® Annual Report
July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023
Land Acknowledgement
Folk Alliance International’s office is located on the land of the Osage, Kansa/Kaw, Kickapoo, and Očhéthi Šakówin nations, also known as Kansas City. We honor with gratitude their elders: past, present, and future. The purpose of making this land acknowledgment in post-colonial society is to show respect for
Indigenous peoples and their traditional territories, to recognize their unique culture and enduring relationship to the land, and to raise awareness about histories that have often been replaced, suppressed, or forgotten.
On the Cover Private Showcases
Front: Phyllis Sinclair. Back: Emily Johnson‑Erday. This year, our covers spotlight the beautiful energy of our Private Showcase artists. While our juried Official Showcases are known for big names and breakthrough talent, our Private Showcases are equally unforgettable. Each room is hosted and booked by our community members. These small concerts show the huge scale and range of our community, but – like the incredible artists that play them – they often get the least exposure. While it’s not possible to include images from all of this year’s 1,685 Private Showcases, we feature a selection of them in this report. If you don’t recognize an artist, we encourage you to look them up, go listen to their music, and buy a ticket to their next show.
Photo Credits Cover photos by Shadow Scape Records; Valerie June Keynote by Katie Rich; Janis Ian, Neeta with Dan Navarro and David Amram, Cary Morin, Reese Tanimura at the Festivals Peer Session by Shadow Scape; ASL Interpreter at IFMAs by Neal Eckstein; Pretend Friend by Scott Rohr; Staff Headshots (except Cindy Cogbill’s) by Shadow Scape; Women Affinity Group by Katie Rich; Black American Music Summit by Fawn Lies; Jake Blount Private Showcase, Membership / Abby Altman by Katie Rich; Group Exemption / Quebec Reception by Shadow Scape; Ethno USA by Ana Monteiro; Cary Morin Kayaking by Simon Morris; First Timers by Shadow Scape; Casii Stephan by Marisa Kolka; Sihasin at Rooted Reckoning Panel by Shadow Scape; Jackie Gage and Jonathan Woods by Scott Rohr; Gullywasher, Paula Boggs Band by Todd Zimmer; Goldpine by Shadow Scape; Elizabeth Pixley-Fink by Scott Rohr; Sons of Town Hall by Todd Zimmer; Queen Esther by Scott Rohr; Lessons from the Stage by Katie Rich; Scott Bevins and Javier Jara by Scott Rohr; Selling Tickets, Aysanabe by Katie Rich; Gullywasher by Todd Zimmer; Iris DeMent and Milk Carton Kids, Step and Repeat Photos at IFMAs by Shadow Scape. Decorative Photos: Instruments by Fawn Lies from their instrument collection–special thanks to Aengus Finnan for the mandolin, and to Elio Schiavo for the guitar; Plants by Han Chenxu (pg 1), Evie Fjord (3,6, 9, 11, 12, 25, 26), Doug Kelley (6), Karolina Grabowska (6), Igor Son (23), and Diana Schroder (24).
About Folk Alliance International
Folk Alliance International (FAI) was founded in 1989 to connect folk music leaders aiming to sustain the community and genre. The leading international voice for folk music, FAI is an arts nonprofit and NEA designated National Arts Service Organization based in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. FAI is also a member of the Performing Arts Alliance (PAA). Our network of 3,000+ members is the foundation of a worldwide community of artists, agents, managers, labels, publicists, arts administrators, venues, festivals, and concert series presenters.
Our Team
Jennifer Roe Deputy Director she/her
Tisha Naipaul Membership & Development Coordinator she/her
Cindy Cogbill Marketing & Programming Director she/her
Lily Joiner Graphic Design Assistant she/they
Our Conference Team
Beth Hatch
Volunteer Coordinator she/her
Jim Schultz
Private Showcase Coordinator
he/him
Kylee Lambert
Production Coordinator she/her
Claire Diamond
Alex Mallett Development & Partnership Director he/him
Administrative Assistant she/her
Official Showcase Production and Inventory Manager she/her
Renata R. Robertson
Official Showcase Artist Coordinator she/her
Jerod Rivers Conference Director he/him
Nick Loss‑Eaton Publicist he/him
LaWanda Smith Official Showcase Artist Coordinator she/her
Tim McIlree
Official Showcase Artist Coordinator he/him
Lies Digital Media Coordinator they/them
Rebecca Campbell Official Showcase Artist Coordinator she/her
Arielle Silver
Sponsored Events Coordinator she/her
Fawn
Marina Yudice
Pretend Friend
Our Board of Directors
Vice President
Reid Wick Sr. Membership & Project Manager
Recording Academy
Beau Bledsoe
Artist
Ensemble Iberica
Sara Leishman Executive Director Calgary Folk Festival
Guillermo Subauste
Secretary Rosalyn Dennett Executive Director Folk Music Ontario
Mariah Czap Co-General Manager Yep Roc Records
Art Menius Folk Radio Promoter & DJ Art Menius Radio
Producer Laura Thomas Owner/Agent ComboPlate Booking
FAI is governed by a volunteer board of directors representing leadership in the folk music industry worldwide. The board is elected by the voting members of the organization each fall, and an annual general meeting of members is held after the conference each year. Our board- and membershipapproved bylaws, board election process, and biographies of each board member are at folk.org/ board.
