The Texas Folk Music Foundation Spring, 2006 Vol. 1 No.1

“TFMF” is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to the support and promotion of songwriters, songwriting and folk music in all its forms.   The Foundation works in affiliation with the Kerrville Folk Festival, one of the premier folk and singer/songwriter music festivals in the world and where the majority of our programs are held.

Letter from the President

 

Dear Folk Music Family,

        A year ago, the Texas Folk Music Foundation set forth on an ambitious agenda to greatly enhance its efforts to promote folk music, primarily through programs affiliated with the Kerrville Folk Festival.  This first year has been very busy.  The most ambitious of our projects has been the lease and renovation of Threadgill Theater, our “home” for Foundation programs at the Festival. 

        Through a generous donation from Grassy Hill, and the hard work of a host of dedicated volunteers, Threadgill will look very different when you arrive at this year’s festival.  The new roof will provide more shaded seating, better visibility and sound for a larger audience.  With this Spring’s record high temperatures, the additional shade will be most welcome!! And all this has been accomplished without losing a single camp.

        Another new project for the foundation is the Summer Youth Music Camp that will be held this July.  Approximately 120 youths and their sponsors will converge on the ranch for a three-day camp to “find their voice through music”.  Of course we will continue to support the growth of the other foundation projects mentioned in this newsletter.

        But most importantly, the foundation provides an opportunity for folks to support folk music and, indirectly, the Kerrville Folk Festival.  Here are a few ways you can be involved:

1.        Become a “Friend of the Foundation” (details elsewhere in the newsletter). Of course, we will also welcome tax-deductible donations of any amount. 

2.        Buy tickets for the annual Guitar Raffle at the festival.

3.        Participate in our newest fund raising activity – a Silent Auction to be held each weekend during the Kerrville Folk Festival. 

4.        Volunteer to help on Foundation projects during the year and during the festival. If you are interested in volunteering and working closely with our board, please contact Theresa Tod at ttod@tnoys.org

 

The Foundation needs you if we’re to be successful. We invite each of you to join us in fulfilling the mission of the Texas Folk Music Foundation – “Saving the World One Song at a Time”.

 

Thomas Chapmond, President

 

Threadgill Theater under construction, April 2006

 

Threadgill Lease and Renovation

     The Foundation secured a lease from QVR, Inc. in March, 2006 for a small plot of Quiet Valley Ranch where Threadgill Theater is located.  This has enabled TFMF to accept a $50,000 donation from Grassy Hill Radio—also sponsors of “New Folk”—for the expansion and renovation of the shade shelter and benches and better handicap accessibility.  Future plans include a sound system, restrooms, a“green room”, a recording studio, and a larger deck wrapped around the entire stage. 

        The long term lease of Threadgill also enables the Foundation to develop a year ‘round set of activities  allowing us a “home” to apply for site-specific program and capital development grants.

        As of this writing the project is on schedule and there will be much more seating, shade and shelter from rain. 

        The Foundation will gladly accept donations of volunteer labor and money for this or any of our projects.  Virtually every day between now and Festival is devoted to the project’s completion; bring your tools and your sunscreen.  A party is being planned there for “Land Rush” weekend, May 20-21, 2006 to celebrate its progress and the folks who are making it happen.

 

Silent Auction Planned

      A new initiative to increase our fundraising efforts and support our mission is our first annual Silent Auction to be conducted during the main stage performance of the Kerrville Folk Festival.

        In a Silent Auction, each item has a bid sheet, and bidders write their name and amount of their bid.  Typically there is a minimum bid posted, and also a minimum amount that a bid must be raised. When the end of the auction is announced (which will be on Saturday night during the concert, each of the three weekends), the person with the highest bid “wins” the item. 

        Want to help?  We are currently accepting donations of products or services for the auction.  In general, items should have a value of $50 or above.  If you have an item or a service to donate, please email Jon Charles at jonfrancie@hot.rr.com, to receive a contribution form and instructions.  Some great items are coming in already; you’ll definitely want to check out the auction tables during the festival. 

        Thank you in advance for your support of folk music education!

 

 

 

TFMF Programs Coming Up

        The Texas Folk Music Foundation conducts the following programs during the Kerrville Folk Festival.  To find out which programs are open for admissions visit the Festival website kerrvillefolkfestival.com for registration information.

