Artist Activism Camp Kicks Off in New Orleans!

Jon Langford flexes his activist muscles!

FMC staff are on the way to New Orleans for our latest Artist Activism Camp and "Musicians Bringing Musicians Home" concert. There's nothing like a three-day party in the Big Easy to kick off summer!

But it's not all bourbon and gumbo. The May 20-22 retreat — hosted by FMC and Air Traffic Control — is the fifth since the Gulf Coast storms of 2005. Artists from around the country converge on New Orleans to tour affected neighborhoods, visit with the city’s notable musicians and community leaders and participate in strategy sessions about how to integrate activism and philanthropy into their musical lives and careers.

This year's participants include Wayne Kramer (MC5), Jolie Holland, Jon Langford (Waco Brothers, Mekons), Saul Williams, Scott McCaughey (Young Fresh Fellows, Minus 5, R.E.M.), Laura Veirs, Vijay Iyer, Erin McKeown, Bonerama, Al “Carnival Time” Johnson, Martín Perna (Antibalas, TV On the Radio, Ocote Soul Sounds), Mariam Adam (Imani Winds), Luke Reynolds (Pictures and Sounds) and Paul Sanchez. We're excited to see them all!

The "Musicians Bringing Musicians Home" concert takes place at 9 p.m. CST on Friday, May 22 at Tipitina’s Uptown (501 Napoleon Ave) and benefits Sweet Home New Orleans — a non-profit organization that provides social services and economic development programs to musicians, Mardi Gras Indians, and other traditional New Orleans artists affected by Katrina. SHNO is also announcing its first-ever “challenge grant,” in which donations received on May 22 and through the end of the year will be matched, dollar for dollar, up to $250,000. This challenge represents an opportunity to double the impact of contributions to SHNO at a critical juncture in the music community’s recovery. To make a donation to Sweet Home New Orleans, visit www.sweethomeneworleans.org or mail to: 828 Royal Street #833 NOLA 70116.

New Orleans-dwellers will definitely want to mark your calendars for the show. But if you're not a local, you can still can watch via live webcast at Tipitina's — showtime is 10PM CST.