Board President listed on the next page. This list represents the current board as of December 2023.
Treasurer Kevin Dalton Certified Financial Planner Wiles+Taylor & Co.
Iona Fyfe Artist/Director Traditional Music and Song Association
Gary Paczosa VP A&R Rounder Records
Gerald Torres Professor of Law Yale University
At-Large Lynn Cingari Agent Wasserman Music
Catalina Maria Johnson Journalist/DJ Beat Latino
Ann Powers Critic and Correspondent NPR Music
Brandi Waller‑Pace Artist/Founder Decolonizing the Music Room
Ayappa Biddanda Sr. Director Concord
Laia Canals Director Tempi - Roots Music Denmark
Caroline Randall Williams Artist / Author / Scholar Vanderbilt University
Tina Wroblewski Outreach Manager Small World Music
Board President
Ashley Shabankareh
Artist / NFP Arts Administrator
Artist Corps New Orleans
Hello friends,
As we continue to navigate our way back from the global pandemic and work through the challenges of our global spectrum, Folk Alliance International’s mission – to serve, strengthen and engage the global folk community – is increasingly relevant and needed more than ever. The ability of folk music to explain issues and struggles, to galvanize and catalyze movements, and to heal and bring peace, make it a powerful and valuable force that is worth preserving, presenting and promoting.
As an organization, this past year was a year of transition for FAI, shepherding a new level of vision, optimism, and growth. In September, I was proud to be the first genderfluid woman of color to serve as Board President for FAI. This has been a great honor to serve this community in this role!
globally, striving to make FAI’s work accessible and equitable for all its members. Through our strategic plan, we seek to center the voices of our community, providing year-round resources to our members as the folk community continues to rebuild since the COVID-19 pandemic. For our full strategic plan, please visit our website.[https://folk.org/about/strategic-plan-2023-2025/]
As we look towards 2024, we are focusing on how music can contribute to the well-being of our communities. The upcoming conference theme of Alchemy: A Transformative Force is designed to show the FAI community the multitude of ways in which folk music can be harnessed to provide meaningful change in the world.
In addition to our changes in leadership, FAI’s programs and operations continued to flourish. FAI hosted a very successful annual conference in February with over 2000 registrants and presenting speakers that reflected its continued work in engaging diverse voices with 40% identifying as BIPOC and approximately 60% identifying as women.
Financially, FAI is on solid footing and showing marked improvement as we come back from pandemic losses. We forecasted a financial loss of $200,000; however, thanks to the work of our staff, we were able to reduce expenses, raise donations, and end the fiscal year without a loss.(See Page 23 for additional details)
We are excited that the FAI Board of Directors and staff completed and posted a truly exceptional strategic plan that will set in motion action items that bring FAI engagement to communities
I am proud and honored to lead and work alongside the tremendous staff of this organization, and I look forward to what’s to come in 2024 and beyond. We recognize that the good work of FAI is a truly collective and collaborative effort, and it is not possible without the support and commitment of all of you.
Thanks to the amazing team of FAI and its donors, volunteers, partners and friends for raising the organization up each and every day and making this a community effort we can all be proud of.
All My Best,
Ashley Shabankareh (she/they) Board President
We’re In Tune with
Our New Strategic Plan
Financial Growth
Membership & Attendee Growth
Expand andFolkPromote Music
Programming/Provide Year Round Resources
The future of Folk Alliance International is exciting! With our new Strategic Plan, we chart a path forward that uses innovation, education, and partnerships to expand our global network and enrich our community with diversity and opportunity. Our five-year vision includes the creation of new non-North American Regions, strengthening our existing Regions, and nurturing deep engagement. FAI will be known as the gathering place for the global folk community, inspiring and connecting musicians and creators.
Our priorities are to strengthen and expand our reach, expand our funding approach, and improve our infrastructure. These priorities are supported by eight Strategic Areas, outlined on the following pages. You can view this and more at folk. org/strategicplan.
FAI as a Global Cultural Leader
Accessibility and Equity
Innovative Infrastructure
Global Expansion
Strategic Areas
Our Financial Growth will be driven by fostering new connections, improving existing donor relations and strategy, and growing our support from foundations and grants. The creation of an Advisory Board will help us identify key donors and partners to maximize our efforts.
