The Black Arts & Music Festival (BAMF) is a two-day, family-friendly event hosted by the Ames Public Library, Ames Branch NAACP, Ames Community Arts Council, Ames Public Art Commission, Iowa State University College of Design, and Iowa State Office of Diversity and Inclusion to celebrate and promote greater awareness and appreciation of the artistic and cultural contributions of African and African American visual and performing artists in the community. This event is funded by the Ames Public Library Friends Foundation.

BAMF will be held at Ames Public Library on February 8 and 9 during the library's regular open hours.

The goal of this family-friendly weekend of events is to uplift the voices of underrepresented community members by
• Showcasing and celebrating the talents and the community contributions of African and African American visual artists and performers.
• Promoting cultural awareness of African and African American arts and experiences.
• Fostering civic engagement and discourse.
• Strengthening relationships with community and university partners.

Youth (grade 9-12) and adult artists from Iowa State University and the greater Ames/DSM community are invited to submit an application to perform. Performances might include spoken word/poetry, dance, singing, or music. Submissions will be accepted until 11:59pm on October 31, 2019. Artists will be notified of their acceptance via email by December 6. Due to limited time and space, all applications may not be selected for inclusion.

Each performer will be scheduled for a set on either Saturday, February 8 or Sunday, February 9.

• An 18’ x 8’ stage will be in place for all acts.
• Performances may last up to 45 minutes.
• The selection committee will review three recorded songs or pieces.
• Artists will be required to arrive at a pre-designated time based on the schedule of events.
• The Library requires promotional materials including photographs, videos or cover art and reserves the right to use these materials for publicity.
• The Library reserves the right to record performances and presentations for promotional purposes.
• The Library will offer sound engineering and amplification for the performance as needed.  

Performers may sell recordings, but no other merchandise, during the festival. Please note that:
• The Library cannot handle payments on their behalf.
• The Library will take no commission on sales.
• The Library will provide a table for the selling of recordings.

Artists will also receive a stipend of at least $100.