FAA National Convention in May 2010
Excitement is building and enthusiasm is bubbling along for the upcoming
Folk Alliance National Convention at Woodford, Qld, which has been set for May 13-15 2010. After a recent series of meetings between FAA Chairman, John Thomson and QFF Director, Bill Hauritz the date and the title have been confirmed – “Folk Alliance 2010 – The National Convention of Folk Alliance Australia.” The major theme will be “Participation.” The National Convention will aim to bring festival organizers, arts professionals, performers and folk enthusiasts from around Australia, as well as international participants to share and develop the successes and strategies that have worked to build our movement over the past 30 years. It is hoped that at the end of the Convention, those involved feel as though they are part of a movement together. A re-birth of enthusiasm.
Bill Hauritz, has written a letter outlining current plans for the May 13-15 Convention
Dear Friends and Members of the FAA
All of us here at Woodford feel privileged to be hosting the FAA Convention next year and with this letter I’m hoping to engage all of your thoughts and ideas to put together our convention program. The convention will commence on Thursday evening 13th May and continue through to late Saturday evening the 15th May. We are hoping those of you in traditional employment may take the Friday off work and head up on the Thursday late afternoon. We will be running shuttles directly from Brisbane airport.
We’re proposing that the cost of delegate tickets for FAA members will be around $200, much more than that for non-members. We are committed to making this price brilliant value for money. Convention delegates will be able to camp on our beautiful site, stay in nearby accommodation, be billeted by local residents, or stay at the on-site Tent Motel. All of these options will be reasonably priced. Our FAA President, John Thompson, and his new committee are very enthusiastic about the Convention and very keen to see all the elements of the folk movement come together.
We are calling everyone interested in our FAA Convention to think about ideas of presentations and functions that you would like to see on the program of events. We intend having a draft program together by mid January so the sooner you can get something to us the better.
More than anything else, we think it’s important to have a wonderful social event where all of us involved in any part of our folk movement can trade in a very old-fashioned commodity called goodwill. I also think that the combination of all of our folk movement parts plays a critical role in the development of our national character. We have a lot to offer in our own quiet way, we can have a convention where our ‘non folk’ delegates might learn from all of us and may in good time join our movement.
The convention also gives our Woodford mob an opportunity to share and feel good about our hard won 500 acres with our fellow folkies. We understand the incredible support that has been given to us from folkies all over the country for many years. We’re very proud of what has been achieved or your behalf and hope you might all help us celebrate what a large bunch of maverick folkies can achieve with some precious luck.
All of us here at the FAA and at Woodford are unashamedly ambitious for our National Convention and I can promise all of you a fantastic program and a wonderful gathering. Not only are we hoping to see you attend, but to also hear your ideas. We need you to be part of it.
Please email your ideas to national conference
Bill Hauritz
Convention Convener
On behalf of the FAA Convention Organising Group
