Live Music Society, Folk Alliance International, and D-Tour Partner to Organize One Night LiveTM Tours Ahead of Folk Alliance International 2027 Conference

May 20, 2026 - Folk Alliance International (FAI), Live Music Society (LMS), and D-Tour today announced a new partnership that will bring One Night Live TM touring artists to the 2027 Folk Alliance International conference in Chicago. As part of the collaboration, the organizations plan to coordinate tours for selected FAI Official Showcase Artists as they make their way from across the United States to the conference in January 2027.

The performances are planned as part of One Night Live , the touring initiative created by Live Music Society to highlight emerging artists and the key role that small independent venues play in career development. Launched in 2025, the program responds to a growing challenge facing early-career artists: the increasing financial barriers to touring. One Night Live enables direct support to both artists and participating venues, helping to make touring more sustainable while strengthening local music ecosystems. With four successful tour runs completed to date and two more planned in 2026, the initiative continues to build momentum nationwide.

The tours leading up to FAI's conference will see artists perform approximately five shows each at intimate venues on the way to Chicago. In each location, local opening bands will be featured, fostering collaboration, artistic exchange, and deeper connections within local music communities. Official Showcase Artists selected for One Night Live will receive logistical and financial support for the tours.

The announcement comes during Folk Alliance International's open application period for Official Showcase Artists at the 2027 conference. Applications are open now through June 8, 2026. Application information can be found here: https://www.folk.org/conference/official-showcases

Additional details about participating artists, tour routing, and venue partners will be announced this fall.

About Live Music Society

Live Music Society (LMS) empowers small venues and listening rooms across the United States. Since 2020, the nonprofit has distributed $5.1 million in grants to 227 unique venues, supporting live music stages, emerging talents, established artists, staff, and patrons. With a focus on engaging communities, expanding audiences, increasing representation, and enhancing the live music experience, these grants underscore the foundation's commitment to strengthening the small, independent venue ecosystem nationwide. In 2025, LMS introduced One Night Live, a first-of-its-kind, continuously growing touring collaboration with organizations including D-TOUR, Salt Lick Incubator, Midtopia, and Cleveland Rocks: Past, Present & Future. The series creates a new touring model that lowers costs, shares resources, and strengthens the connection between emerging artists and the independent venues hit hardest by rising live-music expenses. livemusicsociety.org

About D-TOUR

D-TOUR is a network of independent venues and promoters focused on working with emerging artists and small independent venues to route tours, offering indie artists locally owned, unique venue experiences across multiple markets. https://d-tour.live/

About the FAI Conference

The Annual Folk Alliance International Conference is the largest gathering of folk musicians and music industry professionals in the world. ‍This is an experience like no other. Music is around every corner. Legends, rising stars, and industry innovators share career-boosting insights.

An international crowd of artists, venues, labels, DJs, agents, and organizations come together for five days of professional development, networking, and music.

The keynote address features an influential figure in the folk music industry who inspires us and shapes the narrative of the conference - in ways unexpected and magical. The Keynote Speaker for FAI 2027 has yet to be revealed.

Multi-day programming consisting of panels, workshops, presentations, summits, and networking sessions bringing together thought leaders, policymakers, industry experts, and artists to create meaningful dialogue benefitting the international folk music community.

Official Showcases highlight the best folk music in the world across a vast variety of genres. Over 150 jury-selected artists perform on the largest stages of our conference to an audience of venue bookers, agents, record labels, DJs, media companies, and more.

The crowd-favorite of every FAI Conference, Private Showcases give everyone an opportunity to perform. Late at night, hotel guest rooms transform into small stages with hundreds of performances hosted by different organizations.

About Folk Alliance International

Founded in 1989, and governed by a 21-member board of directors, Folk Alliance International (FAI) advances folk music and its communities by engaging, educating, and strengthening the global folk music ecosystem.

FAI values diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, is committed to gender parity in all its programming, celebrates multiple languages and cultures, and actively welcomes participation from marginalized, disenfranchised, and underrepresented communities.

FAI defines folk broadly as "the music of the people" (reflective of any community they are from), and programs a diverse array of sub-genres including, but not limited to Appalachian, Americana, Blues, Bluegrass, Celtic, Cajun, Global Roots, Hip-Hop, Old-Time, Singer-Songwriter, Spoken Word, Traditional, Zydeco, and various fusions.