FARM Gathering 2008
Please join FARM (Folk Alliance Region Midwest) at its 2008 Gathering from Friday, October 10th, through Sunday, October 12th (Columbus Day weekend), at the Techny Towers Conference & Retreat Center, just minutes away from Chicago. Once again, we're meeting in a lovely natural setting that is nonetheless convenient to expressways, public transportation (commuter as well as AMTRAK and O'Hare), shopping and alternative dining and lodging.
Fees for the Gathering are shown on the Housing and Registration Form, and cover FARM registration, plus various options for lodging and meals. FARM is part of the North American Folk Music & Dance Alliance (NAFA). If you belong to NAFA, you are automatically a FARM member, and enjoy a registration discount to boot. But you're invited to attend the Gathering even if you're not a NAFA member.
This year we will once again have 12 juried showcases as a part of the Gathering. The showcases will take place Friday night and Saturday afternoon. We'd like to thank our Juried Showcase Selection Committee for their hard work.
We learned from previous FARM surveys and attendee comments that our members want to keep Performance Lane, our "one song per act" showcase, as a part of the Gathering. Thus, Performance Lane will take place to a limited extent on Friday night; and all of Saturday evening will be Performance Lane. After the formal presentations and performances on both nights, jamming and song circles among the musicians are, as always, strongly encouraged. However, due to the nature of our meeting facility, the tight schedule of events and the wishes of the overwhelming majority of attendees, NO private showcasing of any kind will be permitted. We are proud of FARM' s convivial and cooperative nature, and that our showcase artists enjoy the undivided attention of attendees—no other activities are scheduled during the showcases and Performance Lane.
- PLEASE NOTE:
- Requests for Performance Lane spots are filled on a first come, first served basis up to the maximum number of participants we can accommodate, so REGISTER AS EARLY AS YOU CAN if you want a Performance Lane spot, but in any case no later than the early registration deadline of September 12, 2008. Friday night Performance Lane spots will be very limited, so if you want one of those, you can increase your chances of getting it by registering early!
There will be a number of exciting panels and workshops at FARM this year. We present discussion and instructional panels addressing a broad variety of topics of interest to all our attendees—performers, presenters, service providers, and media alike. Annie Capps has done an excellent job as panel coordinator both this year and last.
If you are interested in the future of FARM and acoustic music in the Midwest, this is a great year to come to the Gathering. FARM is a member-driven organization, so this is your chance to have a hand in the shape of things to come. Also, if you want to take a more active role in FARM, consider applying to serve on the FARM board or otherwise volunteering for 2008. No time, you say? Well, being on the board is not as time-consuming as you might think. There are weeks and even months with nothing to do, followed by a few weeks of intense activity several times a year. Each office has different times when it's busy. If you are interested, e-mail Sandy Andina.
BECOME A FARM SPONSOR
Sponsor support helps us to present panels and workshops at the Gathering, and helps us to keep costs for Gathering attendees as low as possible. And there are many benefits to becoming a FARM sponsor. Read the Sponsor Information Sheet (in PDF format) and/or e-mail Sandy Andina for a schedule of benefits at differing levels of sponsorship.
See you in October.
- Sincerely, your FARM Board:
- Sandy Andina, President • Christine Gaylord, Secretary • Roger Little, Treasurer • Joan Hellmann, Registar • Annie Capps, Member-At-Large, Panel Coordinator