Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp – Twin Lake, Michigan
Photo from Red Skelton performance in 1966. According to Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp: The Early Years by Fritz Stansell, the camp’s history records that Red Skelton was among the notable guest performers who appeared at the camp during its formative years. The book does not list the exact day or month of his appearance, but it confirms the year as 1966, which aligns with the camp’s early operational period and the era when Skelton was actively touring nationally .
Thirty years later both the shell and the camp had evolved. The image displays an advertisement and catalog request form for Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. It highlights their various fine arts departments, historical 1996 session dates, and their iconic Stewart Shell outdoor performance venue. The shell was enlarged to provide more of a protected covering for the performers and also some of the audience.
I had a chance to return to Blue Lake on July 29, 2026, for three evening rehearsals that culminated on Saturday, August 1, in a performance of Randall Thompson’s Testament of Freedom. Here is something I wrote in expectation of this milestone:
It’s been 30 years since I performed this piece on the very same stage with the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp International Choral Ensemble. Today as then I’m moved by the writing of Thomas Jefferson and this composition that begins and ends with the twin themes of liberty and life. Reflecting back I’ve lived two additional life times from the age when I performed this piece. I’m so grateful to Blue Lake and the many gifts it gave me. Camp was one of the only places I felt accepted by my peers all throughout school. We made some beautiful music together and Blue Lake took me places – including a tour of Europe. On that tour a highlight was singing in the European premier of Testament of Freedom with a combined German choir in Itzehoe. We were conducted by Fritz Stansell, founder of Blue Lake. The partnership and exchange program with Itzehoe was established in 1996 through contact initiated by Dieter Klische of the Blue Lake and the theater group from the Kaiser-Karl-Schule (KKS) in Itzehoe. This partnership came to exemplify the benefit of international exchange. Returning to this piece, the words of Jefferson feel more relevant than ever before. Particularly the ending, “I cannot die without a hope that life and liberty are on steady advance.” My heart is full of gratitude for Blue Lake, for all artists and musicians, and the people who support them. My greatest hope is that 30 years from now someone else will be able to sing this same piece on the same stage as I have had the honor. May it carry deep meaning for them in their time as it does for us, and may this country remain to preserve life and liberty. Thank you Mr. Jefferson for your words, Mr. Thompson for your music, and Mr. Stansell for your camp. To conclude, the Blue Lake motto, “vita brevis, ars longa” is fitting. May Blue Lake celebrate art in all its forms and endure for the benefit of future generations.
I found Blue Lake much as I remembered it, with only some minor changes.
The iconic Gothic-style radio tower is a unique wooden structure that features a distinctive pointed, shingled roof, arched latticed windows, and a decorative balcony. Built during the camp’s foundational years, the tower is a recognized architectural symbol of the arts camp and historically broadcast programming for Blue Lake Public Radio (WBLU / WBLV), providing classical music and arts coverage across West Michigan. The concrete pathway running past the structure includes tiered bench seating used by campers and visitors during the camp’s summer sessions.
The Stewart Shell amphitheater is on the campus of Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. The perspective showcases the impressive scale of the sweeping, arched roof structure that protects both the performers and a large section of the audience seating from the elements. Underneath the massive canopy, rows of bench seating slope downward toward the performance stage.
The stage of the Stewart Shell, an open-air amphitheater located at the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. The historic, wood-paneled pavilion is the central performance venue on campus. It features a sweeping acoustic shell designed to project sound outward to a large outdoor audience seating area. The stage is set up for a large ensemble, complete with music stands, chairs, and percussion equipment, while the prominent “Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp” illuminated sign hangs directly above the proscenium arch.
One of the changes I noticed and admired was how the Stewart Shell now has the “Fritz Stansell Stage,” named after the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp founder.
During the final rehearsal for Testament of Freedom on August 1, 2026, one got a sense of the stage and shell.
This image shows the rear exterior view Stewart Shell. The massive, arched roof structure curves over the large outdoor amphitheater stage, while the rustic brown building tucked directly under its left flank serves as support facilities. During the summer, this iconic venue hosts many of the camp’s featured symphony, band, and choir performances for the Summer Arts Festival.
Taken from stage August 1, 2026, the photograph showcases a joint performance by the camp’s Festival Orchestra. Dr. Steven Hankle is sharing the applause with performers on stage. This was the fulfilling end to many weeks of preparation for this performance. Rising clearly above the trees in the center background is the camp’s iconic wooden broadcast tower, home to Blue Lake Public Radio (WBLV 90.3 / WBLU 88.9), which frequently broadcasts these major festival performances live.
The Gilbert R. Stansell Bandstand, an ornamental Victorian-style gazebo, is located on the campus of Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. The structure is named in honor of Gilbert R. Stansell, a significant figure in the camp’s history who served as the long-time Director of the Blue Lake International Exchange Program. The bandstand features a classic cedar-shingle roof, decorative gingerbread trim, and a cupola. It sits in a central, sandy common area equipped with picnic tables and cornhole lawn games, serving as a gathering hub and outdoor venue for smaller ensemble performances and camp activities.
Thirty years between these two photos, one with my mom in 1996, as I am leaving for Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and a second in 2026 after completing performance of the Testament of Freedom.
A few photos from way back in 1996. Here we are setting the stage in Itzehoe, Germany. for a combined American and German choir to sing Testament of Freedom on July 7, 1996. The International exchanges with them and Blue Lake campers have continued ever since, and music has been such a great vehicle to keep us all closer. Remembering my mom especially who supported my passion for music. She passed away last December 21 but her positive influence remains with me. She was there for myHomecoming Concert on August 7, 1996, on the same stage I took to perform the same piece nearly 30 years later.. Vita brevis, ars longa.