        Grassy Hill-Kerrville New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters -- Created at the inception of the Kerrville Folk Festival by Rod Kennedy and Peter Yarrow (of “Peter, Paul and Mary”), “New Folk” is one of the premier events of the spring Folk Festival and TFMF’s highest profile and most successful program. The Festival has become famous in the folk music world for this particular contest.  “New Folk” has been the springboard for the careers of many well-known artists including John Gorka, Nanci Griffith, Robert Earl Keen, Jimmy Lafave, Lyle Lovett, Cary Newcomer, Tom Prasada-Rao, Michelle Shocked, Lucinda Williams and David Wilcox.

        Thirty-two finalists are accepted from 800 entries. Each competitor pays a $20 entry fee. The 32 artists then come to perform during the first weekend of the Festival. From the finalists, 6 winners are chosen who then perform during a showcase event on the second weekend of the Festival.

        Kerrville Songwriter School -- The Songwriter School has been taking place during the Kerrville Folk Festival for 25 years. Accomplished, professional songwriters from across the country teach songwriting, sharing their unique talents with aspiring songwriters of all levels to hone their craft. Many artist collaborations and wonderful songs have emerged from the school.

Five to six teachers are hired by the Foundation to lead this program. Student tuition covers the cost of the school. Participation is limited to 60 students. The School has been highly successful in encouraging, supporting and developing songwriters.              

        Professional Development Program for Teachers -- Held for four days, mid-week during the Kerrville Folk Festival, the Teacher Development Program trains teachers to incorporate music into the classroom and to help at risk students develop interests in music. Teachers are eligible to receive continuing education credits for attending the course.

        The tuition is free, but attendees have to buy a festival ticket for each of the four days. The Foundation hires instructors and pays their expenses. This project meets some of the core educational goals of the Foundation and promotes folk music education to teachers who might not otherwise attend the Festival.

        Campus Songwriters Competition -- Created in 2001, the Campus contest is similar to the New Folk contest, but is held on university campuses in Texas. Contest winners perform in a showcase during the festival. This program is currently operating at the University of North Texas in Denton and the University of Texas in Austin.

        This is an avenue to market the Foundation beyond the Kerrville Festivals. Texas universities participate presently and the Foundation intends to offer this program across the country.

        Memorial Day Blues Project -- Some of the finest acoustic blues musicians in the country are brought in each year over the holiday weekend to play and teach in the Memorial Day Blues Workshop.  For the last several years, the program has been held in the cool shade of the Threadgill Theatre.  Acoustic artists covering styles such as Delta, Piedmont and eclectic blues styles discuss their roots, their influences and their instruments.  The event is educational, but includes the spontaneous collaboration and improvisations that happen when blues lovers sit down together. Elizabeth Cotton, Sue Foley, Ernie Hawkins, and Spider John Koerner have been a part of this wonderful program.

        Roots/Blues Guitar Workshop -- An outgrowth of the Blues Project, the Roots/Blues Guitar Workshop is a 3-day program during the festival offering instruction in music techniques in a variety of styles of blues guitar. Each year, two of the Blues Project instructors are invited to stay the week after Memorial Day to conduct this popular set of guitar classes. Past faculty have included Steve James (Dean of the Guitar School), Mary Flower, Cindy Cashdollar, David Hamburger, Del Rey, and Spider John Koener.

        House Concert Seminar -- Established in 1996, this program offers participants information and advice on creating and hosting house concerts, which provide touring singer/songwriters alternative venues and usually better pay, food, accommodations and an appreciative audience in an intimate atmosphere to showcase their work. Our seminar has contributed to the establishment and growth of more than two dozen new House Concerts in Texas alone.  House Concert circuits have experienced tremendous growth in recent years and are providing songs and songwriters exposure to an audience that might not go to clubs or festivals.

        Harmonica Academy -- Launched in 2005, the 3-day harmonica workshop features master harmonica players who share technique, styles, and information about the instrument with harmonica players at intermediate level and above.  Faculty for 2006 includes Gary Primich, Roy Parnell, and Gary Sapone.  This workshop is a unique opportunity for harp players to spend 3 days with the area's top players, and hone existing skills or experiment with new ones, from different "positions" and styles of play to playing techniques, breathing and note "bending" skills. 

 

 

Board to Meet During Festival

        The TFMF Board, which has been meeting regularly during the year, will hold its annual meeting at the Kerrville Folk Festival at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, June 2^nd at the Ranch Office.  Election of Board Members and Officers will occur at this meeting.  Committees will meet prior to the annual meeting; time and place to be announced.  All meetings are open to the public. 

 

Committees Get the Job Done

        The TFMF Board uses a committee structure to carry out its work.  Each committee is charged with some aspect of the organization’s functions, and each is chaired by a board member.   The following are current committees, and their assigned chairs.

