Folkelarm

Folkelarm is a key Nordic music industry convention which aims at promoting acts from the Scandinavian folk music scene for domestic as well as international music industry execs and media representatives.

The inaugural Folkelarm festival was held in 2005 and since then the event has been held annually. The event is owned and managed by the Norwegian Traditional Music and Dance Association. A major goal of Folkelarm has been to promote folk music acts for a domestic as well as international folk and world music industry, but in parallel to this, the event has always been an event open for the general audience, resulting in what could only be described as a vibrant festival and a true audience success.

Artists from the Nordic countries can apply for a showcase slot at Folkelarm, and a jury selects the artists based on a set of criteria established by Norway’s traditional music and dance organizations. Priority is given to acts that can be seen as viable for international careers. 2010 saw more than 120 applications being submitted and only 23 of those made it to the final roster – in other words, Folkelarm represents the crème de la crème of Scandinavian folk music. None of the showcase acts receive fees for the gigs, yet even well established acts view a Folkelarm performance as a good investment. Many acts can confirm that a successful Folkelarm showcase slot can lead to attractive tours and gigs at home and abroad.

Folkelarm has since its inception in 2005 held the prestigious Norwegian Folk Music Awards ceremony. The prize is awarded to folk music releases from the previous year. The categories have varied from year to year, and in 2010 there are four categories: Solo, Traditional interplay performance, Open Class, Documentation and Folk Music Performer of The Year.

In addition to the showcases, Folkelarm is a key meeting place for Norwegian and international world- and folk music industry execs. In recent years, Folkelarm has drawn app 50 international delegates from over 20 countries in addition to more than 100 domestic delegates. Folkelarm organizes seminars and workshops, as well as separate events tailored for the various music industry representatives.