Monthly Newsletter

You can download our monthly newsletter here in PDF format.

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Guidelines for BFMS Newsletter

The Baltimore Folk Music Society furthers the understanding, investigation, appreciation, and performance of the traditional folk music, folk dance, and folklore of the American people. The Society publishes a monthly newsletter (except for a combined June/July issue) that helps to:

1. Promote and encourage participation in activities of the society,
2. Communicate information beneficial to the operation and welfare of the society, and
3. Announce nearby events that further the folk arts, as space permits.

Event Listings

The bulk of each issue is listings of folk-related events in Maryland or within approximately 75 miles of downtown Baltimore, submitted by the event organizer or a delegate. Each listing is typically between 30 and 250 words and includes, at minimum, the name, date, and start time of the event. Most listings should provide location, admission, end time, and contact information. Other appropriate details include the style of performance or structure of the program, and the names, instruments, and home cities of performers. Please review a recent newsletter for our style and format (note use of the present tense). Press releases generally result in less informative listings.

Most regular series use a "boilerplate" listing that repeats from month to month, augmented by details for the specific dates. If your series follows this pattern, you need submit the boilerplate copy only once. If your events require no specific details, simply communicate the scheduled dates, as far into the future as next July. As an alternative, you may elect to receive a reminder e-mail at the beginning of each month.

Articles

The newsletter invites BFMS members to submit articles on topics consistent with our purpose, such as history, participants' event experiences, and ideas to improve the conduct or attendance of society-sponsored events. These articles carry a by-line and can be relatively personal. No CD announcements, reviews, or political advocacy, please.

Please contact the Newsletter Editor for requirements before submitting photos or artwork.

How to Send Items

Please submit each event one time only. Send as early as practical, but no later than the 10th of the month before publication. We prefer plain text in the body of an e-mail, rather than HTML-formatted text or attached documents. Use a subject that includes the word "listing" and e-mail to newsletter at bfms.org. For updates, highlight all changes. Let BFMS publicity e-mail any "this week" reminders.

Have any ideas, comments or complaints that you would like to convey to the BFMS Board? Just click on the Suggestion Box!

The Baltimore Folk Music Society is funded by an operating grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive.

Coming up:

See our Events page for a complete listing of events and details.