Introduction

Hello, I'm Mitchell Davis, the founder of Folk Process Archive (FPA). I started this early-stage pilot project part-time in 2022. With over 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur in the software, publishing, library, and archives industry, I've spent this year networking resources and building partnerships. As we approach 2024, our vision for FPA is becoming more clear.

Background

In the early 1990s, I established a desktop publishing and web development company just as the Internet was emerging. The overwhelming sense of opportunity and disruption I felt after using Netscape 1.0 for the first time on dial-up in 1996 has been a driving force behind my career.

In 1999, I founded BookSurge, a print-on-demand technology company and book publisher that Amazon.com acquired in 2005. My two-year experience at Amazon provided me with a real-life MBA, valuable knowledge, and shaped my subsequent startups. BookSurge later became Amazon CreateSpace and eventually Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).

In 2011, I launched BiblioLabs, a library technology platform that offered democratized ebook access and innovative community engagement tools to help libraries excel in local content and launch local archive projects. In 2021, we sold BiblioLabs to LYRASIS, a global nonprofit serving over 8000 libraries worldwide. I continue to volunteer at LYRASIS, assisting with the Indie Author Project, a program aimed at fostering relationships and a healthy book economy between independent authors and public libraries.

Throughout the past two decades, I have collaborated with national libraries, state libraries, consortia, private enterprises, and numerous public libraries to develop sustainable digital archive projects and community engagement strategies.

In addition to planning the launch of FPA, along with my wife and two other friends, I have dedicated the past three years to building a nature retreat, cultural arts center, farm stay, and small music venue at Rare Bird Farm, located just outside Asheville, NC. Related to this work, I also play in a Widespread Panic project called 54 Bicycles, where, along with other motivated musicians, we aim to recreate the tone and energy of live shows as part of a more comprehensive archiving process.

Our Vision

At FPA, we are creating a nimble organization that supports bands, artists, authors and estates as they reach the end of their prime earning/retirement years. Our mission is to create support communities that preserve artistic legacies while generating income from intellectual property. By also collaborating with leading libraries, and museums, we are developing a sustainable approach to institutional archives for artists and bands who may otherwise struggle to preserve their legacy properly.

Our Projects

Our initial projects focus on the jam band scene of the southern region; however, our work is expanding as we head into 2024. Rare Bird Farm, where I live and work, sits in the cradle of American old-time music, and we are producing local projects to preserve and share the culture and music of our Appalachian region.

Additionally, we are in discussions with institutions and cultural figures around the world about projects ranging from memory preservation to author archives and more.

Get Involved

If you're curious to learn more about FPA or if you have an idea for a project involving local musicians, authors or artists in your area, please reach out to us. We would be happy to engage in a deeper conversation about our vision, strategy, and the timing of an FPA project rollout.