Post-Conference Report:
36th Annual Folk Alliance International Conference

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.

Alynda 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.

Legal 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.