Sharing Four Decades of Live Recordings from The Ark

From a humble house concert series to one of the most iconic folk venues in the world, The Ark in Ann Arbor, Michigan has been a cornerstone of folk music’s evolution. For four decades, long-serving manager Dave Siglin recorded over 1,600 live performances on analog tape—capturing legends like Elizabeth Cotten, John Prine, Odetta, and Rev. Gary Davis in raw, intimate form. These recordings, now the focus of a collaboration between the Siglin Music Preservation Fund and the University of Michigan, represent not only a treasure trove of music history but also the challenges and triumphs of community-led archival work. University of Michigan professor Paul Conway will share insight into what it takes to bring legacy recordings into the digital age, including the preservation process, navigating permissions, engaging diverse student researchers and partners, and exploring an innovative 3-D virtual reality application that enables visitors to navigate the original Ark on Hill Street.

The presentation intersects memory, music, and community, showing how grassroots efforts can protect and elevate folk history for future generations.

Registration Required.

You may also like the following events from Royal Oak Public Library:

• This Tuesday, 25th November, 06:00 pm, “Three Needles and Suture” tells the true stories of Rochester’s Van Hoosen women in Royal Oak
• Next month, 13th December, 11:00 am, Lucky Day Art Fair in Royal Oak

Also check out other Concerts in Royal Oak, Music events in Royal Oak, Entertainment events in Royal Oak.