BE 2026

PARTNERS

POWERED BY COMMUNITY

From visionary individuals to vital public and private organizations, our supporters help bring the festival to life—fueling our mission to create transformative experiences through music, art, and community. We are deeply grateful for their belief in our work and their commitment to making Big Ears possible. Want to be part of something extraordinary? Join the individuals, companies, and institutions who bring Big Ears to life and help cultivate access to arts and culture in our community. To learn how you or your organization can support one of the world’s premier cultural events, contact us at development@bigearsfestival.org.

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MAJOR SUPPORTERS


PUBLIC SUPPORT


PRIVATE SUPPORT


SPONSORS


MEDIA PARTNERS


PROGRAM & COMMUNITY PARTNERS


INDIVIDUAL DONORS (2024-2025)

ICON: $10,000 and Greater

Anonymous
Anthony B. Creamer III
Ashley Capps & Birgit Clark

Bailey Family Foundation
Barbara Lewis
Chuck & Anne Parrish

Chuck & Robin Schlacter
Jessica Haywood
John & Patti Haslett

LUMINARY: $5,000-$9,999

Andrew Ari Clibanoff & Denise Beth Gotsdiner
Brenda & Joseph Zanola
Dave Lake & Linda Wright
Deborah Franklin
Dr. Jeffrey & Susan Aronowitz
James & Pamela Given

John Sanders & Gina Lisenby
John Taunton
Kathy Lindenmayer
Ken Rees & Jeanne Gulner
Marin VanHoy & Jamie Lewis
Phillip Lawson

R.J. Hinde & John T. Winemiller
Randy Goodman
Scott Partin
Stephanie Bush & Jill Nilson
Tom & Laurie Lee

VISIONARY: $2,500-$4,999

Andy Oakes
Barbara Burch
Chris Ballou
Cynthia Moxley & Alan Carmichael

J. Scott Moore
Joanna & John Skinner
Lindsey R. Nelson
Mark Grayson

Richard Paddock
Sally Mitchell & Crispin Spencer
Sibyl Wray

TRAILBLAZER: $1,000-$2,499

Andrew Bart
Andrew Wilson
Arnold Knightly
Bill & Jenny Eversole
Bruce and Terry Malmer
Carole & Bob Martin
Charles Debevoise & Celia Winchester
Craig & Karen Halvorson
Deborah Gross
Doug Campbell & Anika Toro
Dr. Rosalind I. J. Hackett
Eric Gordon & Judy Abel
Frank Dale Grubbs
Hamner & Peggy Hill
Iris Peabody

Jeanette Kelleher
Jeff & Amy Gilbert
Jeff Niblack & Megan O’Meara
Jerrold Root
Jim Hartsell
John & Dottie Habel
John & Karen Fischer
John & Kathleen English
Jonathan Frey
Ken & Patra Bonham Rule
Kevin Casey & Linden Craig
Louis Gross & Marilyn Kallet
Martha E. Begalla
Nadia Rahali
Paul Parris & Lou Smith

Paul Spanbauer
Peter & Laurie Brandow
Randy L. Bayers
Rob Roberts
Robert Thompson
Sandra Burdick
Scott Manzler
Susan Bush
Susan Gay
Thomas W Morris
Tom & Paulette Groves
Tom DeMarchi
Tommie Rush & Richard Jolley
Tyler Janow & Anthony Wilson

SEEKER: $500-$999

Alwyn Staley
Andrea Kihlstedt
Ben Bentley
Blaine & Jean Enderson
Brad & Nancy Bottger
Christopher Hardgrove
Dan Levy
Daniel J Temmesfeld
David Bither
Dexter T. Levandoski

Eron & Valerie Epstein
Hei Kyoung Park
John C. Allen, Jr. & Sarah Douglas
John L Zabriskie
Katharine Pearson Criss
Lauren Bowman
Madeline Rogero
Marcus Widenor
Mark Wollschlager

Mike Kalil
Mischa Cohen Peck
Neil & Maureen McBride
Nina Gregg & Doug Gamble
Peter Lewis
Richard Thurston & Marianne Pulfer
Sharon Leslie
The Gary and Evelyn Trachten Family Foundation
Thomas Bergh

VOYAGER: $100-$499

Adam McMillen & Jenna Spinelle
Adam Penly
Adriana Cordero & Geordie Grindle
Alex Anderson
Alison Lukacsko
Alyssa Salomon
Alyssa Taylor Wendt
Amy Abbott
Amy J. Elias
Amy Kay Gibson
Andrew Denson & Kelly Larson
Andrew Futreal & Jennifer McQuade
Andrew Saftel
Andria Yates
Anthony Pisarenkov
Arlo Bishop
Beth Coffey & Gary Reese
Beth Ford & Mike Driskill
Bill & Kat Dabbs
Bill & Maria McFee
Bill Ramsey
Bo Williams
Bob Deck
Brad Ashwell
Brooks Frank
Bruce Bond
Bryan Galatis
Buckner Hinkle
Cal Townes
Candance W. Reaves
Carolyn Duvall
Casey Fox & Jesse Mayshark
Catharine & Jeffrey Soros
Catherine & Bruce Henschen
Catherine Moirai
Celine Thackston
Charles Glisson & Joyce Feld
Chris Campbell
Chris Parham
Christine Freidel & Doug Varley
Christopher Woodby
Constance Lofton & Jennifer Rish
Dan R Talley
Dan Sherrick
Dave & Laura Weichel
Dave & Lee Ann Saslavsky
David & Patricia Earnhardt
David Gordon
David Maddox
David Reidy & Kathy Saunders
David Robertson
David Shearer
David Versage
Dean Sime & Lori West
Don Alan
Dr. Melquist
Drew Hanratty
Elizabeth Turner
Ellen Bebb & Finbarr Saunders
Eric Sargent
Erin Donnell & Aaron Pennington
Erin Gillison
Eugene Sobczak
Farley Ziegler
Francisco Quinteros
Gordon Coker
Graig Adler
Greg & Sharon Metz
Gregor Kalas
Gregory Tardy
Hank Bates
Henry Siegelson
Herbert Glatt
Ian Glazer