Membership & Attendee Growth have always been important, but with reimagined offerings, campaigns that bring in new audiences, and a focus on member feedback, we’ll create more engagement and valuable new member benefits. The creation of more global Regions will put us at new doorsteps, making it easier for the international community to experience FAI. To increase conference attendance, we’re exploring appealing yet accessible destinations for future conferences, as well as improvements to our programming and offerings.
Expanding and Promoting Folk is our plan to transcend the often limited view of the genre and reintroduce folk. For the general public, “folk” can be seen as antiquated and narrow. But it’s growing popularity is due to how relevant, expansive, pervasive, and powerful folk music is. Collaborative campaigns will introduce the world to their new favorite songs and genre. This means including genres not traditionally viewed as folk music, promoting diversity and inclusivity, and embracing folk’s future and past.
Programming and Providing Year Round Resources is at the core of our professional development and networking. Through the global pandemic, we supported our community with online webinars and resources. We’re committed to improving these offerings with new content and rich data sources. Our annual conference will continue to serve as our hub and deepen the ways our industry connects.
Positioning FAI as a Global Cultural Leader will achieve broader name and mission recognition, create tangible collaborations with other organizations, and boost our efforts as a leader for musician advocacy. We’ll also offer new opportunities as we embrace more cultural diversity and establish a new ambassador program.
Accessibility and Equity are crucial to ensuring that everyone is represented
And while we’ve done the research, it doesn’t take another white paper to see how clearly our industry needs more racial and gender equity. We hear this especially from our artists and venues: often the same artists are playing to the same crowd. To solve this internally FAI will: implement partnerships with organizations and leaders representing marginalized communities; diversify our Board of Directors; and bolster our Cultural Equity Council. And outside of FAI, involvement in policy discussions is the next step in addressing this across the music industry.
Innovative Infrastructure – new initiatives, technology, and systems –will support and enhance our efforts in incredible ways. Carbon neutrality, multi-language resources and webinars, and community offerings like our online platform Chorus, are just some of the ways we want to improve our work for greater accessibility, and better impacts for our community and environment.
Finally, Global Expansion is the key to effectively represent a comprehensive, world-wide folk community. With strong strategic partnerships across all continents, new global Regions will be established that cultivate and maintain a
INTERSESSIONS Conference
St. Louis, MO
Pollstar Live!
Los Angelos, CA
SXSW & cdbaby DIY Coneference Austin, TX
Our Regions and Global Connections
Our folk music community is made up of the FAI Regions and partners and friends around the world. While Folk Alliance International connects the global industry together, our six regional affiliate organizations, or FAI Regions, are targeted networks of support folk professionals: Folk Alliance Region-
West, Southwest Regional Folk Alliance, Southeast Regional Folk Alliance, Northeast Regional Folk Alliance, and the Nordic Folk Alliance. Each Region has a board of directors, hosts a regional conference, and other resources that strengthen these vital networks.
Folk Music Ontario London, Ontario
MMF US Miami Summit Miami, FL
IBMA Raleigh, NC
Music Biz & Americanafest Nashville, TN
Newport Folk Festival
Newport, RI
APAP
New York City, NY
NIVA Cleveland, OH
Ethno USA & LEAF Festival
Black Mountain, NC
WOMEX
Lisbon, Portugal
Performing Arts Alliance Board Meeting
New Orleans, LA
Our global partners extend our reach far and wide, beyond our own networks. We traveled many places this fiscal year, creating valuable connections for the future of FAI.
Music Week Talin, Estonia
Talin
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility
Our ongoing commitment to our DEIA work is unwavering, and while there is so much more progress to be made, this year boasted incredible strides we’re proud to share.
Accessibility
Accessibility remains a top priority for our work at the conference and beyond. Our team diligently captions all of our video content, and ASL interpreters are stationed at key conference stages. Our communications team follows strict guidelines to ensure collateral is easy to read and understand, and we’re always improving on existing systems to ensure everyone can access our work at the same level.
While our conference is our biggest accomplishment each year, it also proves to be the largest accessibility challenge. Even traveling to the conference is restrictively difficult for our international community members and those with disabilities. In response, this year saw the return of a virtual edition of our conference, called Folk+ (March 8 - 9, 2023), on our new community platform Chorus. Pre-recorded FAI 2023 programming was rebroadcast to an audience of hundreds; virtual networking and song-sharing sessions gave us all a chance to “meet” face-to-face; and an exclusive live interview and Q&A session with Janis Ian made Folk+ an unforgettable experience.
