2012 Tucson Folk Festival Performer Fact Sheet

The Two Things Everybody Needs To Know (but, I guarantee you, every year someone will not understand)

This is an application to be a volunteer performer. Except for the headliners, all performers at the Tucson Folk Festival are volunteers (as are all the staff). If you got here because you want to be considered as a headliner for a future festival, you or your agent should contact us . The is no formal application process for headliners, but selection usually begins during summer of the year before the festival.
The Tucson Folk Festival is an acoustic event, with some exceptions: Electric bass is OK, and we even provide a bass amp at each stage. Electronic pianos are OK (played as a straight piano, without special effects). Percussion of all kinds & small drum kits are fine; large kits are discouraged because of stage space and limited set-up time.

General Festival Information

The 27th Annual Tucson Folk Festival will take place on Saturday May 5th & Sunday May 6th, 2012.
The center of Festival activity, including the Plaza Stage, Kitchen Store and Vendors area, is El Presidio Park in Downtown Tucson. Additional stages are located within walking distance of the park at the historic Old Pima County Courthouse, Old Town Artisans and the Tucson Museum of Art.
Sets are 25 minutes long on a half-hour schedule. If you bring a lot of instruments, the set-up time will cut into your time with the audience.
We provide a complete sound system with plenty of DI's for your instruments that have pickups and mics for those that don't, as well as for your vocals. We also provide a bass amp at each stage so you don't have to haul one around. If you need music stands, those are up to you.

Application Information

The deadline for Performer applications is January 23, 2012. We will try to notify applicants of their selection status by March 1, 2012.
All applications must be submitted online using the form on our web site. There are no paper application forms.
The Performer application requires a non-refundable fee of $20. The fee includes a one-year individual membership in TKMA. Checks must be postmarked by January 23, 2012, or payment may be made online.
Demo CDs must be postmarked by January 23, 2012, or demo tracks may be uploaded to our website (the online application form will lead you through the process). No tapes will be accepted. Demo CDs mailed to us will not be returned.

We ask bands to identify both “core performers” and “side performers”:
- In order to provide opportunities for as many musicians as possible, and to increase the diversity of the lineup, we try to avoid having bands with the same core performers performing similar material under multiple names.
- We try very hard not to schedule two acts at the same time when they have a core performer in common.
- Musicians are welcome to sit in as side performers with as many acts as they wish. However, we can't guarantee to schedule things so that every side performer can join every act he or she wants to.
Performers applying under the same name as last year may choose to have us reuse last year's demo CD rather than sending a new one. If we do not have a demo CD from you in our archives, we will contact you and ask you to send one. Unfortunately we are unable to re-use demo tracks that were uploaded to the web site last year.

Selection Process

The selection committee's goal is to create a diverse program of high-quality music including new performers as well as perennial favorites.
Prior TKMA membership is not required to apply (all applicants become members for one year whether they are selected to perform or not).
We use a very broad definition of “Folk Music,” and like to include performers who bring something a bit out of the ordinary to the Festival.
For the Festival as a whole, we try to achieve a balance between original material, covers of less-well-known songs and popular standards (especially innovative arrangements of the latter). Individual acts may focus on one of these, or a mixture of them all.
Your demo tracks should reflect the way your performance will sound at the festival, with members and instrumentation as similar as possible.
Although we do not judge you on recording quality, we encourage you to send a good-quality recording simply because it gives us a better idea of what you sound like.
The selection committee will do a “blind” listening to all demo tracks, ranking them on several factors.
After the blind listening, the selection committee will consider other information submitted with the application to choose between similarly-ranked performers.

Stage Assignments

We cannot honor requests to perform on a particular stage. To be fair to all performers, we try to put returning acts on different stages than they have performed on in the past. Because the Plaza Stage is broadcast on KXCI Community Radio, we make an extra effort to vary its lineup from year to year.
Because the Plaza Stage is broadcast on KXCI, performers assigned to that stage are asked to sign a broadcast release.

Tips for Demo Submissions

Don't include more than 3 pieces. If you mail a CD with more than 3 tracks, indicate clearly (preferably by writing on the CD itself) which ones you want us to use.
Please delete all talking from your submissions. In particular, don't include recordings that announce the name of your band. The selection committee uses blind listening, so breaking this rule interferes with the integrity of the process.
Select pieces that show off your strengths, and put your strongest pieces at the start of the CD.
It is recommended to not include songs that take a long time to get rolling.
Production quality is a consideration of the Selection Committee. A CD recorded in a noisy place may make it impossible to assess the quality of the music.
Electric and/or over-produced CDs are not recommended as the selection committee would like to hear your group as it will sound at the festival (same members and instrumentation).

Other

Performers may sell their CDs on consignment through the TKMA Kitchen Store with TKMA keeping $1 per CD. CDs are typically priced at $15, but you can price yours as you wish. Details on consignment will be sent after selection notification.
If you are interested in volunteering at the Festival (in addition to performing) please use the “Contact Us” page on our web site to contact the Volunteer Coordinator. Volunteer jobs include selling T-shirts, beer, soda and raffle tickets; acting as MC, stage manager and general roustabout.
Pre-festival volunteer opportunities include helping with fundraisers, publicity, selling program ads, soliciting sponsorships and lining up raffle prizes.