American Composers Forum
MusiciansMinnesota, United States11-50 Employees
Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, the American Composers Forum is an organization that supports and advocates for people and groups creating contemporary music, highlighting the vitality and relevance of their art. It connects artists with collaborators, organizations, audiences, and resources to help them develop and present work. Through storytelling, publications, recordings, hosted gatherings, and industry leadership, the forum seeks to create equitable opportunities for a broad and diverse field of music creators, including those historically excluded from participation. The organization traces its origin to 1973 as the Minnesota Composers Forum, founded by Libby Larsen and Stephen Paulus, and continues to invest in its Minnesota home while connecting artists and advocates across the United States and beyond. Its work is framed around racial equity and inclusive definitions of American identity, embracing diverse gender identities, musical approaches, religions, ages, abilities, cultures, and backgrounds. In July 2024, the organization announced the recipients of the ACF | create awards, illustrating ongoing program activity.