Jacqueline Taylor & Steven Sobol
James Bland
James Nicholas Ohler
Jan Aucker
Jan Carberry
Janet Cowperthwaite
Janet McCabe
Jarrett Carter
Jason Boice Tomlin
Jason Mlinarsik
Jason Shapiro
Jay Witherspoon
Jeff McCord
Jeff Rifwald
Jeff Scheafnocker
Jeffrey A Smith
Jeffrey Denton
Jennifer Corum
Jennifer Nizen & Richard Goldstein
Jenny & Kevin Brown
Jenny Daniel
Jill Cagney
Jill Ziegler
Joanne Kaliontzis
John Halaburt
John Hellie
John P Fogarty
John R. Kirchner
John Ware
Jon Gotterer
Jonathan Epstein
Jonathan Morris
Jose Fernandez
Joseph & Debra Corrado
Julia & Alan Lee
Justin Goldberg
Kathe & Tom Dunder
Katherine Hall
Kathy Bergman
Katie Durham
Ken & Cindy Moffett
Kendall Smith
Kenneth Bell
Kenneth Hooker
Kenneth L. Doroshow
Krista Tippett
Kristen Keane
Larry Birstock
Larry Schumer
Lauren Bufferd
Lauren Gray
Lee Garver
Leetha Yee
Leslie Taylor
Lisa Sorensen & Scott Schimmel
Lowell Pickett
Marc Gilley
Marc LaFountain
Marcia Tobin & Bailey Foster
Margaret Murray
Marie Young
Mark Adams
Mark Gentley
Mark Goldman
Mark Hellums
Mark Schaefer
Mark Sherman
Mark Siegel
Mark Stephens
Mary Beckley
Mary Perry
Mary Podio & John Harvey
Matthew McIlhenny
Matthew Richardson

Melanie Murphy
Melinda Wallis-Rosen & Steven Rosen
Michael & Nancy Lofaro
Michael Aiona
Michael Bernard
Michael D. Roach
Michael Gassmann
Michael Gutperle
Michael Kane
Michael Lipkin
Michelle & Tim Corbett
Mo Siegel
Mr. A. Mahler
Natalie Kurylo
Neil Coleman
Norm Veenstra
Owen Renn
Patricia Perone
Patrick A Huber
Paul & Sue Sheldon
Pete Stidman
Peter Biedermann
Peter Cohen
Peter Gibbins
Peter Sullivan
Phil Michael
Philip Hill
Phillip Disher & Carla Jeffries
Rachel Carlson
Reinhold Gras
Rich and Brenda Busofsky
Richard Blute
Richard Holcomb
Richard Schoenberger
Robert Rabinowitz
Robert Wood
Rodney Gibbs
Roger Gray
Ron Ozer
Ron Plybon
Russell Makowsky
Ryan Bartok
Sanjukta Misra
Sarah Kane
Sarah Lutman
Sasha Abraham
Scott Jackson
Sebnem Duzgun
Shannon Bryan
Sharon & Will Cheek
Shaun Wright
Stephen Pierce
Stephen Want
Steve Cohen & Lynne Harty
Steve Compton
Susan & Bob Penfold
Susan Brown
Susan Hibbs
T. Scott Pendleton
Theresa Teague
Thomas & Deborah Silverstein
Tim Campbell
Timothy Crosby
Tina Hegadorn
Tinah Utsman
Todd Nowell
Tom W. Garrison
Tony & Mary Lester
Tony Caldwell
Trey Jackson
Xiao-Fen Min
Zachary Ide

$1 – $99

Am Blatnik
Ann Strange
Carl Erickson
Carmella Cole
David Simons
Erez Siag

Harry Cowan Moss
Jeffrey Fuller
Margaret Corbit
Mark Winston
Matches Mon
Rodrigo Sanchez

Shannon K. Campbell & Dawn Kunkel
Simon Ryder
Sonia Brisson-Smith
Terry Furlong

In Honor Of

Charles Lloyd and Dorothy Darr
David Pratt

Madeline Rogero
Sarah Pirkle

In Memory Of

George R. Cooper, III
John Mark Russonello
Jordan Adam Aronowitz

Ona Piper Stone Stidman
Ron Miles
Shirley Vasy

Sun Ra
Tom Evered

DONATE NOW!

BIG EARS
03.26_03.29.26
Knoxville, TN · USA

Festival

Learn more about what The New York Times calls “one of the world’s greatest music bashes.”

Support

Be part of what makes Big Ears possible—give, volunteer, shop, or support emerging artists through scholarship to keep the music and mission alive.

Connect

Discover, learn, and get in touch—connect with Big Ears through stories, updates, and the people behind the festival.

Beyond

Explore ideas, concerts, and collaborations that take Big Ears beyond the festival stage.