugs and one poster; Benefactor Series Bundle $900 all benefits of Platinum + 2 snack baskets.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Musician Laith Al-Saadi will have a free concert on Saturday, Nov. 14, thanks to Ann Arbor’s The Ark and Michigan Theater. As part of the Ark Family Room Series, the 8 p.m. concert can be watched through Facebook Live. Al-Saadi gained national fame when he brought his unique blend of blues and rock to season 10 of NBC’s “The Voice” in 2016. The Nov. 14 concert is free but donations made through a virtual tip jar will support Al-Saadi, the Michigan Theater and The Ark. Over the course of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, The Ark has offered free and paid virtual events to keep music alive, support musical artists and to help audiences connect with their favorite musicians.

ANN ARBOR – As the coronavirus pandemic stretches toward the end of the year, live music feels like a thing of the past. Stony Lake Brewing in Saline and Acoustic Routes will be hosting a big screen watch party for The Ark’s live stream of multi-platinum group The Verve Pipe on Saturday at 8 p.m. The Ark is presenting the special live stream along with The Listening Room in Grand Rapids. According to a press release, the watch party is “designed around Michigan’s public health directives" and aims to support performance venues and Michigan artists during the pandemic. To watch the show from home, you can purchase a $20 live stream access here.

After the Ann Arbor Folk Festival, the Fall Fundraiser is The Ark’s second largest fundraiser each year. Tickets $35 and up include a limited edition T-shirt from the event. Silver - $100Includes one livestream pass (only one pass necessary per household), exclusive, limited edition WB3/Ark #ArkFamily T-shirt. Bronze - $35Includes one livestream pass (only one pass necessary per household), limited edition WB3/Ark #ArkFamily T-shirt. Livestream-only pass - $10Includes one livestream pass (only one pass necessary per household).

It launched the free Ark Family Room Series in April and offers between 15 to 20 virtual programs a month. It wants to raise $25,000 to keep funding programs, like its Ark Family Room Series, that go beyond Ann Arbor. Some supporters are local and loyal fans of the music venue, but others are in Australia, Ireland and the state of Washington. Currently, it is working to develop ticketed events and is exploring ways to make virtual programs more enriching and engaging for patrons. RelatedJeff Daniels to perform at The Ark in Ann ArborAnn Arbor music hub hosts award-winning lineup during the Ark Family Room July concerts

ANN ARBOR, Mich. Jeff Daniels will perform a virtual concert at The Ark in Ann Arbor on July 27. The 8 p.m. concert will include original songs and personal stories from the actor, director and singer-songwriters stage and movie career. After the concert, there will be a 15 to 30 minute Q&A session where Daniels will answer audience questions. In 2019, Daniels visited Ann Arbor for the showing of his film Guest Artist, which was filmed in his hometown of Chelsea, Michigan. Related: Ann Arbor music hub hosts award-winning lineup during the Ark Family Room July concerts

ANN ARBOR, Mich. Doors to its downtown Ann Arbor venue may be temporarily closed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) but The Ark is still offering a lineup of concerts online. The free concert series is called the Ark Family Room Series and features performances from a variety of artists. See the July lineup below:Dick SiegelThursday, July 2 at 8 p.m.A versatile composer, Siegel is known for his wide range of songs ranging from jump blues, Buddy Hollystyle pop, folk balladry and new folk lyricism. For more information, visit the events page. Joe JencksFriday, July 24 at 8 p.m.Based in Chicago, Jencks weaves his activism, musical skill, lyrical storytelling and folk music.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan has given Relief and Resiliency grants to five Ann Arbor arts and culture nonprofit organizations. The Ark, Neutral Zone, Youth Arts Alliance, Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum and 826michigan have each received a $10,000 grant from the COVID-19 Arts and Creative Community Assistance Fund. In partnership with CultureSource, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan awarded the grants to help organizations with financial pressures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Funding was supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, DeRoy Testamentary Foundation, Ford Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Leinweber Foundation, Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, Peck Foundation and William Davidson Foundation. Find a list of all of the organizations awarded grants here.

Individuals and businesses alike are taking to social media posting blackout images, some plain and some with text, as a show of unity with the black community. Several local organizations, businesses and departments at the University of Michigan have posted online in solidarity with Blackout Tuesday. #BlackOutTuesday pic.twitter.com/qOkBpuWO3e Michigan Athletics (@UMichAthletics) June 2, 2020The Ann Arbor Film Festival stands in solidarity with our filmmakers, artists, audience members, and everyone protesting against police brutality and the injustices against the Black community. pic.twitter.com/ZnpXJSN3cT Ann Arbor Film Festival (@AAFilmFest) June 2, 2020Destination Ann Arbor stands in solidarity against discrimination, racism, and violence. #blackouttuesday pic.twitter.com/hebJrSPRPl Destination Ann Arbor (@AnnArbor) June 2, 2020Related reading:

The Second City will perform at The Ark on Sept. 6 and 7. Photo | Tim SchmidtANN ARBOR, Mich. - At 8 p.m. on Sept. 6 and 7, laugh until you cry with Chicago-based comedy group The Second City at The Ark in downtown Ann Arbor. Known for cultivating the careers of numerous popular comedians and funny people such as Chris Farley and Tina Fey, The Second City comedy troupe has a reputation for side-splitting comedy and sassy sketch comedy. Celebrating 59 years of comedy, the group brings its particular brand of funny to various locations while on tour, exposing audiences to the next generation of The Second City comedians. Adding their own personality to The Second City greatest hits, this troupe of comedians will reinvigorate and update classic skits, original songs and punchy improv.

The John F. Kennedy Airport is building a new facility, aptly named "The Ark," for pets that are traveling. CBSN's Vladimir Duthiers shows us the mock-ups.