Affinity Groups
Our Affinity Groups are a popular and important part of our programming, which brings together individuals with shared experiences and/or cultural backgrounds (as opposed to our Peer Sessions which connect individuals with shared industry roles). We held 16 online Affinity Groups leading up the conference, and ten in-person at the conference. Folks Coping with Loss, Folks with Disabilities, Caregivers and Parents, Pan-Asian Folks, Indigenous Folks, Women, Folkies 55+, LGBTQ2IA+, and Latiné and Hispanic Folks are just some of the Affinity Groups that we offer at the conference and online.
These sessions are often as powerful as they are serene and give people with these shared identities a rare chance to connect, discuss specific issues they face in the industry, and provide a greater sense of belonging. Many Affinity Group participants have described going their whole careers without connecting with anyone like them – until attending these sessions at FAI.
At the conference, the Black American Music Summit took the place of the African Diaspora group, which brings together those of African ancestry or ethnicity. And an additional Women’s Affinity Group was held during our Folk+ virtual conference in celebration of International Women’s Day.
10/20/30 Pledge
While we’ve already exceeded the goals of APAP’s 10/20/30 REDI Pledge, we strive to out-do ourselves each year to ensure we’re making impactful progress. Diversity is not just about meeting a quota for FAI, it’s a necessary part of our cultural philosophy that folk music should not just represent any one group and that everyone has a place in our community. We still have a great deal of work to do, however, and this data helps hold us accountable. We’re proud to be in our third year of the 10/20/30 Pledge.
Goal: 10‑year Commitment
Our Progress: 3 Years as of April
Goal: 20% of Programming/Artists
Our Progress: 80%
Goal: 30% of Annual Programming Budget
Our Progress: 47.8%
Black American Music Summit
FAI’s Global Summits are extended sessions at the annual conference designed to convene peers to discuss in-depth the evolving processes, practices, and policies related to the rich ecology of folk music. Past summits have been held for funders, archivists, ethnomusicologists, cultural equity advocates, disability culture advocates, Indigenous community members, and more.
This year’s Global Summit was the inaugural Black American Music Summit: What’s Next? This four-day gathering at FAI 2023, created by singer/ composer Lilli Lewis, held exclusive space for Black delegates at FAI, while an expert panel led the group in discussions about navigating the folk music world creatively and professionally.
The purpose of the summit was to create a sense of community and belonging among folk professionals who identify as Black, African American, or of the African Diaspora. At one point one of the
“If you don’t know somebody in this room, don’t leave this room without knowing them!”
organizers, Mehuman Ernst, demanded, “If you don’t know somebody in this room, don’t leave this room without knowing them!” Similar to our Affinity Groups, the exclusivity of the space ensures a sense of safety and focus: Black musicians can speak about sensitive issues and experiences with trust and confidentiality; the most relevant voices are given priority; and new, important connections create the foundation for a more inclusive community at FAI.
Each day started with a networking session where attendees grabbed refreshments and chatted. Shortly after, the panel would begin with opening remarks from Lewis about the day’s topic. The opening session, “Setting the Tone,” gave an overview of what to expect from the summit; “Day 1: It Takes a Village” focused on building community; “Day 2: Money Matters” was all about strategies towards financial prosperity, like grant funding, and barriers faced; finally “Day 3: Lifting the Gaze” was
a discussion about the perception of Black artists and professionals in the industry, and the often offensive and inaccurate projections they deal with.
The speakers and attendees featured some of the best folk musicians and professionals from around the world. Each panel featured a slate of rotating leaders, including Caroline Randall Williams, Brandi Waller-Pace, Paula Boggs, and more.
Every night, the Black American Music Summit Private Showcase Room was open to all conference attendees and hosted performances from the likes of Jake Blount (pictured below), Queen Esther, and UK artist Lady Nade, to name a few. The final night was an amazing jam session that, of course, went on early into the morning.
Thank you to Lilli Lewis and all of the amazing leaders and attendees who made this such a success!
Our Year‑round Work and Resources
Membership
Folk Charts
Our membership empowers the folk community to take their careers to the next level with special benefits and data. Members get discounts on the FAI Conference, exclusive deals, and more.
For four years now, FAI has managed the release of folk radio charts which compile the top-played songs and albums each month. We also share the weekly NACC folk charts. Making it on the charts is cause for celebration for many in our community.
Webinars
Our webinars allow FAI and our partners to reach our community directly with professional development opportunities. This year, Bandzoogle taught how to build a website, MySeat introduced us to audience data strategies, Fan Club Cruises brought on a panel of expert artists on a high-value alternative to touring, and Myxt hosted a recording feedback session with singer-songwriter Mary Bragg and producer/board member Guillermo Subauste (pictured above).
Group Exemption
A benefit of FAI membership, small organizations seeking non-profit status can apply for our Group Exemption Program which registers them as 501(c)3 non-profits under our IRS certification. This helps simplify their verification process and keeps vital info organized.
