Perform at FWSF 2026
The Fort Worth Songwriter Festival is the flagship event of the non-profit Fort Worth Songwriter Foundation.
The festival will take place from November 12 to 15 at the historic Southside Preservation Hall and Rose Chapel with accompanying pre-parties and after-parties at various venues around Fort Worth.
There are a few important details we ask you please read before submitting your application for consideration.
Submissions are open to all genres. All songwriters, regardless of location, are welcome to apply, with one exception: the Fort Worth Songwriter Festival has a strict policy against songs produced through Artificial Intelligence (A.I.).
By nature, this rule will have to be adhered to based on the honor system.
If FWSF discovers any artist has been dishonest regarding the use of A.I., the artist's invitation to perform will be rescinded, and the artist will be banned permanently from future Fort Worth Songwriter Festival and Fort Worth Songwriter Foundation events.
Co-writes with other human songwriters are, of course, totally acceptable.
One change in this year's submission process we would like artists to be aware of is that there will now be a submission fee of $10. These submission fees will help with operating expenses in the lead up to FWSF 2026. We've endeavored to keep this fee low so as not to be prohibitive.
Below you will find a Q&A from commonly asked questions – and questions we anticipate will be common – but if you have any additional questions you need answered before or after submitting your application, please reach out to us at contact@fwsongwriterfestival.org.
FWSF SUBMISSION Q&A
Do I have to live in Fort Worth to apply to perform at FWSF 2026?
No. Though FWSF is and will remain Fort Worth-centric, featuring predominately songwriters from the Fort Worth music community, all songwriters are welcome to apply, regardless of your location.
What genres of music can apply to perform at FWSF 2026?
So long as the songs are produced 100%, start to finish, from human intelligence, all genres are welcome to apply. By nature, the festival centers around individuals with instruments playing their songs and telling the stories of their songs, which traditionally lends itself more towards particular genres. However, every song has a songwriter (of course!), so FWSF is open to hearing from any and all human songwriters from any and all genres. Just keep in mind, the music has to be able to be performed live, most often as a solo performer, swapping songs with other solo performers.
Can duos, trios, or full bands apply to perform at FWSF 2026?
Yes, though FWSF predominately books solo performers. The majority of our programming is two and three person song swaps to maximize the number of songwriters we are able to bring onto each year's program. Duo, trio, and full band slots are very limited.
I perform solo, but I also perform in a duo/trio/band. Do I need multiple submissions?
No. Fill out your application as your first preference (solo, duo, trio, band), and then let us know in the box provided for additional information what other lineups you'd like us to know you would be willing to bring to the table. Also provide us what the desired fee would be for these alternate lineups.
Can I perform as a solo artist and with my band? Can I perform more than once?
Almost always the answer is no. There are so very few available spaces and so many worthy songwriters to try and find spots for, it simply doesn't make sense to have any artists performing more than once.
I don't have a website / social media / Spotify / etc. Can I still apply?
Yes, but we need to be able to hear from you. Phone recordings in a Dropbox (or similar such service) work. Soundcloud is a good resource as well for uploading music that is easy to share a streamable version. It's also worth noting, if you have no (or limited) online presence (no website, no social media, no streaming, etc) you are fighting a little bit of an uphill battle. First and foremost is the song. If your song is strong enough,
Will I be paid for my performance at FWSF 2026?
Yes. As the flagship event of the non-profit Fort Worth Songwriter Foundation, the Fort Worth Songwriter Festival is a non-profit event, so it is possible to offer your performance as an in-kind donation. However, every artist that performs at FWSF that wishes to be paid, will be paid. The amount varies based on a number of factors and is decided upon case by case.
Why is FWSF charging a submission fee to apply this year?
Unfortunately, it takes a lot of money to put on a festival. A good deal of that money is needed before a single ticket is sold or a full lineup of sponsors have been procured. The submission fees we collect this year will go towards the various expenses we have in advance of the festival, helping ensure we can continue to build upon the quality foundation we established in years one and two. We have endeavored to keep the fee low enough so as not to be prohibitive to songwriters wishing to perform.
What percentage of the FWSF lineup is taken from submissions?
There's no official number we try to hit, but in years one and two roughly around 60% of our lineup comes from our submission process.
I performed at FWSF 2024 and/or 2025. Can I apply again?
Absolutely. However, be aware that we do limit the number of returning artists in back to back years to make room for songwriters who have not had the opportunity to perform at FWSF, yet.
I applied and was rejected. Can I get my submission fee back?
While we understand all-too-well how badly rejection sucks, submission fees are non-refundable. We'd like to encourage you to keep writing, keep networking, keep performing, and keep crafting your songs and honing your voice and sound. The number one reason a given songwriter gets a rejection letter from FWSF is because we simply ran out of available spaces. And don't forget, art is so subjective. Take this rejection with the smallest grain of salt.
I've applied and haven't heard back anything, yet. Do I need to follow up?
There is no need to follow up. Once we receive your application, we will review it and let you know the status of your application by September 7, 2026. If you are worried for any reason your submission didn't make it through, feel free to reach out to us for confirmation that we did, indeed, receive your application.