UPCOMING EVENTS:
SFMS KEEPS THE MUSIC COMING! We're bringing live music to you online, and finding new ways to support our traditional arts community. Stay well out there, make music as often as possible, and help your neighbors. If you can, consider supporting any musician you love by purchasing recorded music and other merchandise, as they are being hit hard.
Sun, Aug 9 - VIRTUAL Emerging Artist Showcase
We are excited to announce the finalists for our Emerging Artist Showcase: five acoustic folk acts who aren't yet regulars on the concert series or festival circuits. This is one of the most-anticipated parts of our summer festival, and since we can't do it in person this year, we're taking it online!
Our finalists include
Nashville singer-songwriter Angela Autumn •
rockin' contemporary folk from Buffalo Rose •
vibrant Irish concertina from Caroline Keane •
folk, soul, pop, ukulele (!) and live-looping harmonies from Emily Drinker •
and Delta blues from guitarist Rob Kronen.
We'll also get a bonus set from our friend Hank Imhof while the judges make their decision.
Who will bag our $500 prize? Join us to see all five acts perform LIVE, and vote for your favorite, on
Sun, August 9 MORE
Anytime! - Jaerv at Gothenburg
The Swedish folk band Jaerv has been a crowd favorite ever since their first performance for SFMS in 2008. They collaborated with us to create our very first INTERNATIONAL virtual event! Members of the band chatted with SFMS's Jess Hayden and Grace Lee, and then we enjoyed a full-length concert recorded live earlier this summer at the lovely Tower of Gothenburg Cathedral in Sweden. Watch it anytime on YouTube.
July 2021 - Festival Postponed
The Susquehanna Folk Music Society board has made the difficult decision to postpone this summer’s festival to July 23-25, 2021. We are inviting 2020 performers to join us then, and we hope you will too. In the meantime, check out our VIRTUAL Emerging Artist Showcase! This has been one of the most popular parts of the Susquehanna Folk Festival, and we're excited to present it virtually.
Susquehanna Folk Recognized with CARES Act Grant
SFMS is pleased to announce that we have been recommended for a $50,000 CARES Act Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts! This grant is meant to strengthen and sustain arts organizations during the Coronavirus pandemic. Aside from SFMS, only 35 Pennsylvania-based arts organizations, including The Appell Center in York and the City of Lancaster, were recommended for a grant of this size.
SFMS is very grateful for these funds, which will help us keep presenting entertaining and engaging folk arts programs that benefit the Central Pennsylvania community and beyond.
Learn more:
Live interview on ABC27 •
NEA press release
WHAT’S NEW?
Pulling Together
Those who play and present music for a living are in difficult straits right now, along with restaurant staff, service workers, and so many others. If you are in a position to do so, please support your community in whatever ways you can.
If you play an instrument, you might consider reaching out to any musician you admire and asking about lessons via video-call. Many of them suddenly have more time and less income than usual! Ask your local music store owner if you can buy a gift certificate. See if the pub down the street is offering carry-out. Support an arts nonprofit whose work you believe in (like SFMS! among others).
Pull together with your community and do what you can. Together we'll get through this.
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