Roger Mikulas Young Artist Showcase
The Roger Mikulas Young Artist Showcase is an annual performance opportunity at the Tucson Folk Festival open to anyone 18 years or younger. An opportunity for young, up-and-coming musicians, the showcase is a fun and welcoming environment that offers a chance to perform on a professional stage at a popular community event!
Roger Mikulas was a strong supporter and one of the founders of the Young Artist Stage in 2006. Organized today by Board Member Ron Pandy, the showcase continues to feature some of Tucson’s youngest and most promising musicians.
Important Dates
| October 1 | Application period opens |
| January 15 | Young Artist application period closes at 11:59 PM. Applications will be considered after this date for any slots not filled on a first come basis. |
| February 15 | Young Artist Showcase Artists Announced |
| April 11-12 | Young Artist Showcase on the Wildflower Stage during the Festival Weekend |
Questions? Please contact our Young Artist Showcase Coordinator Ron Pandy at RonPandy@gmail.com.
Hello Young Performers!
The Tucson Kitchen Musicians Association (TKMA) invites all musicians, who will be 18 years of age or younger at the time of the Tucson Folk Festival, to apply to perform a scheduled set of 5 to 25 minutes for the Roger Mikulas Young Artists Showcase at this year’s Festival.
The Young Artists Showcase will take place on Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12, 2026 on the Wildflower Stage next to the Joel Valdez Main Library.
The Five Things Everybody Needs to Know (please read this carefully)
- This is an application to be a volunteer performer.
- The Tucson Folk Festival is an acoustic-oriented folk music event. We use a very broad definition of “Folk” music. We seek to include performers who bring variety and creativity to the Festival. In addition to traditional folk music, we welcome Americana, Blues, indie, bluegrass/newgrass, mariachi, tejano, yaqui, waila and other ethnic, world and innovative acoustic music forms. Electric bass is OK. Electronic pianos are OK (played as a straight piano, without special effects), as are pedal steel guitars and small harmonica amps. Percussion of all kinds is welcome and small drum kits are fine (large kits are allowed but discouraged because of stage space and limited set-up time). Drum machines and backing tracks of any kind are not allowed. Pedal setups for guitar players are strongly discouraged.
- Only online applications are accepted. There are no paper application forms.
- There is no fee to apply for the Young Artist Showcase.
- The deadline for Young Artists applications is January 15, 2026. We will notify applicants of their selection status February 15, 2026.
General Festival Information
- 41st Annual Tucson Folk Festival: April 10-12, 2026 (Friday-Sunday).
- Main venue: Jacome Plaza and nearby stages downtown Tucson.
- Performance sets: 5 to 25 minutes long. Please note if you bring a lot of instruments, the set-up time will cut into your time with the audience.
- Professional sound system with plenty of DI’s for your instruments that have pickups and mics for those that don’t, and of course mics 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
Note: To begin your application, you’ll first be asked to enter and confirm your email address. Once confirmed, you’ll receive access to the full application form. At the top, you will see two red “X”s indicating (1) incomplete Contact Information and (2) incomplete demo uploads.
There are 2 steps to complete your application:
- Fill out your contact information
- Upload three songs (in .mp3 or .wav format)
As these steps are completed, the red “X”s will change to green “√”s. A red X indicates what is not complete. When you see 2 green “√”s, we have your complete application.
Songwriting Demo Submission & Recording Guidelines
- Submit no more than 3 pieces (mp3 files only).
- Select pieces that show off your strengths.
- Avoid electric and/or over-produced or recordings as the selection committee would like to hear you / your group as it will sound at the Festival.
- Please delete all talking from your submissions, as the selection committee uses blind listening, so breaking this rule interferes with the integrity of the process.
- Avoid songs that include long musical introductions.
We encourage you to upload your demo tracks to our server as mp3 files, as this is easiest for our selection committee to work with (the online application form will lead you through the process). Submissions can be professionally produced or as simple as the voice recorder on your phone. Alternately, you can provide a link to a YouTube video (do not upload video files). If you choose to mail a CD, we must receive it no later than one week after the application deadline. Demo CDs
mailed to us will not be returned.
Our mailing address is:
Tucson Kitchen Musicians Association
Attn: Young Artists Showcase
PO Box 41054
Tucson, AZ 85717
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an adult perform with a young artist in the Young Artist Showcase?
Adults are not allowed to perform with the Young Artists, except as backup. Groups with adults are encouraged to apply as regular performers at the Tucson Folk Festival.
If I’m selected, may I sell CDs or other merch at the event?
Yes! Performers may sell CDs and download cards at the Festival in two ways:
Please note: TKMA volunteers will not handle money at this location — only at the Kitchen Store.
- On consignment at the TKMA Kitchen Store (Jácome Plaza):
- CDs are typically priced at $15, but you may set your own price.
- TKMA commission:
– $2 per CD (any price)
– $1 per $5 download card
– $2 per $10+ download card - Full consignment details will be provided after finalists are selected.
- At the TKMA Table Near the Stage (Immediately After Your Set):
- You or a designated helper may sell CDs directly after your performance.
Additional Festival Opportunities
Ballad Tree / Song Circle
The Ballad Tree is a beloved festival tradition — an informal song circle where musicians, singers, poets, and storytellers gather to share songs and stories in a round-robin format.
- Play a tune you just wrote or one passed down through generations
- Open to all skill levels — from beginners to seasoned performers
- Acoustic instruments only
- No signups needed — just bring your instrument and join the circle!
Everyone is welcome — performers and listeners alike.
Workshops
Sharing your skills and knowledge is a great way to contribute to the Festival community.
If you have a topic you’d like to teach in a 45–60 minute workshop, simply enter your idea in the “Other Opportunities” field when applying — and we’ll follow up with you.
Workshops are open to all attendees who want to get involved.
You don’t need to be a Festival Performer to apply.
Volunteering
The Tucson Folk Festival relies on over 200 volunteers each year to make the event happen.
Whether you want to help during the festival or support pre-festival activities like fundraisers, publicity, sponsorship outreach, and more, we’d love to have you involved.