Peer Sessions
Our Peer Sessions let professionals with shared roles connect with each other to discuss the issues they face and solutions they’re testing. Agents meet with agents, DJs with DJs, venues with venues, and so on. These popular sessions started at the conference, but this year we continued to offer online Peer Sessions that bring more people to the table.
Ethno USA
Ethno USA is the newest edition of JM International’s Ethno program, which brings together young musicians from around the world for a two-week multicultural music intensive. Ethno has taken place in 30+ countries, and we’ve partnered with JMI to bring it to the US. Participants bring a song from their cultural heritage to share with the group. All songs were performed on the main stage of the LEAF Festival. Learn more at ethno.world.
Industry Alliances
This year FAI expanded strategic partnerships at grassroots levels and within the music and cultural sectors at large.
Kansas City Hispanic Economic Development Corporation and Rochester Brewing and Roasting
In Kansas City, our Finest Folk First Fridays concerts expanded to three venues in May and June thanks to the Kansas City Hispanic Economic Development Corporation and Rochester Brewing and Roasting Company. This gave us an opportunity to present more acts, to engage the community of Kansas City’s Westside Neighborhood, and leverage the event to encourage much needed clean up of areas of our shared neighborhood.
Performing Arts Alliance
In 2020, FAI was formally invited to be a member of the Performing Arts Alliance (PAA), which is a group that advocates for America’s professional nonprofit arts sector before Congress and key policy makers. Other members include theater, dance, opera, chorus organizations, and more. This partnership is continues to be key in participating in the national conversation of preserving the arts, while also elevating the folk music industry as a performing art that’s essential to the cultural sector.
Music Biz and Pollstar Live!
In order to continue to build new new relationships with the music industry at large, we entered co-promotional partnerships with the Pollstar Live! conference (the world’s largest gathering of live entertainment professionals and the flagship event for Pollstar magazine) and MusicBiz (a membership-based organization that connects and supports industry professionals across the global music business). The relationships formed through these alliances will ensure that FAI continues to update our members on industry trends and that new voices are represented in our community.
Music Export Memphis
Working in partnership with Music Export Memphis, we announced Memphis as the 2023 City of Honor, highlighting exciting parts of the city’s unique and thriving music industry and elevating artists from Memphis through showcase and networking opportunities. This partnership lead to direct bookings for many of the participating artists and shone a spotlight on a truly thriving and dynamic musical city.
Artist in Residence Cary Morin
Every year, our Artist in Residence program pairs a folk musician with a mission-based organization to produce a collaborative project representative of both. This year, we paired blues singer Cary Morin with Friends of the Kaw, tying in with our conference theme of sustainability. Cary Morin was born in Billings, Montana. A Crow tribal member with Assiniboine Sioux and Black heritage, his grandfather was what is now colloquially known as a “water warrior,” an activist who protests and resists
I knew the boats before your time Together we live side by side
Changes came with a conversation dyin’ No it’s not broke but please don’t stop tryin’
the industrialization and pollution of water sources. Friends of the Kaw is a grassroots organization that’s been dedicated to the conservation of the 173 mile-long Kansas (or Kaw) River for thirty years. This massive waterway is not only home to wildlife, but a water supply for over 800,000 Kansans. However, decades of privatization has invited unchecked pollution. In Kansas City, the River is synonymous with the trash that floats on its shores, with frequent industrial wastewater discharges and mining turning the water unsafe and an uninviting murky green.
We invited Cary to kayak the Kaw River and write a song about the experience to be performed at FAI 2023. He drove down from Colorado (where the river starts), and met us in Coronado, Kansas, where he and his partner Celeste Di Iorio began their over nine mile trip. They started on a cool August morning and reached Kaw Point – just north of downtown Kansas City – that late afternoon. Watch Cary as he kayaks down the river and shares his grandfather’s story and his song “Kaw River” at folk.org/air2023.
Managing our group exemption program, which gives nonprofit status to over 50 grassroots organizations. This program helps these organizations report annually to the IRS and encourages grassroots initiatives around the United States.
Resuming First Friday concerts in our Kansas City office. These concerts featured talent from the Kansas City region and beyond. Through our partnerships with Rochester Brewing and The Kansas City Hispanic Economic Development Corporation, we were able to hire more performers and diversify audiences.
Administering the Folk DJ Chart. This chart provides a platform for folk artists to shine and track their radio plays from over 150 contributing DJs across multiple radio formats.
Supporting our six regional organizations serve the extended community. We are proud to provide FARM, Far-West, NERFA, SERFA, SWRFA, and Nordic Folk Alliance with promotional and administrative support so that they can best serve our shared membership at more regional levels.
Your Support at Work
Support from our donors, funders, members, sponsors, and partners made our work possible, surviving and thriving despite the challenges of this year. This charitable support helped with mission-driven initiatives.
