Performer Information

Performer applications for January 2011 closed on 31 July for all performers

Interstate/international applications
The Application process for all performers is now closed and the last applications were accepted on July 31st. Applications after that date will not be accepted unless there is a prior agreement with the Festival Director.

Tasmanian applications
Please note that the deadline for Tasmanian applications was the same as the mainland deadline 31 July.

Co-ordinating the dates will help with programming and ensure the correct balance of interstate to local acts as decisions will be made simultaneously. This is in keeping with the processes of other festivals. In the case that a local act may not be ready, with demo recordings, supporting material, ect, by the end of July but still wants to be part of the Cygnet Folk Festival then arrangements for later arrival of supporting material (from Tasmanian acts only) can be made by contacting the Festival Director.

We made the greatest possible efforts to inform Tasmanian artists of the earlier cutt-off date for this year's applications.

The '2 out of 3' rule for Tasmanian performers has been relaxed somewhat but our programmers will be unlikely to book you three years running unless you demonstrate in your application that you are offering a new show or substantially new material.

To apply for the 2012 Cygnet Folk Festival, come back here next April, read the guidelines below and then complete our online performer application for Tasmanian performers.

Support material
We ask you to either:
email us your support material which should include
a link to your website, myspace page or somewhere we can hear your music online [please don't send us audio files as attachments: Tasmanian download rates are measured in geological time],
a bio that includes a 100 word summary suitable for our printed program and website, and
your best promo photo in low resolution [72dpi and around 500KB or less]. If you are selected for the January 09 program, we'll ask you for a high resolution picture later.
or
you can post us your CD or demo files on a disc along with a high resolution [300dpi] jpeg of your promo picture and bio/background as a Word or text file to:
Performer Applications
C ygnet Folk Festival
PO Box 2
CYGNET TAS 7112.

Application Deadlines
In the past the Tasmanian performer deadline was after the interstate applications were in, but please note that this arrangement has changed and the application deadline is the same for all performers. The deadline will be announced in April 2011.

Some guidelines
As an indication, but not a rule, the Cygnet programmers try to bring from beyond Bass Strait one, sometimes two, representative acts from the following genres: singer/songwriters (both genders), indigenous performers, blues, country, bluegrass, Celtic, European, Asian, African, Oceania, cabaret, comedy, kids acts, dance, traditional, Australian folk, street performers, circus workshop, choral and a capella. We're particularly interested in anyone who can cover more than one of these genres and we're also very interested in programming workshops, themed presentations and shows. We're always on the hunt for high quality kids' entertainers and workshops.

If you are a singer/songwriter, the field is particularly competitive, with around 60% of the 200+ mainland applications we receive every year coming from solo singer/songwriters. We only have space in the program for two or three at the most each year.

If you put in an application last year (or before) but weren't selected, please don’t take it as a reflection of your abilities or the quality of your act. We're sorry we can't fit more of you in because the standard of applications is extraordinary, and we only have budget, time over the festival weekend and stage space for less than 10% of the applications we receive. We have to say ‘no, sorry’ to the majority of applicants (and we hate it).

If you have applied for several years without success, don't give up on us - we can't guarantee that you'll be successful, but you may have been shortlisted before and this may be your year.

If you were selected for the program last year, it's highly unlikely that you will be booked for two consecutive years.

Advice to applicants

What we look for in applications is:

1. a CD/demo/promo or a website/YouTube performance that really reflects how you would sound on a Cygnet festival stage - massive production or a flash backing band may make you sound great, but if you're applying as a solo performer, we'd like to get some idea how you sound solo.

2. your total fee, including your travel costs. We don't ask you to sell yourself short, butdon't make your fee artificially high; we won't negotiate on your quote, as we have so many applications to consider.
Interstate performers, you don't need to include an amount in your fee to cover accommodation while you are in Cygnet: we provide free transfers for international and interstate acts between Hobart airportand Cygnet and we provide accommodation, either in the pub or in billets or you're very welcome to camp at Burton's Reserve without charge.
We don't provide transport or accommodation for Tasmanian acts: we rely on Tasmanian performers to stay with friends or rellies or we provide free camping.

3. a really great photo of you as a high resolution 300 dpi jpeg if you're sending a disc or a low res image if you're emailing it. A really great picture is probably your single biggest promotional asset: we send the media the pictures that we think will reflect the magic that we try to create and that we think will capture the public's imagination, so you and the festival both benefit from good visuals. A 'snapshot' - even a good one - may be detrimental to your application. I don't think we can stress enough how important a good promotional shot is - it tells us not only what you look like, but if you are a serious contender and professional performer. If you've got any doubts take a look at our performer pages and see which acts grab your attention.

4. a good short [1 paragraph/100 word] blurb about your act that we can use in promotion, on this website and in the festival program. You're welcome to send a full bio as well, but please don't make us try to guess what you want in the program by trawling the web for info about you. If you have a website/facebook/myspace page include the urls and your email address.

5. a compelling

of any themed concerts or workshops that you propose to give, for use in the program and on the website.

International performers

As much as we would love to bring performers from overseas, our budget simply won't stretch to international airfares. If you are planning to tour in Australia in January, then by all means, get in touch with us well in advance, as we are able to cover domestic airfares to Tasmania from the mainland of Australia.