What is a Private Showcase?

Private Showcases are what makes Folk Alliance International Conferences unique. Wednesday through Saturday, floors of hotel rooms transform into unique, intimate stages where acts from around the world share incredible music.

Anyone registered for an FAI Conference can perform a Private Showcase or host a Private Showcase Room. All Private Showcases are exclusive to conference registrants. Connect with the global folk music industry one room at time, as you visit hundreds of incredible concerts, jam sessions, and dances every night.

Every moment of FAI is memorable, but Private Showcases unforgettable.

When and where?

Private Showcases take place Wednesday, Feb 19 through Saturday from 10:30 pm ET to 3 am ET on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th floors of the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth hotel, primarily in guest rooms and suites.

Conference attendees can find all Private Showcases listed in the Conference App or Pocket Guide booklet.

Performing a Private Showcase

  • Acts are limited to performing a maximum of six (6) Private Showcases over the four nights of the conference.
  • Private Showcases are acoustic (no amplification or sound systems in standard rooms, with limited sound reinforcement in the suites and premium rooms)
  • Drum kits and bass drums are not permitted in Private Showcase rooms or suites. Percussion may be used judiciously and must not disturb any adjacent rooms
  • Private Showcase durations and formats vary widely based on the host. Some rooms are in the round – some are even jam sessions.
  • Keep in mind that Private Showcase Rooms will vary in size, from a typical 2-bed hotel room to the larger suites.

Please contact our office at fai@folk.org if you have any questions about the process.

Getting booked for a Private Showcase

In order to play a Private Showcase, you must be registered for the conference. Then a Private Showcase Host must book your act for their room. Check the list at the bottom of this page (updated weekly starting mid-September) to see all confirmed hosts. If contact information is provided for a Host, they are accepting submissions from artists.

  • Research the Private Showcase Host list and send a direct, personalized email. Do not bulk email Hosts.
  • Your personal email should be concise and include contact info, # people in your band, geographic location, a short bio, and link to a performance video.
  • Some hosts charge a nominal fee to help underwrite the costs of the room and hospitality. Average fees run between $20-$30 per slot. Many do not charge, and some trade slots for performance slots in other rooms.
  • Start early! Available space is filled quickly.
  • Artists are limited to six (6) Private Showcases over the four nights of the conference. It’s the artist’s responsibility to manage this number.
view host list

How do I market my Showcases?

Sharing your showcase times with other attendees is encouraged! There are thousands of Private Showcases every year, so artists get creative to promote their Official and Private Showcases. Here are some do's and don'ts:

Don't...

  • ... Don't send mass emails to attendees – we can all tell when we're receiving an email en masse. These impersonal bulk emails are against our Terms and Conditions (and are annoying and more likely to be ignored).
  • ... Don't hang posters or leave postcards around the hotel – only Private Showcase Hosts are allowed to poster (and only on the Private Showcase floors). Others will be removed. Don't waste paper! Please respect the space.

Do...

  • ... Create postcards or business cards with your showcase times – a well-made card with a nice photo, clearly readable times, and links, helps people remember your face and showcase. Make sure that your times are correct (i.e. "2 am Friday Night" is easier to understand than "2 am Friday" or "2 am Saturday").
  • ... Tag @folk_alliance (Instagram) or @folkalliance (everywhere else)! We want to help you promote your showcase, and we'll try to share your post with our audience!
  • ... Purchase digital advertising or an artist table at the Exhibit Hall. Before the conference we send many emails to our audience. Buying email ad space is a great way to reach our audience – even those who aren't attending! During the conference, each room with daytime programming (panels, workshops, etc.) features a giant screen displaying the schedule. Purchase a digital screen ad to get displayed on all of these screens next to the schedule.

Book a Private Showcase

Hosted by FAI

Folk Alliance International will host a few private showcase rooms: First-Timers Room, Traditional Music Room, and other partner rooms. These rooms are on the Private Showcase floors and are available to any conference registrant Placement is first-come, first-serve.

Please note: All hosted rooms are fully booked.

Hosted by Conference Attendees


How to Book a Private Showcase Hosted by Conference Attendees

Use the host’s contact below to send a direct, personal email (refrain from sending bulk!). Your personal email should be concise and include a link to a performance video, short bio, and contact info.

Start early! Rooms fill up extremely fast. Additional rooms will be added. The host list will be updated every week or two, so check back often.

