Partner Assets

About the Folk Alliance International Conference

The Folk Alliance International Conference, presented by Folk Alliance International, is the world’s largest gathering of the folk music industry and community (crossing a diverse array of genres including Appalachian, Americana, Blues, Bluegrass, Celtic, Cajun, Global Roots, Hip-Hop, Old-Time, Singer-Songwriter, Spoken Word, Traditional, Zydeco, and various fusions).

The conference will be held at The Sheraton New Orleans Hotel in January 21-25, 2026.

The annual conference is the leading booking and industry event for the folk music industry (with 2,450+ registrants in 2025). There are approximately 165 official showcase acts curated annually through a juried process from a large and competitive pool of applications.

General Registration Info

Registration is open now and tiered by attendee type—Industry professionals, Artists, Fans/Retirees and Students. Member discounts apply and there are first-time scholarships available through December 19. One-day passes are also available for a single-day access option. Student registration requires valid student ID, and full conference terms—including cancellation and refund policies—are listed on the Registration page.

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Louisiana Residents Get 50% off

Thanks to our partnership with the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development and their support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Louisiana residents have access to 50% off their registration. For more information, see the Registration page.

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Official Showcases and Daytime Programming

The full conference schedule is now available. Official Showcases highlight the best folk music in the world across a vast variety of genres. 160 jury-selected artists perform on the largest stages of our conference to an audience of venue bookers, agents, record labels, DJs, media companies, and more. Each Official Showcase is performed on a full production stage at the in-person conference host hotel. A full list of Official Showcase Artists performing in New Orleans can be found on the Official Showcase Lineup page.

Daytime programming includes three days of panels and workshops that let you pick the brains of industry experts and legends. This year’s keynote is a conversation between Big Freedia and Tank (from Tank and the Bangas), two trailblazing artists steeped in the musical brew of Louisiana, stitching the area’s enduring musical legacy to its future. The keynote conversation will center around this year’s vital conference theme: RISE UP.⁠

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How we refer to the FAI Conference...

FAI 2026
FAI 2026 Conference
#folk2026
2026 Folk Alliance International Conference
2026 Folk Alliance International Annual Conference
2026 Folk Alliance International 38th Annual Conference

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Dropbox link to Official Images

Dropbox link to download FAI's Logos

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Official Showcase Applications Open

Suggested Text

Official Showcase Applications are open now for the 2026 Folk Alliance International Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana (January 21 - 25, 2026). Official Showcases are an excellent way for tour-ready artists to perform their music in front of festival bookers, agents, venues, record labels, DJs, and more. Selected through a competitive jury process, Official Showcase artists often book national or international tours, meet professionals to join their teams, and catch the interest of media based on these performances.
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⏳ Applications close June 6, 2025 at 11:59 pm CT

Apply now!

Partner Link to Official Showcase Application Page https://www.folk.org/conference/official-showcases