Bring music, stories and friendship to your community
- Planned for access from day one. Seating, sensory needs and ways for everyone to take part are planned from the beginning.
- Led by a music therapist. Founder Dr. Yue Wu is a Neurologic Music Therapy Fellow.
- We do the heavy lifting. Performers, program and planning are on us.
An assembly your students will remember
At White Bear Lake Area High School, orchestra and special education students shared the stage for A Day of Hope. We plan with your music and special education staff, so nothing lands on a teacher’s desk unannounced.
What it can look like
All-school A Time for Light
A 60–90 minute concert of live music and personal stories, in your auditorium or gym.
Your students on stage with ours
Your band, choir or orchestra rehearses and performs alongside Light in the Well musicians.
Classroom Friendship Gathering
A smaller, hands-on time of music, art and conversation for one class or program.
Every partnership is shaped together. If none of these fit, tell us what you have in mind.
The most touching thing is seeing our regular education students hear the stories of our students with disabilities…I think it really matters.
Shannon Anderson, MA, Band Director, White Bear Lake Area High School
Make room for every gift in your congregation
Every person is made with gifts to share, yet many families living with disability have never felt fully at home in a church. A Light in the Well event says “you belong here” out loud and in music, and gives your people a way to keep saying it.
What it can look like
A Time for Light concert
An evening of music and stories of hope for your congregation and your neighbors.
Friendship Gathering
Share a meal, make music and make friends. Small, warm and easy to host in a fellowship hall.
Disability ministry evening
Bring nearby churches and disability ministries together for music, stories and fellowship.
Every partnership is shaped together. If none of these fit, tell us what you have in mind.
A story from Light in the Well
Sam and Kevin sat side by side at a Friendship Gathering. Afterwards, Sam asked for Kevin’s number. Today they are phone pals.
Programming that fills a room and opens it to everyone
Landmark Center has hosted us in St. Paul, and MSS and Laurel School of Music co-presented a Friendship Gathering in Eagan. Nonprofits, venues and community groups partner with us to bring together people who rarely share a room. We co-plan, co-promote and handle the production.
What it can look like
A public performance
A Time for Light at your venue, ticketed or free, promoted to both our audiences.
A co-hosted event
Built around your members or the people you serve, with your team and ours on the planning call.
A gathering series
Recurring Friendship Gatherings that give your community a place to keep showing up.
Every partnership is shaped together. If none of these fit, tell us what you have in mind.
A story from Light in the Well
Ethan, a pianist who is blind and autistic, and Tomisin, a singer, met over a song from Moana. Music opened the door; friendship grew on the other side.
Help more communities experience Light in the Well
Every event depends on people who make it possible: sponsors and local funders who help communities host, and volunteers who greet guests, set up and sit beside someone new.
What it can look like
Sponsor an event
Underwrite a performance or gathering for a school, church or community group. We’ll talk through what fits.
Join Tee-Up for a Cause
Our annual golf tournament fundraiser. Join as a player or a sponsor.
Volunteer
Welcome guests, help with setup, or join a Friendship Gathering and get to know someone new.
Every partnership is shaped together. If none of these fit, tell us what you have in mind.
My favorite part is seeing Bethany grow in her confidence and her ability to speak in front of people.
Dr. Patricia Maetzold, mother of Bethany, a Light in the Well performer
How it works
- Contact form. Get in touch with a few details about your group and what you have in mind.
- Call or email. We’ll get back to you by phone or email to work out which format fits your space and budget.
- Planning. We put the program and timeline together with you. Larger events need 6–12 months.
- The event. We bring the performers and run the event. Afterwards, we’ll check in about doing another one.
Past partners include
MacPhail Center for Music · Landmark Center · White Bear Lake Area Schools · Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies · MSS
Our programs
Most partnerships begin with one of these. Both can be shaped to fit your space and your people.
Live show
A Time for Light
A live, inclusive music and storytelling experience that brings people with and without disabilities together on stage and in the audience.
60–90 minutes · Schools, communities and performing arts venues
Community gathering
Friendship Gatherings
Welcoming times of music, food and conversation that help people with and without disabilities move from simply being together to becoming friends.
1.5–2 hours · Small and intimate or community-wide
Who does what
We bring
- Program design and artistic direction
- Performers, storytellers and facilitators
- Coordination of our performers and volunteers
- An access plan: seating, sensory needs and ways to take part
- Planning support from start to finish
You bring
- An accessible space with seating and room to perform
- Basic sound and a microphone (we can help with the rest)
- A few people for welcome, ushering and setup
- Help spreading the word in your community
- Rehearsal space, if the program needs it
Questions & answers
No. If you can offer an accessible space, enough time to plan, help with basic logistics and a real welcome for people of all abilities, we’d love to talk.
Stage lighting, projection, extra volunteers and rehearsal space all help, but none of them is required.
For a public performance, 6–12 months is ideal. A Friendship Gathering or smaller event can come together faster.
More time means more room for rehearsals, access planning, promotion and fundraising.
It depends on the size and shape of the event. We work out together what Light in the Well covers, what the host provides, and whether sponsorship, grants or shared funding make sense.
If budget is a concern, tell us early. Sponsorship and grants can sometimes help.
Access is part of the plan from the first conversation. We talk through your space, your audience and your performers, then plan seating, sensory needs and ways for everyone to take part.
If someone in your community needs a specific accommodation, tell us early and we’ll plan for it together.
No. What matters is a willingness to take part. Our musicians and facilitators meet each person where they are and help them find their place in the music.
Yes. We’re based in Minneapolis and work with partners across the Twin Cities and the surrounding region. If you’re farther away, ask anyway.
Reach out. A short conversation about your goals and your community is the best way to find out, and there’s no commitment.
Still wondering?
Email [email protected] or send us a note.
Let’s dream up your event
Tell us about your community, and we’ll be in touch to set up a conversation.