Registration is now open for the 13th annual Southeast Regional Folk Alliance (SERFA) Conference, with super early-bird discounts available through January 31. An extended weekend of contemporary and traditional folk music, networking and learning opportunities, the conference – slated for May 13-17 in Chattanooga, Tennessee — will be keynoted by acclaimed singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier and will feature some two-dozen juried official showcases.
The official showcases – for which completed applications and payment must be submitted by Feb. 29 — take place Thursday-Saturday evenings from 7- 10:30 p.m., with each artist/act performing a 15-minute set. Late-night guerilla showcases follow them — with many extending until 2 a.m.
Also on the agenda are daytime panel discussions and workshops, a Wisdom of the Elders session, one-on-one and group mentoring sessions, ope mics, the SERFA Awards, an exhibit hall, and plenty of opportunities to learn, share and network.
Super early-bird registration for the conference — which includes dinners but not other meals or lodging – is priced at $220 for Folk Alliance International members and $255 for non-members, while deeper discounts are available for media, presenters and students. A rate equivalent to the super early-bird discounted one will be available to Official Showcase applicants between March 15-April 30. Conference registration forms, along with information on applying for scholarships and official showcases may be found at www.serfa.org, There is a $45 showcase application fee, and all applicants will be notified of the selections by March 15.
SERFA is a regional affiliate of Folk Alliance International (www.folk.org), a nonprofit organization that aims to serve, strengthen and engage the global folk music community through preservation, presentation and promotion. FAI’s international conference takes place in New Orleans, Louisiana, January 22-26. SERFA serves the southeastern United States plus the Caribbean.
Editor’s Note: An elected board member of Folk Alliance International and president of the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance board of directors, I have been an active participant at SERFA conferences since 2011 – hosting guerilla showcases, mentoring and serving as a panelist.
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