We are so delighted to announce that violinist/singer/songwriter/composer and disability rights activist Gaelynn Lea will be our keynote speaker for our 2026 FARM Gathering + Presenter Summit, taking place October 22-25 in Minneapolis, MN! The Duluth-based artist got her big break when she won NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest in 2016. Since then, she has been captivating audiences around the world with her haunting original songs and traditional fiddle tunes, and has collaborated with Michael Stipe, The Decemberists, and even Pigface. In 2022, Gaelynn Lea composed and recorded the original score for Macbeth on Broadway, starring Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga. Thanks to a Whippoorwill Arts Fellowship, her theatrically-inspired soundtrack Music from Macbeth came out in May 2025. She has been featured on PBS NewsHour, On Being with Krista Tippett, The Moth Radio Hour, and via two widely-viewed TEDx Talks. Gaelynn is also a member of the Recording Academy and currently serves as a Governor for the Chicago Chapter, where she is co-chair of the Advocacy Committee.

One of Gaelynn Lea’s biggest passions is promoting Disability Culture. She helped to co-found RAMPD [Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities] with NYC-based recording artist Lachi in early 2022. In 2024, Gaelynn was awarded a prestigious Disability Futures Fellowship from the Ford and Mellon Foundations, which spotlights the work of disabled creatives across disciplines. In April 2026, Gaelynn Lea published her first book, It Wasn’t Meant To Be Perfect, about her touring adventures and disability advocacy. This engaging memoir was published by Algonquin Books and is a love-letter to every body — a warm, funny and deeply-felt exploration of disability, music, and the messy creativity of an artist’s life. Needless to say, she has a wealth of experience to share, and we can’t wait to have her speak and participate in our conference this year!

For more about Gaelynn Lea, visit violinscratches.com.