Providing artists with much‑needed educational and professional development services and resources that directly impacted their ability to nourish and sustain careers. These services spanned the annual conference, educational webinars, and direct our participation in other events where we are able to meet with artists, understand their needs, and coach them in their development.
Participating in national advocacy efforts that impact our community. Working in coalitions we encouraged fairer ticketing practices, timely service for international artist visas, and an approach to AI policy that reinforces human creativity.
Awarding $44,562 in first-time scholarships to artists and industry professionals. Named after our founding members, the Clark & Elaine Weissman Scholarship for First Time Conference Attendees has long been a source of support to lower barriers for first-time artists and industry delegates alike.
Casii Stephan Finest Folk First Fridays Concert
First Timers Gathering at FAI 2023
FAI 2023 Conference
The FAI 2023 Conference was our largest in-person gathering since before the pandemic, with a 60% increase in attendance from last year. Our theme “Facing the Future: Sustainability in Folk Music” explored the longevity of our environment, careers, creative practices, mental health, and much more. Our keynote speaker was GRAMMYnominated, singer, songwriter, poet, actor (and so much more) Valerie June, who gave a rousing speech about what it means to sustain our very humanity. The legendary Janis Ian (pictured top right) shared insights from her life-long career in the music industry. Sam Lee, Jake Blount,
The Valerie June keynote presentation, Rooted Reckoning panel, Mary Gauthier interview and more is available to watch now at youtube.com/folkalliance
and Janeda and Clayson Benally (known together as the music duo Sihasin; pictured middle right) spoke to the urgency of climate action during our Rooted Reckoning. In a live interview with Marilyn Rea Beyer (The Midnight Special, WFMT), singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier (bottom right) shared excerpts of her new book “Saved by a Song: The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting,” and about trauma, recovery, and therapy, and songwriting’s transformational role “in making sense of confusion.”
1,966 Conference Attendees
1,685 Private Showcases up 671
340 One‑on‑One Meetings
306 Agent/Presenter Networking Meetings
159 Official Showcases
62 Panels and Events
14 Peer Sessions
Jackie Gage with Jonathan Woods jamming in the Black American Music Summit Private Showcase room
Grain Thief Paula Boggs Band
33 Countries
Represented
Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, England, Ecuador, Estonia, Germany, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United States of America, Venezuela, Wales
Panelist Diversity
6%
Peer Session
International
Affinity Group
Sons of Town Hall
Elisabeth Pixley Fink
Goldpine
Queen Esther Miranda Mulholland, Joy Clark, Jaimee Harris, Nickie Conley, and Bruce Molsky on the panel
“To the Font, To the Side: Lessons From the Stage”
Javier Jara jamming with Scott Bevins of No Cosmos
Aysanabee
Mary Brabec, Molly Driessen, Noelle and Renee Coughlin (The Pairs), Hilary Watson, John Taylor and Lara Supan on the panel “Selling Tickets: Whose Job is it Anyway”
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Janis Ian
ALBUM OF THE YEAR Crooked Tree by Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway sponsored by Sound Royalties
The International Folk Music Awards honor our community through recognizing their accomplishments and legacies. This year, our member-voted Best of the Year Winners were Janis Ian for Artist of the Year, “Crooked Tree” by Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway for Album of the Year, and Song of the Year was presented to both “Bright Star” by Anaïs Mitchell and “B61” by Aoife O’Donovan. Our Lifetime Achievement Awards honored the historic
achievements of Janis Ian, Josh White (accepted by his son Josh White Jr., pictured below), and John Prine’s Oh Boy Records (accepted by Fiona and Jack Prine). Performances featured a tributes to these legends by the likes of Jake Bount, Iris DeMent with The Milk Carton Kids, Wallis Bird, and more. You can watch a recording of the full awards show at youtube.com/folkalliance.
Janis Ian
Rising Tide
Alisa Amadour
Spirit of Folk
Steve Edge Legacy Lifetime Achievement
Josh White
Folk Radio Hall of Fame
Marilyn Rea Beyer
Spirit of Folk
Amy Reitnouer Jacobs
Folk Radio Hall of Fame
John Platt
Spirit of Folk Marcy Marxer
People’s Voice Award
Leyla McCalla
Folk Radio Hall of Fame
Robert Resnik
Spirit of Folk Adrian Sabogal
Clearwater Award sponsored by Levitt Foundation Shambala Festival
Folk Radio Hall of Fame
Harry B. Soria Jr.
