2024 Workshops & Panels
Below are the daytime workshops, panels and peer groups scheduled for the 2024 Gathering. Please check out our Whova conference app here for the latest updates and create your own conference calendar!
THURSDAY
3:00p – 4:15p
How to Get the Most Out of FARM | Aspen / Charley Patton Room
Presenter: Jenny Bienemann
Do you have questions about what to expect at FARM and what you will get out of the conference? Join first-timers and experienced attendees to FARM for tips and tricks to get the most out of your conference experience from our panel of FARM and Folk Alliance veterans. We’ll talk interactively about how to connect with people, what you can expect to take away from the conference, taking care of yourself, specific tips for during and after the conference, and other questions you ask in the session.
Talk to My Manager: Working with a Team | Redwood / Lydia Mendoza Room
Presenters: Michael Paz, Steve Garvan, Elexa Dawson (moderator)
With decades of management experience under their belt, Michael Paz and Steve Garvan talk about what a manger does and does not do and how they work with artists, agents, labels and other industry professionals.
Opening Song Circle | Walnut / Elizabeth Cotten Room
Bring an instrument and share a song — a great way to kick off the conference and meet people! This room will also be open every day during workshop times for spontaneous jamming and song swapping so stop on by to meet people throughout the weekend.
FRIDAY
10:45a – 12:00p
Negotiating a Fair Performance Deal | Redwood / Lydia Mendoza Room
Presenter: Mike Green
The best gig is a fair deal that everyone feels good about. Experienced booking agent Mike Green leads a discussion about finding the fairest and clearest way of negotiating so everyone comes out of it feeling good and has reasonable expectations.
The Joy of Singing | Cypress / Richie Havens Room
Presenter: Claudia Schmidt
Claudia Schmidt leads a vocal workshop with fun warmup exercises, Q&A about voice and, of course, singing!
Getting Radio Airplay | Aspen / Charley Patton Room
Presenters: Art Menius, Erik Balkey, Kari Estrin
Want to know how to get airplay on folk and Americana radio? Then learn from the experts! Seasoned radio promoters talk about what to send to DJs, how to get your music played and maybe even top the charts!
Old-Time Music: Present-Future-Past | Pine / John Trudell Room
Presenters: Dom Flemons, Rina Rossi, Micah Ling, Ruby John, Joe Johnson
Old-time music is a complex genre within the folk music sphere, existing at the crossing of tradition, innovation, community, and cultural heritage. In this session join old-time musicians, researchers, and live music presenters for a roundtable discussion on what drew them to old time music, what makes old-time spaces special in their experience, barriers to participation that exist in these spaces, and strategies and initiatives that are working to break these barriers down.
12:00p – 1:00p
Venue & Presenter Peer Group | Redwood / Lydia Mendoza Room
A peer group gathering for venues and concert presenters to discuss operations, finances and creative solutions, share what has/has not worked and why.
Divorced with Kids (DWK) Peer Group | Cypress / Richie Havens Room
Have you gone through a divorce while parenting? Yeah. Rough. Us too. This group is a place for us to share the unique challenges of the path itself, as well as how we engage with the experience in our art without harming our kids, and tips/tricks for getting through. We’ll set confidentiality agreements at the outset and encourage shares & asks. Hosted by Joel Simpson and Annie Bacon.
12:15p – 1:00p
Folk Fashion | Pine / John Trudell Room
Presenter: Micah Ling
As musicians, our dress plays an important role in communicating genre, identity, community, history, and aesthetics to our audiences and to each other. The role of dress and fashion in music often goes ignored but is an essential aspect of performance. This workshop explores our relationship to the clothes we wear as folk and traditional music performers both on and off stage.
SATURDAY
11:00a – 12:15p
Engaging Your Audience: Why it Matters, How to Do It | Cypress / Richie Havens Room
Presenters: Sue Fink, Katie Dahl, Anne Heaton, Joe Jencks
Why is it so important to engage one’s audience during a performance? Shouldn’t our songs be enough? The panel discusses various ways to keep audiences fully engaged during your show, thinking about your show afterward and wanting to return to see you in the future.
PR From All Angles | Aspen / Charley Patton Room
Presenters: Adam Dawson, Carol Roth, Melissa McKinney
It takes a village to support this music ecosystem! Hear how artists, publicists, promoters and media professionals work together to get the word out.
