The Songwriters Workshop and Showcase

Workshop Series

Showcase

The Workshop

The Songwriting Workshop + Showcase is for writers who’ve already gotten a song or two across the finish line — and want the structure, momentum, and community to write more (and actually complete them).

Across four workshop sessions, we’ll use a different songwriting prompt each time to spark new ideas and push past the usual ruts. Each gathering follows a simple, supportive flow: a brief group conversation to get oriented, a prompt to set the creative direction, time to write, and then a mix of co-writing matchups and small breakouts. At least one session will be built around co-writing from the ground up, with additional co-write opportunities available in the other sessions for anyone who wants them. The only “homework” is the good kind: keep working on your songs between sessions so you can bring them back, strengthen what’s working, and finish what you started.

This is not a class or a lecture series, and it’s not framed as “professional instruction.” Think of it more like a guided writing room with a facilitated process to keep things moving, and help create an environment where people feel comfortable taking creative swings. If you want a little coaching as you go — on structure, lyric clarity, melody choices, or performance readiness — it’s available, but it’s always optional.

The goal is simple and ambitious: four finished songs by the end of the series — songs you feel proud to perform, record, or keep developing.

Then we bring it to the stage. The Showcase invites every participating writer to share their new work on the Memorial Hall stage in front of a live audience. It’s a chance to celebrate the songs, meet other writers in the community, and hear what happens when a prompt turns into something real. The Hall’s PA and sound support will be provided, with light performance coaching available for anyone who wants a little extra steadiness before stepping into the spotlight.

If you’ve been craving a reason to write — and people to write with — this is it.

The Showcase

This is the capstone to our four-session writing series — a night where new songs move from notebooks and voice memos to the Memorial Hall stage.

This showcase features original work created during the workshop sessions, performed live by the writers who brought it to life. You’ll hear brand-new songs in their earliest “real” form: honest, fresh, and still carrying that spark from the moment they were written. Some pieces may be fully polished and performance-ready; others may be newly finished and shared for the first time in public. Either way, the heart of the night is the same: a room full of people taking creative risks and showing up for each other.

Unlike a typical concert, the Songwriting Showcase is built around discovery. It’s a chance to hear a wide range of voices, styles, and stories in one evening — with the common thread being that every song started with the same kind of challenge: a prompt, a deadline, and the support of a community of writers. Expect an atmosphere that’s warm and encouraging, with the audience in on the spirit of it: listening closely, cheering loudly, and helping make Memorial Hall feel like the kind of place where art gets made, not just presented.

Come for the music, stay for the sense of community, and see what it looks like when the creative process becomes a shared experience — and when new songs get their first real moment in the world.

Production Sponsors

Interested in sponsoring our Songwriter Workshop and Showcase? Shoot us an email at development@friendsofthehall.org and we’ll be in touch!