Spirit of Folk
Pat Mitchell Worley
SONG OF THE YEAR
Bright Star by Anaïs Mitchell
SONG OF THE YEAR
B61 Star by Aoife O’Donnovan sponsored by Sound Royalties sponsored by Sound Royalties
Financial Report*
In a strategic move, the board approved a budget with $200,000 loss for FY23 recognizing that government relief funding would no longer be available and our community is still grappling with economic challenges. Despite the budgeted loss, we concluded the fiscal year with a small profit. With the finances below not yet audited, the final profit may be lower than these figures.
Careful reduction of expenses was the primary factor that led to a surplus.
We thoughtfully weighed decisions to reduce costs across the board while maintaining world-class services. We saved significantly on workforce expenses as our team faced shortages for a significant portion of the year resulting in additional savings in operational expenses. Additionally, strategic partnerships with various organizations allowed us to optimize our resources efficiently.
The collaborative efforts of our community played an important role
in mitigating potential losses, as well. We rely on the continuous support of ongoing donations to FAI and were honored to receive a significant anonymous donation.
As we navigate these challenging times, the collective actions of our team, strategic cost-saving initiatives, and the steadfast support from our community position us favorably to weather fiscal challenges and emerge stronger in the coming year.
*Data not yet audited
Thank You to Our Donors!
Angel ($100,000+)
Anonymous
Legacy ($50,000 – $99,999)
The U.S. Charitable Gift Trust
Sustainers ($10,000 – $24,999)
Mick Hellman
Benefactors ($5,000 – $9,999)
Anonymous (2)
Pete Browne and Julie Walker Browne
CCS Family Fund – Topeka Community Foundation
Christmas Valley Foundation
Fan Club Cruises
David and Janis Francis – The Francis Family Foundation
J.B. Reynolds Foundation
Jaggers Family Fund at The Dallas Foundation
Janet L. Lewis Trust
Steve and Polly Revare – the West Egg Fund
Dan and Kathy Tappan – Tappan Family Fund
Woody Guthrie Publications
Patrons ($2,500 – $4,999)
Dorothy W. Gach Family Foundation
Newport Festivals Foundation, Inc.
Leaders ($1,000 – $2,499)
Anonymous
Taylor Caffery
Donald Cohen and Madeline Janis
Laura Kohler & Steve Proudman Giving Back Fund
Jeff and Carol Lowe
Kim McDowell
Chuck Schmitz
Partners ($500 – $999)
Nancy Clark
Mike Doll
Aengus Finnan
Five-String Charitable Funds
Hart Family Fund – Greater Kansas City Community Foundation
John & Kristen Hawkes
Ralph A. Jaccodine, In Honor of All the hard working musicians that bring light to our community
Our deepest thanks to the people that make our work possible, our donors who supported FAI during our 2023 Fiscal Year (July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023). The Village Fund donations are listed separately at folk.org/thevillagefund.
Si Kahn
Karakter Worldwide
Barbara Manners
Marian R. Stuart, Ph.D. Foundation
Kathy Peters
Sam Meers and Julie Nelson Meers Charitable Account
Shawn Underwood
Advocates ($250 – $499)
Carl Apter
B & L Foundation
Phyllis Barney
Dave Bartlow Ayappa Biddanda
Beau Bledsoe
David HB Drake, In Honor of Gordon Bok
Neale Eckstein and Laurie Laba
Bernie Finkelstein
Patricia Henderson
Sara Henderson
David Holiday
Frank Iacobucci, In Memory of Michael Wrycraft
Independent Media Arts Foundation
Kari Estrin Mgmt/Consulting & Radio Promo
Treasa Levasseur
Grant Mallett
James McKew, In Honor of Clark and Elaine Weissman
Steve Paul
Susan Pepper
Keith and Cydney Perske
Jennifer Roe
Jim Rooney
Karin Stein
Laura Thomas
Reid Wick
Deborah Winograd, In Memory of Elaine & Clark Weissman
Supporters ($100 – $249)
Airshow Mastering
Anonymous (5)
Art Menius Radio, In Memory of Chris Stracwitz
Carey Avenia, In Memory of Gene Shay
Lee and Claudia Barewin
Jim Bizer
Kristine Bretall
Jeremy Butler
Lynn Cingari
Mary Cliff
Stephanie Coronado
Bill Cutler
Claire Diamond
Scott & Rosemary Duncan
Lisa Fancher
Deirdre Finnan
Wanda Fischer, In Memory of Dick Pleasants and Bill Staines
Five Head Entertainment
Greggory Gehrig
Scott Gerloff
Eliza Gilkyson, In Memory of Jimmy LaFave
Max Glenn
Karen W Haggman
Rick Hesch, In Memory of Pete Seeger
Liz Levitt Hirsch
Mark Kaufman
Christie Kelton
Susan Kessell
Adrian and Meredith Krygowski
Kylee Lambert
Maggi Landau
Sara Leishman
Diane Lincoln
Kathryn Lorenzen
Celene and Geof Lyon
Sammi and Alex Mallett
Rodger William McBride Jr.