        Program Committee (Chair, Thomas Chapmond) – The Program Committee recommends to the Board a set of  programs to be accomplished each year. The Program Committee screens and vets proposed projects, determines how they will be executed, articulates the cost and benefit, and presents the program plans to the Board and Resource Development Committee.

        Marketing/Public Relations Committee (Chair, currently vacant) – This committee designs and develops all materials that support the approved activities of the TFMF. They insure that a consistent clear message is presented and create a consistent look and feel for all materials. They work with the Program and Resource Development Committees to determine how to position activities in the media and to the various constituent groups.

        Personnel Committee (Chair, Theresa Tod) – This committee sets goals for staff and key volunteers, recommends policy to the Board, determines an evaluation plan for staff, plans an evaluation process for the chief executive, provides advice on interactions between staff and board, determines volunteer evaluation/policies, and creates an organizational chart. The Personnel Committee communicates openings and positions that become available.

        Resource Development Committee (Chair, Jon Charles) This committee is charged with setting goals for fundraising, establishing procedures and approaches for fundraising, conducting fundraising activities, ensuring that proposed programs include fundraising and revenue generating components, and making recommendations to Board in each area above. This committee serves as a “clearinghouse” for those who come forward with fundraising ideas to insure consistency. Once each proposal is approved by this committee and the Board, the Resource Development Committee sees that the activity is carried out. They write and submit proposals to Foundations and other funding entities.

        Finance Committee (Chair, Steve Carruthers) – The Finance Committee recommends a budget, tracks the financial condition of the TFMF, provides budget oversight, develops and monitors the appropriate handling of money. As funding expands, this committee will determine the means for securing and/or investing the funds.

        Nominating Committee (Chair, Sue Medley) – This committee will recommend criteria for being on the Board of Directors. This committee recommends new members for the Board and may recommend chairs for the Standing Committees, who must also be members of the Board.

        Strategic Planning Committee (Chair, Chuck Lesniak) This committee is responsible for overseeing the development and updating of the Strategic Plan.   They develop long term goals and plans and the methods for the Foundation to fulfill them.

 

 

TFMF Needs Volunteers!

        If you read TFMF’s new Strategic Plan, you may be asking - “That sounds pretty ambitious; how big is the staff?”  Someday we hope to have paid staff, but for now, we rely on VOLUNTEERS to get the job done. 

        Several of the committees described above need some extra hands to get the job done.  We are seeking volunteers who have the time and the appropriate talents to contribute to a committee, or to a specific task.

        If you’d like to volunteer in one of the following capacities, please contact Theresa Tod, ttod@tnoys.org, or the committee contact person listed below:

1.        Program Committee:  Volunteers are needed to review program proposals and make recommendations to the TFMF Board.  Work involved includes reviewing emailed or mailed proposal information, communicating by email, and attending meetings, either in person or by conference call.  Committee members should be (or become) familiar with TFMF programs, and not have a vested interest in decisions.  Contact Thomas Chapmond, Committee Chair; tchapmond@austin.rr.com

2.        Publicity Committee:  Volunteers are needed to assist with the development and/or production of signage, posters, flyers, and other publicity materials as needed by various committees.  Work will be mainly be done independently. Contact Mark Raney, Resource Development Coordinator; markos@kerrville-music.com

3.        Resource Development Committee:  Volunteers are needed to review funding proposals or opportunities, and assist with developing and promoting fundraising activities; including doing research on potential funding sources, and grant-writing. Contact Jon Charles, Committee Chair; jonfrancie@hot.rr.com

 

        The following volunteer opportunities take place during the Kerrville Festival.

1. Auction Volunteers:  Assist with TFMF Silent Auction (preparation and supervision of auction tables; auction registration; collection)
2. Guitar Raffle Volunteers:  Work raffle ticket booth during main stage performances.
3. Program Volunteers:  Assist with set-up and operation of the many programs we offer.  Staff information/hospitality booth at Threadgill Theater.

 

Our History and Profile

        The Texas Folk Music Foundation is a non-profit public benefit corporation, 501(c) (3), created in 1999 to support music education, songwriter development and the presentation of original and traditional music. TFMF was an outgrowth of the Kerrville Music Foundation, created in 1975 by Rod Kennedy, founder of the Kerrville Folk Festival.  The Kerrville Music Foundation offered a means to infuse public benefit educational services into the operation of the festival and began by sponsoring a songwriting and performance competition for emerging songwriters.  The New Folk songwriting competitions are still a major event and attraction of the Kerrville Folk Festival

        The original TFMF Board consisted of three Directors, but was expanded in February 2005. The Texas Folk Music Foundation Board of Directors is now made up of nine members. Each Board member chairs a specific committee covering a critical aspect of the Foundation. The Board has a clear set of bylaws governing the operations of the Foundation.

