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Post-Conference Report:
36th Annual Folk Alliance International Conference
February 21 -25, 2024
Thank you for an incredible year in KC. This year's conference was full of professional opportunities and networking. Over the week, our team consistently heard feedback and commentary that the time felt communal and energetic. FAI is grateful for the space to host an event that creates career trajectories and community simultaneously.
2,264 Attendees
47 Countries
El Pisador Pony from Spain (listen below)
An International Community
This year featured artists and industry representation from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Catalonia, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Guyana, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sverige, Sweden, Trinidad, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela, and Wales.
Amrita Soon (Malaysia)
El Pony Pisador (Spain)
Puuluup (Estonia)
Alchemy
A Transformative Force
This year's theme Alchemy: A Transformative Force explored how changes in culture alter the ways we make and share music, which, in turn, transforms lives and changes the world. The power of alchemy can manifest, for example, when an artist processes their individual pain into words and vibrations that connect and comfort listeners. The alchemy theme invited all to lean into processes of discovery and experimentation, and to think about how we nurture the sparks of creativity that light fires of change.
Keynote:
Lucy Kalantari
Lucy Kalantari took the stage to chat with Saul Paul about producing alchemy. She guided listeners on her approach to transforming creativity while assisting artists to transform stories and sounds.
Watch on youtubeKeynote:
Noel Paul Stookey
Noel expressed how difficult it is to speak about something you have lived rather than know anything about. All joking aside, he encouraged all as he created a narrative for the progression of popular music from early air play to the recent as it pertained to folk. He defined alchemy as living close to the reason for your being with a hunger and thirst that supersedes entertainment value. Music has a way of unlocking togetherness that is in us. Alchemic Folk music is authentcity and care in the intention.
watch on youtube162 Official Showcases
The Joy Lapps Project
We were encouraged by the diverse talent of the Official Showcase lineup, featuring 162 artists from 39 countries showcasing the music of various genres including bluegrass, blues, Americana, Celtic, global roots, and more...
..like The Joy Lapps Project!
Hear it all on our Official Showcase Artist Playlist!
Listen to the official FAI playlist from Spotify to hear all the Official Showcase Artists from 2024:
Matt Anderson
Yella P of Memphissippi Sounds
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Gina Chavez
2,515 Private Showcases
R.O. Shapiro in the Ethno USA room
Navigating the labyrinth of hotel rooms that hosts the private Showcases is always a joyous way for attendees to discover new talents from around the globe. This year continued this time honored portion of conference programming with 88 private showcases hosts, 639 private showcase artists, and 2,515 private showcases.
Pictured above is R.O. Shapiro in the Ethno USA room:
400
Agent/Presenter Networking Meetings
379
Scholarships Awarded to First-Time Attendees
(includes Artist, Industry, and Indigenous Scholarships)
48
Panels and Premiere Presentations
Attendee Breakdown
Artists
49%
Industry
26%
Associate
11%
Presenter
9%
Media
6%
Presenter Breakdown
Festival
40%
Concert Series
27%
Venue
17%
House Concert
16%
This year’s International Folk Music Awards highlighted the achievements of our international folk music community ranging from recognition for folk legends, emerging stars, and industry leaders. Some of the numerous list of special guest performances included Joy Clark, Kaia Kater, Mireya Ramos, Willie Watson, Malena Cadiz, and The Steel Wheels (house band).
Watch on youtube
Song of the Year
Workin' on a World
Iris DeMent
Album of the Year
City of Gold
Molly Tuttle
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Black American Music Summit
sponsored by BlaqOut
The second annual Black American Music Summit – which connects FAI 2024 attendees who identified as black, mixed, or of African ancestry – held space for intentional conversation and community building, featuring four days of discussion centered around the theme "Grounded and Growing: Deepening Roots and Reaching Higher." Each session featured an hour-long expert panel, followed by an hour-long open conversation around challenging narratives, emphasizing inclusion, breaking out of narrow definitions, and sharing best practices for growth and success.
Wellness Summit
2024 marked the inaugural year of FAI's wellness summit. The event hosted a full day of panels on stress management, healthy touring landscape, wellness strategies for managers/artists, and optimizing health. In addition to panels, daily yoga and meditation was available before conference activities were in full stride. Other amenities offered were one on one wellness coaching and Sight & Sound Clinic appointments.
RAMP'D
RAMPD President, Precious Perez, alongside Jai Yoko, and Joey Stuckey led a thorough and educational conversation on daily industry life for recording artists and industry professionals with disabilities.
Affinity Groups
Marking their sixth year, our Affinity Groups program continue to be an essential community-building aspect of the conference. Folks with shared identities came together to support each other and meet new people in the community. This year, groups included activists, folks with disabilities or chronic illness, caregivers, parents, folks coping with loss, 55+, leaders under 35 years, pan-asian folks, Latine' and hispanic folks, women, and LGBTQ2IA+.
House Concerts Unlocked
sponsored by Side Door
House Concerts Unlocked have become one of the most popular activities of the conference. Participants are given two minutes each to get on stage and pitch as to why they are either the perfect artist for a house concert audience, or the perfect house concert for a performer to play. This year as anticipated was two days of standing room only.
Bimiwizch: International Indigenous Music Summit
The International Indigenous Music Summit (IIMS) returned this year with a myriad of activities. The IIMS hosted an annual community gathering for indigenous friends and relatives attending the conference, presented a powerful panel on 'art as an act of survival', and produced an energetic private showcase Friday evening.
visit iimsAlynda Segarra Interview with Ann Powers
The conversational interview was reminiscent of two friends meeting for coffee or tea to catch up on life. Anne Powers and Alynda Segarra chatted over topics of identity, honoring your origins, and Segarra’s newest album, The Past is Still Alive.
Coming soon to youtubeLegal Summit
FAI partnered with the American Bar Association to present our first legal summit. The full day of panels covered topics such as ethics, equitable contracts, visas, AI & the law and more. It was available to attorneys seeking CLE credits as well as all conference registrants.
Peer Sessions
Peer Sessions are highly anticipated breakout sessions of specific industry roles. Attendees connect over specific topics and sharing resources and ideas with one another. This years session were available to managers, house concerts, agents, festivals, folk radio djs and programmers, media, publicity, large venues, pacs, theatres, small venues, concert series, record labels, radio promoters, and artists.
Learn MoreCome to the next one!
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