FolkWorld #76: Artists in (Their) Residence

FOLK ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL AND CHRIS THILE REVEAL PART 2 OF THE “ARTISTS IN (THEIR) RESIDENCE” SERIES FEATURING CO-WRITES REFLECTING ON THE PANDEMIC. MUSICIANS INCLUDE JOHN PAUL WHITE (THE CIVIL WARS), JUNO-WINNERS ROSE COUSINS AND LYNN MILES, TWO-TIME GRAMMY NOMINEE SEAN ARDOIN, GRAMMY NOMINEE SAULPAUL, TWO-TIME GRAMMY NOMINEE ELIZA GILKYSON, HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER RAMY ESSAM, AND ACCLAIMED SPANISH QUARTET LAS MIGAS.

Folk Alliance International (FAI) announced its Artists in (Their) Residence project, in which ten US-based artists were paired with musicians from Australia, Canada, Egypt, Ireland, Israel, Scotland, and Spain to co-write songs about the pandemic experience. Funded by the Antonia and Vladimer Kulaev Cultural Heritage Fund, the songs are being released by FAI as “home videos” recorded in the artists’ respective homes.

“This project bridges countries, cultures, and languages and was conceived to reflect on our collective experiences during these unprecedented times and to create songs that bring light and inspiration to weary music fans around the globe,” stated FAI’s Communications Manager Marisa Kolka.

Hosting the series is GRAMMY Award-winning artist and FAI showcase alumni Chris Thile, who stated “The past year has taken a tremendous toll on the folk community. These new compositions from this project are being released on FAI’s YouTube channel to raise awareness of The Village Fund, which provides direct grants to artists and music industry professionals in need.” Each video closes with Chris Thile speaking about the Village Fund.

Artists in (Their) Residence puts two folk artists together to write new music inspired by their time in quarantine. Here's "Just Be" by GRAMMY nominee and America’s Got Talent performer SaulPaul and Israeli-born, UK-based Adee Lifshitz.

"More Than It Took": Already being hailed as “the next Woody Guthrie,” DC resident Crys Matthews is among the brightest stars of the new generation of social justice music-makers; Catherine MacLellan is one of Canadian folk music’s true gems.

Nashville meets Scotland in the song Till an crodh Dhòmhnaill or The Good Mallett. Hawktail, about whom Folk Alley said, “We simply haven't seen these instruments played this way and with this exuberance... except by Hawktail”; and Gaelic 2018 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards-nominated singer Julie Fowlis.

Calvin Arsenia (Missouri) and revolutionary, rock artist, and human rights defender Ramy Essam (Egypt), now living in exile in Sweden and Finland, have combined forces for their beautiful new song "Toward the Sun أخر العتمه نور"

Here's Mick Flannery (County Cork, Ireland) and rising star Tianna Esperanza (Cape Cod) with their deep and moody new song Old Friends.

Founded in 1989, and governed by a 21-member board of directors, Folk Alliance International (FAI) is the world’s largest membership organization for the folk music industry and community. Its mission is to serve, strengthen, and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation, and promotion. FAI values diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, is committed to gender parity in all its programming, celebrates multiple languages and cultures, and actively welcomes participation from marginalized, disenfranchised, and underrepresented communities. FAI defines folk broadly as “the music of the people” (reflective of any community they are from), and programs a diverse array of sub genres including, but not limited to Appalachian, Americana, Blues, Bluegrass, Celtic, Cajun, Global Roots, Hip-Hop, Old-Time, Singer-Songwriter, Spoken Word, Traditional, Zydeco, and various fusions.

FAI produces the International Folk Music Awards (IFMAs), the Louis Jay Meyers Music Camp, an Artist in Residence program, The Folk ExChange global market development program, the Ethno USA gathering, the Kansas City Folk Festival, and the world’s largest annual folk music conference (drawing 3332 delegates from 41 countries in January 2020). Recent FAI keynote presentations have included Margaret Atwood, Rhiannon Giddens, Judy Collins, Mavis Staples, Ani DiFranco, Bill Bragg, Vice President Al Gore, and Commander Chris Hadfield. Past partnerships for the Artist in Residence program include UNESCO, the International Rescue Committee, the WWI Museum, Kansas City Ballet, the Kansas City Police Department, the Topeka Women’s Correctional Facility, UMKC’s Mathematics Dept., and the KC Art Institute. Additionally FAI provides advocacy, education, and professional development for over 4000 members, and oversees an IRS Group Exemption program in support of over 50 US non-profits.

With the entire live music ecosystem at a standstill for the near future, the folk music community is in need of immediate and ongoing financial support. As of April 1, 2020, The Village Fund will provide emergency grant assistance ($500 USD) to folk artists and independent folk music industry professionals experiencing financial hardship. The fund was conceived, seed-funded, and is administered by Folk Alliance International, a national arts service organization and 501c3 based in Kansas City. The fund’s name is inspired by the rural origins of folk music traditions, the urban villages that expanded folk audiences, and the global village of fans, artists, and industry professionals alike. Artists and independent entrepreneurs who are members of FAI, or who have been a member during the past three years (from Dec 2017 to now), or attended any FAI conference or FAI regional conference will be eligible to apply as of May1st.

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Artists in (Their) Residence (Part2)