Gather round kids, story time!
I have applied to perform at Backwoods Music Festival every year since 2015. I have been rejected every single year. I know that the performers there are usually top notch, so it didn't bother me too much, it still hurt. Last year I applied again, and received a rejection email.
But...
It was a mass email sent to every single person that applied and got rejected. All email addresses were visible. And it was sent from the director's personal email address, not Backwoods. There were grammar and spelling mistakes and it was just completely unthoughtful and unprofessional.
I found out that several performers who had the opportunity to perform at Backwoods years before, were rejected as well. People who had no performance experience we're getting accepted.
AND People who had not even applied for the 2019 performance spots we're getting acceptance emails just because they were friends with the person who is in charge..
Her name is Olivia. She is in charge of approving all performers for Backwoods, to my understanding. I simply sent her an email asking her as to why people who had performed before we're not getting accepted and may have mentioned that I did not get accepted for years prior. I also mentioned how unprofessional her email was and that she was sending everything in bulk and violating performers privacy by exposing their email addresses.
I was told that I will never get to perform at Backwoods as long as she is in charge. I was also told that she hires people based on having had workes with them before, and knowing them. I was also personally insulted by her and called names because I questioned her and told her she was unprofessional.
To me, this is completely and utterly unprofessional. It has changed my outlook on Backwoods music festival in general. This was my home. The place that had my heart. where I could escape, and a place I can look forward to every year. The experience this past year with her and the festival itself has completely turned me away. I have applied to be an instructor this year but I have no hopes for getting accepted. I basically did it for shirts and giggles ๐คท
Fin.