Deana McCloud
Tim McFadden
Denis McGilvray
James McGreevy
Nancy Meis
Bruce Newman
Tracy Newman, In Memory of Clark Weissman
Dobe Newton
Gary Paczosa
Muriel Palmer-Rhea
Stephen Proudman
Sarah Goslee Reed
Mary Faith Rhoads-Lewis
Roaring Fork Sessions
Gary Rosen
Jennifer Ross
Tom Rush, In Memory of Gene Shay
Jim Schultz
Stephen Schwartz, In Honor of John O’Connor
Ashley Shabankareh
Glenda Shelley, In Memory of Debby Schenk
Douglas Shevlin
Dudley Smith, In Memory of Gerry Smith
Eric Steck
Sue and Lester Reingold Fund
Michael Surgalla, In Memory of Susan Tanner
Ed Sweeney
Kendra Terry, In Memory of Michael A. Terry
The Bluegrass Situation
Dorothy Thomas
Tucson Kitchen Musicians Association
Clyde Tyndale
Katherine Ungerer
Uptown Concerts, Inc.
Michael W. Varner
Marilyn Walker – Lilienthal Walker Fund
Molly & Steve Wendland
Worldstrings Promotion, In Honor of Manfred Maurenbrecher
Mark Young
Friends ($50 – $99)
Rene Garzoria Alcocer
Forrest Anderson
Anonymous (2)
Anonymous, In Memory of Dick Pleasants and Scott Alarik
Anonymous, In Memory of Gregory Lehman
William Barton
Betty J Berry
Brian Doucette
Josh Dunson
Alan Perry
Christopher Porter
Regina and Paul Porzio
Andrew Potter
Marian and Dennis Bires
Enrique Chi
Laura D’Alisera, In Memory of Nanci Griffith
Barbara Denz
Mark Fernandez
David Finley
James Floyd
Steven Foxbury
Robin Gierer
Jeff Gotellitonthemt
Dennis Gredell
Jean Hatfield
Susan Hengelsberg
Chuck Honnet
Thea Hopkins
Dave Humphreys
Janet Eileen Irwin
Larry Isberg
Marty Kohn
Michael Kornfeld
Joan Kureczka
Peter Lee
Lyzy Lusterman
Monica Mansfield
Jonathan Mead
Brant Miller
Chuck Mitchell
Tisha Naipaul
Jimmy Joe Natoli
Nick Loss-Eaton Media
Jerod Rivers
Nicole Rochefort
Lisa Schwartz
Les Siemieniuk
Mollie Stephens
Guillermo Subauste
Dave Sullivan
Sandra Sutter
Grace Tsao
Trisha and John Tubbs
Guy & Katie Webster, In Memory of Tupper
Dooly Webster
Tom West
Kenny White
Caroline Randall Williams
Laurel Zydney
Fans ($1 – $49)
Amazon Smile
Carolyn Andre
Kris Angelis
Anonymous
Anonymous, In Honor of Brandi WallerPace
Joan Athey
Marnie Barrett
Joanna Castillo
Leah Cleary
Steven Comeau
Cindy Davis
Elexa Dawson, In Honor of Shelley Morningsong
Kelly Dougherty
Susan Downman
Deb Ewing
Iona Fyfe
Sara Gougeon
Rob Hanning
Beth and John Hatch
Rachel Holmen
Tim Hoops
Steven Horner
Catalina Maria Johnson
Lily Joiner
Bob Kaat-Wohlert
Steve Katz
Fred Knittel
Marisa Kolka
Mark E Levine
Kandee Lewter
Alison Loerke
Marty Mcknew
Mellberg
Heather Miller
Roger O’Meagher
Brooke Ratliff
Renata Raphael Robertson
Carla Sciaky
Scott Skeabeck
LaWanda Smith
Jack Spring
Paul Stagani
Scott Stanton
JM Stevens
Zachary Taylor, In Honor of Christopher Milan
Devon Teran
Gregory Thomas
Jennifer Thomas
Claire Von Gahlen
Phil Ward, In Memory of Mark Humphreys Don Wise
Linda Yelnick, In Honor of Dan Ashley, FAI/Folk Radio Charts Recording Artist
Would You Like to Make a Contribution?
Donate ONLINE at folk.org/donate
Donate BY CHECK to the address below FOR MORE DONOR OPTIONS CONTACT
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Contact
Folk Alliance International
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816-221-3655 folk.org EIN 56-1698333
Our Funders
J.B. Reynolds Foundation
Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation
Green Folk
FAI is committed to recycling, wastediversion practices, and reducing its environmental impact at its office, conference, and all FAI-produced events. The print copy of this document is made from recycled paper and eucalyptus fiber, and is printed with soy ink.
