The Folk Media Conference and Festival (October 9-11, 2025) at Winona State University will focus on digital media and art from the perspective of “folklore.” Through workshops, performances, exhibitions, and conference presentations, we will explore the creation of media by everyday people through urban legends, memes, zines, DIY media, play, underground music, fandom, found media, and other forms of grassroots expression.

This year, we are proud to announce a collaborative performance with the Minnesota Marine Art Museum’s artist in residence, Dameun Strange, a keynote by the digital artist and scholar Anna Nacher, a performance and workshop featuring Slam Academy founder James Patrick, and a concert and workshop featuring Winona’s own Dante DeGrazia.

Past conferences by iDMAa, our key collaborator, include Digital and the Human, Glitch is the Soul in the Machine, Weird Media, and Wild Media.

The conference is a project of the International Digital Media and Arts Association, organized by WSU’s Media and Communication Department’s Creative Digital Media Program, with generous support from the WSU Foundation, The Adam Mikiewicz Institute, The College of Liberal Arts, the WSU Music Department, and the great staff of WSU’s Kryzsko Commons. We are also proud to partner with the Minnesota Marine Art Museum (who is hosting the Dameun Strange workshop and performance, and using their formidable reputation as a national leader in community engaged art to elevate our event), the Sandbar Storytelling Festival (who has invited our guests to attending their Tales and Ales Event, at No Name Bar), and Acoustic Cafe (who is hosting the performance by Dante De Grazia). We are pleased to enjoy the support of Engage Winona and the Art of the Rural, as well as the WSU Art and Design Department.

Registration is not required, but encouraged.  Walk ins are welcome: Folk Media Form.