FAI 2026: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
January 21-25, 2026
- FAI 2026
- Artists
- Attending
- partners
Register for the 2026 Folk Alliance International Conference
January 21 - 25, 2026
New Orleans, Louisiana
The largest folk music industry conference in the world returns to New Orleans
The Folk Alliance International 38th Annual Conference takes place January 21 - 25, 2026, at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, 500 Canal St., New Orleans, LA 70130. Become a member of Folk Alliance International for our best conference rates.
Early Bird Registration
July 1 - July 31
REGISTER NOWIndustry
$765
$320 USD
per FAI Member / person
Artist
$765
$240 USD
per FAI Member / person
Fan/Retired
$765
$ USD
per person
Student
$765
$ USD
per person
FAI Members get $150 off
become a member*FAI Members with Community (or Non-Voting) Memberships do not receive member discounts on the FAI Conference.
Different types of registration
Artist – Discounted registration for any artist attending
Industry – Registration for non-artist industry professionals
Fan/Retired – Registration for non-artist/non-industry professionals, and retired professionals
Student – Registration for currently enrolled students, student ID required
Call for Proposals: FAI 2026 Programming
Open NowConference Schedule Overview
Wed, Jan 21
Daytime
Registration Opens
Evening
International Folk Music Awards
Thu, Jan 22 - Sat, Jan 23
9:00 am - 4:30 pm CT
Keynote, Panels, Workshops, Exhibiting and Networking
6 pm - 10 pm CT
Official Showcases
10:30 pm - 3 am CT
Private Showcases
Sun, Jan 24
Evening
Closing Party
Ways to Save: Membership, Discounts, and More
Become an FAI Member
Anyone can become an FAI Member today and it’s the easiest way to save on registration! You’ll get access to the very lowest Early Bird rates, the FAI Member discount, and other great benefits outside the conference. An individual membership is only $99 USD/year.
Registration Cap for Official Showcase Artists
Registration is capped at $775 USD for bands who are Official Showcase artists or on standby. You must be an FAI member to qualify for this rate. If you have four or more people in your band who will all be attending, please contact Folk Alliance International at fai@folk.org to receive a code for your registration. Do not register until you receive your code.
Volunteer: Attend for Free
Volunteering opportunities are open to any FAI Member over the age of 16. When you volunteer, you get a free conference registration as long as you volunteer for a minimum of 16 hours during the conference. Available soon.
First Time? Apply for a Scholarship
Scholarships are available for both first-time artists and members of the industry and they can cover 50-100% of your registration cost! Priority is given to Official Showcase applicants, and/or folks who have attended regional conferences.
Get a Day Pass for a Short Visit
Can’t stay for the whole conference? A Day Pass will grant you access for a single day so you can join in without paying for time spent elsewhere. Available soon.
Registration Rate Full Schedule
The earlier you register the more you save.
Price Period
Industry
FAI Member
Artist
Artist/Member
Early Bird
Jul 1 - July 31
n/a
$320
n/a
$240
Advanced
Aug 1 - Oct 31
$570
$420
$390
$240
Regular
Nov 1 - Dec 31
$670
$520
$495
$345
Final
Jan 1 - Jan 24
$770
$620
$595
$445
All FAI Annual Conference registration pricing on folk.org is listed in USD and is inclusive of credit card processing fees.
Student Registration
We want you at FAI!
The FAI Conference welcomes university and college students to attend our conference! Learn about the music industry from the inside at world-leading panels and workshops, find your home in our community, and explore music from around the globe. And an FAI Community Membership is included with your registration.
We'd highly recommend that students consider volunteering at FAI – not only can you attend for free, but you'll get all the benefit of attending normally plus hands-on experience behind the scenes!
Must upload a current student ID to qualify. If you have any questions, contact fai@folk.org.
Price Period
Student Rate
Early Bird
Jul 1 - July 31
n/a
Advanced
Aug 1 - Oct 31
$180
Regular
Nov 1 - Dec 31
$230
Final
Jan 1 - Jan 24
$280
All FAI Annual Conference registration pricing on folk.org is listed in USD and is inclusive of credit card processing fees.
FAI Conference Terms and Conditions and Policies
View our cancellation and refund policy and terms and conditions for the Folk Alliance International Annual Conference below:
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