Interlochen Center for the Arts

Interlochen Center for the Arts

Founded in 1928, Interlochen Center for the Arts operates under the leadership of President Trey Devey and a board that includes Dana-Farber's Barrett J. Rollins and economist Mohamed A. El-Erian. The organization channels its endowment into a distinctive hybrid of educational programming, cultural production, and physical infrastructure, anchored by its northern Michigan campus. Interlochen's investment strategy spans diversified buyout, distressed debt, venture capital, and special situations, deploying across early-stage through expansion-stage opportunities and fund-of-funds commitments. The entity's balance sheet supports a network of performing and visual arts venues — including Kresge Auditorium, the DeRoy Center for Film Studies, and the Dow Center for Visual Arts — as well as the Interlochen Public Radio station, a charter NPR member. The 1,200-acre campus and the affiliated Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow House represent significant real asset holdings. The board includes financial operators Saul Goldstein of ActivumSG Capital Management and Scott Stevens of Pamlico Capital, alongside philanthropic figures like Molly Ferrante and former chair Glynn Williams. The foundation maintains close ties to major artistic partners, including the New York Philharmonic, which provides a pipeline for student performances and touring. Interlochen's structural differentiator lies in its integrated model: a working endowment that directly owns and operates a performing arts network, a campus-scale real estate portfolio, and a public media outlet. This approach blends mission-driven programmatic spending with long-term capital appreciation in a way that distinguishes it from both pure grantmaking foundations and traditional institutional allocators.