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FAR-WEST ANNUAL CONFERENCE
 This year's FAR-West Annual Conference will be held October 24-26, 2008 at the Phoenix Marriott Mesa Hotel & Convention Center in Phoenix, AZ.
With four very successful annual conferences behind us, we're looking forward to keeping the momentum going. Please join us for our fifth annual conference! You will discover a wealth of music, networking and fun!
Showcase Information
Please visit the Showcase Information Page
for details on Official Showcases and Private "Guerilla" Showcases.
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WHO SHOULD ATTEND? WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?
 Join the best of the west at the 5th Annual Folk Alliance Western Regional Conference. Meet the people who are making things happen in folk music from all over the West. The FAR-West Annual conference is ideal for Performing Artists, Presenters, Record Industry, Agents & Managers, Media, Arts Administrators, Folk Societies/Clubs, Folklorists, and DJs. Help build a stronger folk music community on the west coast while advancing your career and gaining valuable contacts at the same time!
Registration fee includes all Workshops, Panels, Seminars, Exhibit Hall Entrance, Showcases, Jamming Sessions, and Saturday's Awards Luncheon. Learn how to build your community, career and contacts while making and listening to music with your peers. It's about networking and building relationships that will advance your music career. Showcase opportunities abound and it's very affordable.
2007 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Click on the link above for last year's schedule of events.
This year's schedule will be posted as soon as available.
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2007 Conference Panels & Workshops
Click on the link above for a PDF File of the schedule for last year's Panels & Workshops.
This year's schedule will be posted as soon as available.
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FAR-West Conference First Timers' Handbook
Recommended for anyone trying to make the most of the conference. To download the handbook (in ".PDF" format) click on the link above. (PC users right click on link and select "Save Link As"; Mac users click and hold.) Note: This file is 244K.
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BOOKING YOUR HOTEL ROOM
Phoenix Marriott Mesa Hotel
& Convention Center
in Phoenix, Arizona.
FAR-West Conference Room Rates
$119 + tax for a single or double room
Cutoff date for this discounted rate is
September 30, 2008.
For Hotel Reservations: call 1-888-236-2427 and mention code: "Far-West Folk"
OR BOOK YOUR ROOM HERE
and enter "fwffwfa" as the group code to make reservations.
For "Music Rooms," to host private "guerrilla" showcases, do not book your room with the hotel. For insurance reasons, Private "Guerrilla" Showcase rooms must be booked through FAR-West, NOT the hotel. You can sign up through online registration. A signed contract is also needed and can be found at www.far-west.org/pgs2008.html
If you have any problems or questions about booking your rooms, please contact our conference coordinator Renée Bodie.
If you will be sending any packages to the hotel, you MUST fill out and return the Marriott Package Handling Form or your package will be rejected.
The hotel requires that all Exhibit Hall exhibitors download and return a Marriott Exhibitor Order Form.
Showcase Information
Please visit the Showcase Information Page
for details on Official Showcases and Private "Guerilla" Showcases.
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FAR-West is run entirely by volunteers. We are always in need of volunteers to help out at this year's conference. Volunteers will get a discount on their registration fees. See details and sign up as a conference volunteer during online registration.
Join the FAR-West Street Team!
FAR-West Howard Larman Memorial Scholarship Fund
Due to the generosity of an anonymous donor, FAR-West has set up an annual fund to help someone with financial need attend the FAR-West conference. This fund continues to be added to by others wishing to honor Howard's memory. FAR-West is proud to have this ongoing fund in Howard Larman's name. Howard, who with his wife Roz, co-founded the long running FolkScene radio program, died in April 2007. Howard and Roz were on the founding committee of FAR-West. They have truly been pillars of the accoustic music scene for more than 35 years.
The Howard Larman Memorial Scholarship Fund is a financial assistance program administered by FAR-West. Each year, one or more grants will be awarded.
The size of the grant will be based on the cost for an individual artist to attend the conference, and grants can only be awarded to individuals. If a duo or larger group is interested in applying for the scholarship, please note that the application must be made on behalf of an individual or individuals.
The grant will pay for the conference registration and hotel room for two nights. The money will go directly from The Fund to the conference and the hotel. Awardees will be responsible for their own transportation and food, other than meals which are specifically included in the conference fees.
Applicants should send a short biography and a brief explanation as to why they want to attend the FAR-West Conference. This should be emailed to: larmanfund@far-west.org no later than Friday, October 3rd. The grant will be awarded by a committee of three FAR-West Board Members no later than one week after the submission deadline.
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OFFICIAL SHOWCASE APPLICATIONS
Applications for Official Showcase slots are now being accepted through SonicBids. Official Showcase submission deadline is Jul 31, 2008. Please go to www.sonicbids.com/far-west2008. For those who prefer to submit hard copies, go to the Showcase Information Page for further instructions on how to submit.
EXHIBIT HALL
Apply for an Exhibit Hall table through online registration. Deadline to sign up for an Exhibit Hall table is Saturday, September 20, 2008. For more details about Exhibit Hall go to: www.far-west.org/exhibit2008.html.
PROGRAM ADS
Purchase a Program Book ad through online registration. Deadline to submit your ad is Friday, September 26, 2008. For more details about Program Book advertising go to: www.far-west.org/programbook2008.html
TOTE BAGS
Purchase a Tote Bag Sponsorship and/or reserve your spot for an item to be placed in this year's Tote Bags through online registration. Deadline to submit your tote bag item is Thursday, October 23, 2008. For more information about Tote Bags go to: www.far-west.org/totebag2008.html
Exhibit Hall Tables, Program Book Ads, Tote Bags Inserts
and Private "Guerrilla" Showcase Rooms
Exhibit Hall Tables, Program Book Ads, Tote Bags Inserts
and Private "Guerrilla" Showcase Rooms should be purchased
through the online registration process.
IF you have already registered, but wish to "add on" one of
these items at a later date, please use the link below:
Add an Item
(Please note that you must be a Folk Alliance member to purchase an Exhibit Hall Table, Tote Bag Insert or Private "Guerrilla" Showcase Room.)
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Join the FAR-West Street Team!
PAST CONFERENCES:
November 2-4, 2007 - Fourth Annual FAR-West Conference
in Vancouver, WA / Portland, OR - See Photos
November 17-19, 2006 - Third Annual FAR-West Conference
in Sacramento (Rancho Cordova), CA - See Photos
October 28-30, 2005 - Second Annual FAR-West Conference
in Los Angeles (Woodland Hills), CA - See Photos
October 29-31, 2004 - First Annual FAR-West Conference
in Los Angeles (Woodland Hills), CA - See Photos
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- Website Sub-Committee