NONPROFIT

For the Love of Folk.

Kansas City has a long history with jazz and the blues. But today, it’s perhaps most well known for its ties to the folk music community. For almost a decade, the city has been home to Folk Alliance International (FAI), the world’s leading voice for folk music.

Established in 1989, FAI connects folk music leaders – from artists, agents, managers, and labels to publicists, arts administrators, venues, festivals, and concert series presenters – aiming to bolster the community and genre.

“Folk music is the music of the people,” says FAI Executive Director Aengus Finnan. “It’s scrappy, it’s raw, it’s beautiful, it’s alive – and while it may seldom make it to mainstream media, so much of it informs the artists that do. Our job is to elevate and support the sustainability of the commercially challenged but culturally significant music of our broad genre.”

FAI provides that support in a number of ways, mostly notably through an annual conference that includes panels, workshops, artist showcases, networking, and much more. The organization also offers an Artist in Residence program; peer sessions, which provide opportunities for people in specific sectors of the industry to connect and share their experiences; and affinity groups, communityoriented sessions designed to foster connections between those in the folk community who share a common identity.

So how does an international folk music organization come to be headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri?

“Honestly, we were looking for a home city that had a very clear understanding of the impact and importance of the cultural sector as an economic driver, not just a flourish,” Finnan explains. “At a municipal, business, and community level there is a profound level of respect for the arts here, and a vibrant and adventurous spirit. For us, being in KC means not just having an office – we could do that anywhere – but dovetailing our mission with the creative zeitgeist of the times and this city.”

For local artists, having the organization in KC means they don’t have to travel to New York, Los Angeles, or Nashville to perform in an industry showcase or learn from leaders in the folk world – it’s right in their backyard. And there are big benefits for the city, too. Visit KC estimates each conference impacts the local economy to the tune of $500,000, and in past years, FAI has produced the Kansas City Folk Festival, a free, all-day city festival that celebrates the folk arts of our neighborhoods, region, and beyond.

AN INDUSTRY UPENDED

The needs of FAI’s members shifted as live music abruptly came to a halt during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Imagine losing your job overnight with no employment insurance, savings, health care, or option to simply apply for another job,” says Finnan. “That is what happened to every grassroots artist who paid rent and groceries and dental bills by getting up on stage and singing songs for audiences from town to town every night.”

But it wasn’t just artists who were impacted. All independent workers in the industry, including sound technicians, agents, managers, and presenters, felt the pain. FAI extended all membership for a year at no cost, and then set a pay-what-you-can option for its 2021 conference, which was held online. As new COVID variants raised concerns about gathering in person, FAI once again made the decision to modify plans for its annual conference. This year’s conference will be hosted as a hybrid event May 18 through 22, with the in-person industry portion happening at Westin Crown Center Hotel.

During the first year of the pandemic, The Artist in Residence project was temporarily renamed “Artists in (Their) Residence” and saw U.S.-based musicians paired with artists found around the world to create a new song reflecting on the pandemic. The organization also immediately started hosting CommUNITY Online webinars, covering topics like getting the best sound quality for a livestream and putting together a successful promotional plan. And as many artists struggled with questions of identity and grief as their careers were challenged by the pandemic, FAI hosted

AENGUS FINNAN, FAI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR mental health and addiction related sessions. Perhaps the most significant new initiative has been the Village Fund, which provides emergency grants to any folk artist or industry entrepreneur experiencing financial hardship. “To date, we’ve distributed $50,000 to people across the US, Canada, and abroad,” Finnan says. Whether people think fondly back on the records they grew up with or enjoy listening to contemporary artists on the radio, Finnan encourages them to consider making a gift to the Village Fund to directly support artists in need, or support FIA’s broader mission through donations, sponsorship, or advertising. “Ultimately the folk music scene is a tender ecosystem, and as the convenors of that community, its vital that we find the resources and capacity to help the industry rebuild and flourish,” Finnan says.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelsey Cipolla is a local writer, editor, and social media specialist. Kelsey has covered everything from the Kansas City culinary scene to home design, health, fitness trends, hidden gems, and nonprofit in the Kansas City community.