Room Name

Host

Room #

Contact

AIM Presents

AIM Booking Agency

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Fully Booked

Fully Booked

ALL MUSIC STARTS LOCAL

ALL MUSIC STARTS LOCAL & Rigby Summer Music

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Rigby Summer

Rigby Summer

Access Song Camp Europe

Access Film Music LLC

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Michael Beck

Michael Beck

Access Chicago Mike

Access Film Music LLC

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Michael Beck

Michael Beck

Access Tunedough

Access Film Music LLC

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Michael Beck

Michael Beck

Access Rahel n Beck

Access Film Music LLC

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Michael Beck

Michael Beck

Access Film Music

Access Film Music LLC

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Michael Beck

Michael Beck

Access Juniper Hill

Access Film Music LLC

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Michael Beck

Michael Beck

Visit Fort Worth/Visit Tulsa

Afallon Productions

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Brooks Kendall

Brooks Kendall

Jim Hermanson

American Sounds

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Jim Hermanson

Jim Hermanson

The Bose Listening Lounge "After Hours" hosted by KC Turner Presents

BOSE CORPORATION

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

JED ROTHENBERG

JED ROTHENBERG

Black Oak Artists

Black Oak Artists

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Brad Raley

Brad Raley

Blackpot Camp / Great Bear Records

Blackpot Camp

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Fully Booked

Fully Booked

Bonsound

Bonsound

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Roxanne Lehoux

Roxanne Lehoux

British Underground

British Underground

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Crispin Parry

Crispin Parry

British Underground Unplugged

British Underground

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Fully Booked

Fully Booked

Starry Nights with Canis Major Music

Canis Major Music

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Fully Booked

Fully Booked

Chairman George Productions

Chairman George

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

George Sapounidis

George Sapounidis

ComboPlate Booking

ComboPlate Booking

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Fully Booked

Fully Booked

The Big O Room presented by the Threehouse

Dlp Musique

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

David Lafleche

David Lafleche

Dog My Cat Records

Dog My Cat Records

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Harry Manx

Harry Manx

39 Days of July/Duncan Showroom

Duncan Showroom

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

John Falkner

John Falkner

Ethno USA

Ethno USA

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Myla Hardie

Myla Hardie

FAR-West Presents

FAR-West

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Gaby Castro

Gaby Castro

FLi Artists

FLi Artists

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Fully Booked

Fully Booked

The Regions Room

Folk Alliance International

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

The First Timers Room #1

Folk Alliance International

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Complete this form

Complete this form

The Traditional Music Room

Folk Alliance International

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Fully Booked

Fully Booked

The First Timers Room # 2

Folk Alliance International

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Complete this form

Complete this form

Folk Canada

Folk Canada

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Fully Booked

Fully Booked

Folquébec Spotlight Musique de Chez-Nous

Folquébec

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Gilles Garand

Gilles Garand

Sober Room by Geneviève Racette and InTempo Music

InTempo Musique

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Jacynthe Plamondon-Émond

Jacynthe Plamondon-Émond

Indigenous Voices Room

Indigenous Music Alliance

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Nicole Auger

Nicole Auger

The Rainbow Room

JENNIFER KNAPP MUSIC

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Kaz Russell

Kaz Russell

3RD COAST MUSIC

Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Sherry Brokus

Sherry Brokus

Just Right Music

Just Right Music

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Fully Booked

Fully Booked

Kari Estrin Badass Women Showcase

Kari Estrin Management & Consulting

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Kari Estrin

Kari Estrin

Local 1000 AFM

Local 1000

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Aaron Fowler

Aaron Fowler

Lusitanian

Lusitanian Music Publishing

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Nuno Saraiva

Nuno Saraiva

Midwood's Music Emporium

Midwood Entertainment

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Fully Booked

Fully Booked

Folquébec & Mundial Montréal & Global Toronto

Mundial Montréal

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Jessica Blain-Descormiers

Jessica Blain-Descormiers

Mushfiq Arts Company

Mushfiq Arts Company Inc

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Said Hashimi

Said Hashimi

The Alaska Room

Music Export Alaska

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Fully Booked

Fully Booked

MusicNL East Coast Style

MusicNL

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Tamara Kater

Tamara Kater

MusicOntario

MusicOntario

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Fully Booked

Fully Booked

House of Pancakes

Olivia Management/Alright Alright

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Fully Booked

Fully Booked

Pan-Asian Pacific Islander Artists

Pan-Asian Artists

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Janice Lee

Janice Lee

Montréal Full Blast

Résonances & Festival Trad Montréal

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Marjolène Forest

Marjolène Forest

Sounds Australia & New Zealand Music Commission

Sounds Australia

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Fully Booked

Fully Booked

Séance Listening Room

Séance Listening Room

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Fully Booked

Fully Booked

The Black American Music Summit

The Black American Music Movement

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Bertrand Evans-Taylor

Bertrand Evans-Taylor

The Alberta Room

The Bow Valley Music Club/The Calgary Folk Club

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Larry Taylor

Larry Taylor

The Daydream Room

The Greensboro Sound Artist Co-Op

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Ashley Virginia

Ashley Virginia

Tractorgrease

Tractorgrease

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Jay Gavin

Jay Gavin

Sans Country Club

United Nations of Folk

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Ian Fisher

Ian Fisher

Covering Your Friends / Philadelphia Folksong Society

Urban Acoustic Music

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

TBA

TBA

True Stories & Tender Songs presented by Richard Flohil and VK Artist Promotion & Bookings

VK Artist Promotion & Bookings

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Veronica Kutt

Veronica Kutt

WHY Portugal

WHY Portugal

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Nuno Saraiva

Nuno Saraiva

Wild Hunt Records Room

Wild Hunt Records

Room: 
TBA
TBA
Contact: 

Kyle Benor

Kyle Benor

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