SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THE 2022 FESTIVAL!

About

globalFEST’s flagship festival takes place each January and is one of North America’s most important global music events, attracting a large number of music industry professionals, members of the press and music fans. Following participation at gF, artists have gone on to tour North America at hundreds of theaters, events and festivals across the country and around the world. Tours and cultural exchanges, as well as features and articles, that result from participating at globalFEST have built an ever-widening audience for global music and, by extension, an increase in international cooperation and collaboration. We were able to expand that reach through a growing partnership with NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert series in 2021 and our first “Tiny Desk Meets globalFEST” series.

We are thrilled to be partnering with Tiny Desk again in 2022! Viewed more than one million times (and counting), the 2021 event was our biggest ever, gaining thousands of new fans for global sounds. 

For the January 2022 festival, we are currently planning a hybrid event, with streamed content as well as an in-person festival that adheres to CDC guidelines, with the health and safety of participants (artists, staff, and audiences) as our top priority. We acknowledge that, in this unprecedented time, things may change rapidly and we may have to shift plans.

Submission Details

• There is a $20 application fee. Please email ian@globalfest.org if you are unable to afford this fee. 

• Once started, you must complete the entire submission in one session.  You cannot return to a partially completed application. Please use the checklist at the link below to prepare the materials needed to apply in advance. We recommend first answering the questions in a separate document before filling in the form. Download the checklist here.

• We base our invitations in large part on live performance. Therefore, we must see at least one (and preferably more) live performance videos, with an audience if possible. Other videos are acceptable as supplemental material.

• We only accept 3 submissions per agent Do not send us your whole roster.

• We prioritize artists who have a firm commitment and means to tour North America in 2022- 2024 and/or have an interest in virtual performance, etc.

• globalFEST is an industry event with hundreds of industry professionals attending and is intended for artists who are tour-ready. We prioritize artists who have an agent or manager attending, or are in NY during the APAP (Association for Performing Arts Professionals) conference. Our experience shows that artists who have an agent or manager attending APAP or are in NY during APAP have more successful outcomes following gF.

• We do not accept CDs, DVDs, or promotional materials by mail.

• Notifications will begin to be sent on or around the end of July 2021, with invitations happening on a rolling basis through September 2021.

Should you have any questions please contact us at info@globalfest.org.

Visas and Performance Information

• In the case of an in-person event, invited Artists will be responsible for their own travel, accommodation, and visas (see below for what gF supplies). Tamizdat Artist Services offers gF artists low-cost visa application services. The I-129 petition filing fee and union consultation fees are approximately $700 USD per petition. We suggest starting the visa process as soon as each artist is invited to participate to avoid having to pay an additional Premium Processing cost of $2500. 

• The US visa process is currently in flux, but we can assume it may take 3 months or longer to obtain a visa. This is especially true given the ongoing pandemic and other related and lingering visa complications. For updated information, please visit https://www.artistsfromabroad.org/.

• Artists selected to perform virtually at gF 2022 will perform a 10-15 minute streamed set, and will be responsible for production. globalFEST/NPR shall provide guidelines and final edits/post-production.

• In the event of an in-person performance, gF provides backline, production, and catering plus an honorarium for each band member (+ one crew member) Artists selected to perform in-person at gF 2022 will perform a 45-60 minute set.

• Please note that all of the information listed above is subject to change depending on the highly unpredictable nature of the world.