Words and Music is a grassroots, community-based, not-for-profit, monthly performing arts series in Hailey, Idaho, promoting artists from the Wood River Valley and Sun Valley areas. On the third Thursday of every month , Words and Music takes shape at the Main Street Bistro in Hailey at 7:00 pm.  This is a two set show kicked off by the “featured performer” for the first hour and concluding with an hour of “open stage.”  Craig Campbell provides the sound system, and the Main Street Bistro is our host.  Dr. Tom Archie organizes the series.

Featured performers are arranged months in advance and usually bring local talent from the Wood River Valley (with occasional traveling artists from the House Concert circuit) to grace our stage with acoustic music, poetry, or storytelling.  While many in the audience are undoubtedly drawn to the renown of the featured performers, it is the open stage which often makes the evening magical.  Open Stage is a first-come, first-served sign-up-at-the-door event.

Audience participation is critical to the success and magic of Words and Music.  Unlike a bar or nightclub scene, the focus of this series is on the performance.  Musicians, poets, and audience members take part in an intense and joyful expression of art.  Relationships are forged.  A local community is built around the common love of art and camaraderie.  In short, if anyone in the audience feels the need to have a conversation during a performance, we respectfully ask that this take place elsewhere in the hosting restaurant so as not to disturb the focus of others in the audience.  Open Stage is intended to represent a safe and supportive forum for aspiring musicians, poets, and storytellers who may not have had any prior performance experience.

With its debut in February 2009, Hailey Words and Music began a new chapter in a twenty year tradition of local grassroots performing arts originating in Quincy, CA in 1989.  In 2003, Dr. Tom Archie had been instrumental in starting a thriving Words and Music series in Chester, CA to mirror the success of the Quincy shows, and he had gone on to serve as president of the Board of Directors of Plumas Arts in the rural Sierra northeastern California county of Plumas.  Upon moving to Hailey in December 2007 and over the ensuing year, Archie recognized the need for a similar program here.  The event kicked off in February 2009 at Chester and Jake's and later moved to the Main Street Bistro in May 2009 after economic difficulties led to the closure of Chester and Jake's.  When economic hard times closed down the Main Street Bistro in August 2009, Archie found a new home for the series at McClain's Pizza beginning in March 2010.

In January 1989, as part of a grant from the California Arts Council, the Plumas County Arts Commission (now “Plumas Arts” at www.plumasarts.org) began to mobilize monthly poetry readings.  Organizers would find musicians turning up in the open mike section. In recognition and response to this emerging need for a forum for local musicians to present their work on a regular basis, Plumas Arts established a monthly acoustic music series. Later, the two halves were brought together again for the series that remains so well loved today.

When questioned by regional, state and national arts entities about her observations about successful "grass roots" arts programming Plumas Arts Executive Director Roxanne Valladao always starts with this program. "Words and Music has an amazing ability to create a sense of place and belonging. It provides a safe place for artists to try on their new work, encourages an attentive audience to listen closely, and inspires all who participate. People are always commenting on how impressed they are by the talented people that live in their neighborhoods. Audience members become encouraged to create and present their own creative work. Over the years many who first came to listen become regular open mike presenters. It has been a beautiful thing to watch this artistic program provide such a strong sense of cohesion and community." 

Admission: $5.00 (free for 15 and under)

*Admission also paid by open stage performers, as the admission fees are necessary to pay our performing artists*

Artist Payments: $80 per artist up to $130 maximum for a group

Featured performers are asked to submit to series organizer Tom Archie a 3-4 paragraph biography describing their art, those who have influenced them, and their connection to daily life in the Wood River Valley.  This should be provided one month prior to the date of the scheduled performance, as it will be incorporated into a press release for the Idaho Mountain Express and for the Hailey Words and Music website.  Links to artists’ websites are appreciated, as well.

"Music is not something that is performed by the "professionals" for the consumption of the masses. Music is an integral part of everyone's life. We want our community to regain its natural relationship with that essential part of itself, the participation in music. Instruments in everyone's hands, performances in everyone's living rooms, on the streets, everywhere. Let's not leave the performance of music to those who are 'good at it' ... we are all good at it, if we let go of judgement. It's our shared humanity." 

- Andy Lewis, Director, Wood River Community Orchestra and Wood River Middle and High School Music Programs

Hailey Words and Music Finances

Expenses

Website 2 years 1/11/09     $140.14

Banner 1/31/09                  $ 36.00

Flyers 2/09 - 3/10              $  200.87

Artists 2/09 - 3/10             $765.00

Income

Audience 2/09 - 3/10         $1197.00

Balance                          $44.99