Grief and Creativity | Redwood / Lydia Mendoza Room
Presenters: Leslie Rich, Annie Bacon
Grief is a complex, non-linear experience that doesn’t follow a specific path. Each person’s journey is unique, unpredictable, and unexpected. Artists talk about ways they have been able to leverage that experience in order to help themselves and others.
Pre-Production: How to Record a Better Album by Spending Less Money | Pine / John Trudell Room
Presenter: Mike Lewis
Just as there is an art in making a record, there is an art in preparing to make one. We will talk about examining one’s purpose in making a specific album, finding a musical and commercial focus, deciding on a recording process, choosing the right mix of artist-producer power sharing, choosing and putting final touches on songs, experimenting with keys to determine the vibe of a song and desired timbre of the voice, experimenting with tempos to find the optimum groove, and doing the right kind of artist homework to help create the best possible record.
12:00p – 2:15p
Folk DJ Peer Group | Cypress / Richie Havens Room
DJs meet to discuss current issues and share resources.
1:00p – 2:15p
Social Justice Songwriting Feedback Session | Cypress / Richie Havens Room
Presenter: Jason Baker, Joe Jencks
Songwriters are invited to share works in progress with social justice intent and content (broadly defined) in a safe and supportive environment, and get constructive feedback and advice from fellow songwriters. The People’s Music Network feedback model follows a “Stars and Wishes” format: “stars” = what you like or love about the song ; “wishes” = compassionately presented suggestions for changes.
So You Want to Start a Festival? | Redwood / Lydia Mendoza Room
Presenter: Jan Bell
Artists & festival organizers discuss getting started, sustainability, and an overview of our experience both on stage and behind the scenes.
Old-Time Jam | Pine / John Trudell Room
Presenters: AJ Srubas, Rina Rossi
Calling all old-time and old-time curious musicians! Come join AJ & Rina (of Steam Machine) for a facilitated old time jam. We’ll play through some common and less common old-time tunes in friendly keys like G and D. For those who’ve never been to an old-time jam and want to know how it works, we’ll go over some of the typical etiquette or conventions of old-time jamming, including learning by ear, typical roles of instruments like fiddle, guitar, banjo, bass, and mandolin, and typical flow for jams.
Live Taping of Nathans & Roncast Podcast with Special Guest Elexa Dawson | Aspen / Charley Patton Room
Presenters: Aaron Nathans, Michael G. Ronstadt, Elexa Dawson
Aaron Nathans & Michael G. Ronstadt host a live taping of their podcast, which discusses songcraft and musicianship. They talk with chart-topping singer/songwriter Elexa Dawson and take a deep dive into one of her songs. Including a live performance.
SUNDAY
10:30a – 11:45a
Amplify Your Art: Video & Multimedia Tips for Musicians | Aspen / Charley Patton Room
Presenter: Pete McCauley
Are you looking for new ways to create, produce, and share multimedia content to promote your music? Led by media artist, producer, content creator, creative director, and multimedia storyteller Pete McCauley, this workshop touches on video production, podcasting, social media strategies and other multimedia tools to help you market your music effectively. Join us to discuss ways to improve your skills and reach a wider audience.
Don’t Leave Money on the Table | Redwood / Lydia Mendoza Room
Presenter: Eve Smith
Folk Alliance International’s Development Manager leads this discussion about grants and other funding opportunities.
Freeing Your Creative Voice | Cypress / Richie Havens Room
Presenter: Patti Shaffner
Without lyrics and set melody to constrain ideas of how to create music, improvisational, spontaneous Circle Singing frees our voices and minds, loosens our bodies and invites music to be created ‘in the moment’. Patti has trained with both Bobby McFerrin and Rhiannon to lead and facilitate this way of creative, no wrong way to do it opportunity to explore voice, intuition, community building and the ways in which ideas may be born.
11:45a – 1:00p
Closing Song Circle | Walnut / Elizabeth Cotten Room
Bring an instrument and share a song — a great way to finish off the conference!
Every year we work hard behind the scenes to bring you a diverse line-up of workshops and panels, with a host of experts from our own community who can address current technology, the changing face of the independent music business, as well as performance and instrument techniques.
At FARM we think the workshops are a key part of an educational, fun, and worthwhile conference and we are always on the lookout for new and exciting ideas.
Workshops take place on Friday and Saturday afternoons.
Our workshop coordinator this year is once again, Charlie Mosbrook.
Do you have a suggestion for a Workshop you’d like to see us include and/or Present? Please use the submission form below.