We're incredibly excited about the latest Artist Activism Camp (our sixth!) and its live benefit concert finale, Musicians Bringing Musicians Home. This year's event, which takes place at One Eye Jacks in New Orleans on Friday, March 26, 2010.

Joining FMC and Air Traffic Control this year are Ryan Dobrowski + Israel Nebeker (Blind Pilot), Rebecca Gates, Thao Nguyen (Thao with the Get Down Stay Down), Toshi Reagon, Matana Roberts, Jill Sobule, Jon Theodore (One Day As A Lion), New Orleans' very own Bonerama and more.

Musicians Bringing Musicians Home is the celebratory finale of our sixth three-day activist retreat, where artists from around the country come to talk about best practices for positive social change. Since the Gulf Storms of 2005 Artist Activism Camp has brought more than forty musicians from around the country to New Orleans to tour affected neighborhoods, visit with the city's notable musicians and community leaders and participate in strategy sessions about integrating activism and philanthropy into their musical lives and careers.

Of course, we do manage to party and eat a fair amount gumbo, too.

Here's some killer testimony from Wayne Kramer, legendary guitarist of MC5 and Artist Activism Camp alum:

"If you care, educate yourself," Wayne says. "Go to New Orleans and meet the folks down there. Talk with them, eat with them, work alongside them and then play music with them and for them. Anyone that calls themselves a musician owes a debt to New Orleans, and these retreats are a superb opportunity make a payment. You'll be richer for it."

New Orleans music scribe and editor Alex Rawls of OffBeat Magazine has this to say about the Musicians Bringing Musicians Home concert:

"The shows always include at least a moment or two of the real stuff you go to live shows to see. Whether it's Alec Ounsworth taking his first crack at 'St. James Infirmary' in front of a live audience or the Indigo Girls helping Al 'Carnival Time' Johnson learn 'I Shall Be Released' onstage, the shows are musically rewarding, and the "last-night-of-camp" vibe is positive and contagious."

The efforts of many groups and individuals — including Sweet Home New Orleans — have had a major impact on Big Easy musicians like Mardis Gras legend Al Johnson. Funds raised by retreat participants helped Al buy a new Habitat for Humanity home after having lost his property and belongings in Hurricane Katrina. "Musicians Bringing Musicians Home" and the retreats are part an ongoing commitment to helping musicians like Al get back to their communities where they'll help sustain New Orleans music and culture for generations to come.

The benefit concert is open to the music-loving public. Click here to buy tickets while they're still available!