Dear Friends of Old Songs,
The extended Old Songs community has made it possible for us to continue succeeding in our mission for the past 48 years — keeping traditional and traditionally based music and dance alive — through our annual festivals at the Altamont Fairgrounds as well as concerts, dances, jams of all kinds, and educational programs offered at the Old Songs Community Arts Center in Voorheesville.
In 2025:
- We were awarded a $5000 grant from the Michele L. Vennard Hospitality Grant Program of the Albany County Convention and Visitors Bureau Fund, to subsidize the costs of performer lodging
- We were awarded a NYSCA grant for General Operating Support for 2026.
- We repaired and remodeled our Community Arts Center kitchen with new flooring (including new subflooring and insulation underneath) as well as a new island, sink, and a fresh coat of paint. Still to come: a new stove!
- We had a successful 45th Old Songs Festival and concert season.
- We offered instrument classes, jams, open mics, African drumming, and community dances, Spring into Uke (a full day ukulele intensive), and a full day of hammered dulcimer instruction
- We participated in a program with the Voorheesville Public Library, where Paul Rosenberg taught some dances to a group of teens at the Old Songs Community Arts Center
- We exhibited at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance (NERFA) held in Albany this year (and through 2027), reaching out to the community and beyond, led mentoring sessions for artists, and networked with other NYS presenters
- Our Executive Director served as a panelist at Folk Alliance International (FAI) in Montreal, discussing the financial impact of delayed performer visas on venues, artists, and ancillary services
- Old Songs was nominated for 2 Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Awards (the Eddies), one for Seasonal Concert Series and another for Presenter of the Year — Joy Bennett
For 2026:
- We have a great winter/spring concert line-up, including local, nationally, and internationally touring artists
- We’ll continue all our Community Arts Center programs and look to increased participation
- We’re looking forward to the 46th Annual Old Songs Festival, June 26–28 — mark your calendars now and bring your friends, kids, grandkids! We have extensive activities for those under 18, including participating in the Great Groove Band and Chorus, music for families, crafting, and more
We continue to face the challenges of rising operating costs, funding cuts, and shrinking grant opportunities. Now more than ever, we rely on your donations to help keep ticket prices reasonable for all events. In-person attendance at our festival and concerts is growing. Competition for arts funding is at an all-time high, so every dollar of support helps to sustain our programs and focus energy where it matters most: keeping our traditional music and dance community engaged, vital, and growing.
There are many ways you can financially support Old Songs, including matching gifts (corporate or individual), direct donations (one-time or monthly), legacy donations, bequests, securities donations, artist and/or festival sponsorships, and instrument donations. Go to: support.oldsongs.org or contact us if you would like to support us in any of these ways. All donations, large or small, are important, and we are grateful for each one. Thank you for providing financial support in the past and/or giving your time and moral support as a volunteer. We hope you are once again able to support Old Songs in these or other ways.
Beyond financial support, please share the joy of Old Songs — come to a concert or the festival with a first timer, take a class, check out the open mic, join in a jam, or become a volunteer:
- To volunteer at the in-person festival for the first time, go to: volunteer.oldsongs.org for more information. Returning festival volunteers, please contact your crew chiefs.
- We also have volunteer opportunities year-round at the Community Arts Center — whether working in the garden or helping in the kitchen at concerts. If you’d like to volunteer at the building or during concerts please email office@oldsongs.org
Whether with dollars or time, your donation helps to keep our community strong, connecting us through the music, uplifting us in times of trouble and joy, feeding our souls.
All of us at Old Songs wish you a happy, healthy, and peaceful holiday season and the year ahead.
Joy Bennett
Executive Director/Artistic Director
Old Songs, Inc.
Barbara Brundage
President, Board of Directors
Old Songs, Inc.
or Print out, fill out and mail in our Annual Appeal Form