Seth Bernard
Born and raised on Earthwork Farm in rural northern Michigan, Seth Bernard was brought up in the folk and farmstead culture with an enriching integrative experience of the arts, agriculture, and community. In 2001, Seth founded Earthwork Music, a Michigan-based collective of independent musicians who focus their efforts on environmental advocacy, social justice, creative empowerment and community building. As the Artistic Director of The Quest," Seth has partnered with SEEDS, the Library of Congress, and the National Park Service to bring experiential arts and ecological education to children in northern Michigan in after-school programs and summer camps. As the Director of the Musical Ambassador Program for On the Ground, Seth has helped cultivate partnerships and cultural exchanges between communities in southern Mexico, Ethiopia, and eastern Congo and communities in Michigan with a focus on direct collaboration between youth. Seth is on staff at Interlochen Arts Academy for the summer high school singer songwriter program and presents assemblies at schools across Michigan through On Stage 4 Kids. Seth is a NMEAC Environmentalist of the Year Award winner for Arts Education and serves on the Crosshatch Art Team, advocating for artists and farmers. Seth is a prolific songwriter, a pragmatic performer, a multiple Jammie award-winning recording artist and producer, and has been a longtime leader and steward of Michigan's music community. His 3-year-old daughter Iris has recently helped him enter his watercolor phase as a visual artist. He was educated at Lake City Schools, Interlochen Arts Academy, and the University of Michigan and though he did not graduate from the latter, he has returned as a visiting instructor and performer on multiple occasions.