The Iowa City Songwriters Festival is a new, intimate 3-day music festival and conference centered around the craft of songwriting. The festival will showcase world-class songwriters through intimate solo or duo performances at several venues across downtown Iowa City including The Englert Theatre, The James Theater, The Black Angel, and Trumpet Blossom Cafe.

ICSF will also include a conference-style event that features artist talks, panel discussions and mentoring sessions,  as well as scholarship opportunities that allow attendees to learn about the craft and practice from the top artists in the country and dive deep into the timeless art and process of writing songs. 

Based on the idea that Iowa City should be just as big a hub for songwriters as it is for other genres of writing, ICSF is meticulously curated for both the songwriting aficionado and the casual listener. The festival's core goal is to cultivate a community of musicians, writers, and music lovers in Iowa City to honor the beautiful tradition of songwriting and the deep human connection it fosters.

Schedule of the Events:

3:30-430pm: Artist Panel with Sunny War, Buffalo Nichols, & Margo Cilker at Wilder

5:00-6:00pm: Artist Talk Of The Den with Jeff Tweedy

5:15-10:00pm: Weary Ramblers at The Black Angel

5:30-6:10pm: Buffalo Nichols at The James Theater

6:00-2:00pm: Poetry Reading by Courtney Marie Andrews at Prairie Lights

6:30-7.30pm: Sunny War at The James Theater

7:30-8:25pm: Margo Cilker at The Englert Theatre

8:45-10:00pm: Jeff Tweedy at The Englert Theatre

9:00-9:40pm: Abbie Sawyer at The Black Angel

10:00-11:00pm - She Returns From War at The Black Angel

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