        An Advisory Committee was created in 2004 to assist the Board in expanding and improving the work of the Foundation. The Advisory Committee is made up of individuals who have had a long-term interest and love for folk music. The Committee played a major role in the development of the Strategic Plan.  The Committee was renamed Advisory Council in May 2005.

        The bylaws were recently modified to provide for non-voting memberships in the Foundation. This allows folks with an interest in folk music to become part of the Foundation and sets up the mechanism for the “Friends of the Foundation” fund raising effort.

 

Our Board of Directors and Officers 

Thomas Chapmond, President

Chuck Lesniak, Vice-president

Steve Carruthers, Treasurer   

Theresa Tod, Secretary

Jon Charles

Michael D’Eath

Sue Medley

Wayne Silverman

Recent Board Members

Sarah Gwen Peters, Public Relations (2005-2006)

Volunteer Staff

Peter Casey, Chief Financial Officer

Mark Cohen, General Counsel

Lee Green, Goodwill Ambassador at Large

Mark Raney, Resource Dev. Coordinator

Stuart Vexler, Co-founder, Fundraiser

Contact Us:

Texas Folk Music Foundation

P.O. Box 290744

Kerrville, TX  78029-0744

Email:  markos@kerrville-music.com

 

 

Program Proposal Guidelines Published

 

The Texas Folk Music Foundation (TFMF) will accept Program Proposals which include the following elements.  Please note:  the Foundation will look favorably upon program proposals that are self-supporting or raise excess revenue.

 

1.  Title of Proposed Program.

2.  Contact Information.  Provide the name, address, phone number(s), and email address of the lead               contact person(s).

3.  Name and Background Information of Organization (if any).

4.  Synopsis Description of Program.  Provide a brief overview of the proposed   program function and          operation.

5.  Program Mission, Goals and Objectives.  Describe the program’s primary mission,         its goals and the   objectives to achieve them.

6.  Population.  Describe the population to be served and how it will benefit from this program.

7.  Time-line.  Provide the target dates for key program elements and the steps for its establishment.

8.  Staffing.  Provide the names, roles, and qualifications of all those who will be involved in planning and     delivery of this program.

9.  Budget.   Provide details of how revenue will be generated by or for the program, and estimate the amount to be generated. Examples might include fees for service, funding sources other than TFMF, and in-kind services or contributions.  Itemize and describe proposed expenses for start-up costs and ongoing operations; including such items as materials, supplies and equipment; staffing costs; travel and transportation; rents and utilities; insurance; and other components as appropriate. 

10. Funds Requested.  If applicable, indicate any funding you are requesting from TFMF for the operation of the program.

11. Evaluation.  Describe how the program will be evaluated to determine the extent to which goals and objectives have been achieved.

 

In addition to the above components, the Foundation will consider the following criteria in the evaluation of proposals: 

 

A.  Fit of the proposed program within the overall array of Foundation programs

B.  How the proposed program will enhance the mission of the TFMF

C.  Long term benefits

D.  Fundability – short and long term

E.  Creativity

 

Programs proposed to occur during the Kerrville Folk Festivals (KFF) shall be reviewed and approved by both the TFMF and the KFF Boards of Directors with input and review by the Festival Producer.

 

No aspect of any proposed program shall be implemented or publicized – formally or informally – without final written approval by the TFMF Board of Directors.

 

 

 

Join us in Saving the World One Song at a Time!

The Texas Folk Music Foundation

 “Friends” Fundraising Drive

The Texas Folk Music Foundation is a 501(c) (3) non-profit corporation which sponsors and conducts educational programs during the internationally known Kerrville Folk Festivals.  These include New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters, Professional Development Program for Teachers, Roots/Blues Guitar Workshop, Kerrville Songwriters School and the Campus Songwriters Competitions, among others.

 

The Foundation is now actively seeking donations.  This is our annual fundraising campaign and is part of the new fund development strategy to continue and improve our existing offerings and develop to our fullest potential. 

 

Your tax deductible donation will provide the Foundation with a renewable yearly operating base, enabling us to create a new set of year-round programs, concerts and competitions which support singer-songwriters, songwriting, folk music and folk music education in all its forms. 

 

Contributions of $33 or more will entitle you to an on-line subscription of four quarterly newsletters and access to the “Friends Only” section of our new website, TFMF.org, which is also being developed.