2026 Conference Art + Theme Reveal

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July 31, 2025

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The theme of the 2026 Folk Alliance International Conference is Rise Up.

For our 38th annual conference, Folk Alliance International invites you to rise up—to rise, respond, and resonate with purpose in the heart of New Orleans. In a city where music marches through the streets and history dances in every note, we gather for a Second Line of Song—a celebration of folk tradition and a call to transformative action.

Just as a second line follows the grand marshal in a New Orleans parade, this conference honors the legacies that lead us while stepping forward into new forms of expression. In the spirit of the city that gave the world jazz funerals, Mardi Gras krewes, and community-powered parades, we’ll move together to the beat of resistance and renewal.

New Orleans, steeped in cultural resilience and musical magic, is the perfect backdrop to explore the intersection of tradition and transformation. From porch songs to protest anthems, we recognize the folk artist’s role in preserving roots and pushing boundaries—amplifying stories that demand to be heard.

In this moment of social, cultural, and ecological urgency, we are called to rise up—as artists, activists, and allies—to keep the flame of folk music burning bright. Whether through quiet storytelling or collective shout, this is our second line: our time to follow, lead, and lift each other up.

Join us in NOLA this upcoming January: Join the Second Line of Song. Rise up. Amplify your voice. March with tradition. Let the rhythms of resistance lead us forward.

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Behind the Art

New Orleans has so much rich art and history to draw from for inspiration for this year’s conference theme “Rise Up.” I wanted the final artwork to feel extremely intentional and thoughtful and to represent the unique blend of culture and history that makes New Orleans and Louisiana so special.

I was inspired by the wrought-iron work seen all around the city, adding so much charm to the architecture. The story goes that West African slaves forcibly brought to New Orleans were highly skilled crafters and iron workers who incorporated meaningful “Adinkra” symbols into the wrought-iron work that contain proverbs and meanings.

The special landscape of the state is well known — the bayous, rivers, flora, and fauna. In the hand-drawn vignettes, I incorporated natural elements such as brown pelicans (the state bird), magnolias, black-eye susans, Louisiana irises, and more.

Louisiana is also of course known for the unique folk genres of the region, such as Zydeco, Cajun, Jazz, Brass Bands, Blues, and others. Including iconic instruments from these genres felt important.

With all these elements together, one component stood out to me as the outstanding symbol for this year’s art: the historic live oak trees covered in Spanish moss. These centuries old trees have stood against time, urban development, and extreme weather, yet still stand tall and keep growing higher.

They truly embodied the theme “Rise Up” to me and thus became the focal point of this year’s art work. I hope that this year’s art can help celebrate the beauty of folk music and the resilience and power behind us as we “Rise Up.”

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