The Tucson Kitchen Musicians Association (TKMA) invites all musicians age 18 and
younger to apply to perform on the New Artist Stage for a scheduled 25-minute
performance slot on the bill of the 25th Annual Tucson Folk Festival held in and
around El Presidio Park in downtown Tucson. Last year over 100 acts performed
on four stages. TKMA has offered this opportunity to “new artists”
who are 18 years old or younger each year since 2007.
General Festival Information
The 25th Anniversay Tucson Folk Festival will take place on Saturday &
Sunday, May 1st & 2nd, 2010.
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.
The Tucson Folk Festival is an acoustic event; however, electronic pianos
and bass amps are allowed.
Sets are 25 minutes long on a half-hour schedule.
The Tucson Folk Festival is produced by TKMA, an all-volunteer non-profit
organization, with funding from Tucson Pima Arts Council, Arizona Commission
on the Arts, local businesses and members. Funds are limited for this
event, so a stipend cannot be offered to performers.
Application Information
The deadline for New Artist applications is
February 16, 2010.
The New Artist application requires a
non-refundable fee of $5.
Checks must be postmarked by February 16, 2010,
or payment may be made online.
Demo CDs must be postmarked by February 16, 2010, or
demo tracks may be uploaded to our website. No tapes will be accepted.
New Artists Stage
No adults are allowed to perform with the new artists, even as
back-up. Groups with adults are encouraged to apply as regular performers
at the Tucson Folk Festival.
Youth who have performed on the New Artist Stage for 2 or more years will
not be considered for the New Artist Stage, but are strongly
encouraged to apply through the general Performer Selection process.
This is an acoustic event; electric guitars and/or amplifiers are not
permitted (except for electric basses).
Only acoustic guitars are allowed (built-in or soundhole pickups are fine) -
no solid-body or semi-hollow-body electrics. Bassists are permitted to use
electric basses and amplifiers; no pedal effects. Keyboards are permitted
to use a piano voice, but no organ, steel drum, marimba, etc. settings.
These instruments may be used live - just not in electronic form.
Tips for Demo Submissions
Don't include more than four pieces.
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 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.
Don't submit covers of familiar pop or folk songs made famous like Desperado
or Blowin in the Wind unless you have an innovative arrangement.
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.
