Music Columbus’s incubator program members will perform Saturday at VergeFest. Credit: Courtesy of Hope Selah
Music Columbus will present its third annual VergeFest on Saturday at A&R Music Bar and The Basement, offering an evening of emerging talent from across the city.
VergeFest serves as the yearly showcase for artists in Music Columbus’ incubator program, which supports local musicians through development workshops, mentorship and career training. Music will begin at 6 p.m. and run through 11 p.m. Music Columbus is a non-profit organization committed to supporting music and musicians, according to its website.
The program has grown steadily in recent years, and Amy Holihan, deputy director of Music Columbus, said this showcase highlights how far each cohort has come.
“We developed this program, where we spend a lot of time working with these artists to work on their performance, work on their craft and work on the way that they present themselves,” Holihan said.
Holihan said the festival is the culmination of months of guided work for participating musicians.
“They get media training and a performance masterclass, all these elements that they’re using to progress and elevate their performance,” Holihan said.
Holihan said the organization expects a packed night, noting that VergeFest is intentionally designed to feel immersive. She said the event has a distinctive format — the audience will be required to switch back and forth between both venues to watch all nine artists’ sets.
“One act will perform [for] 25 minutes, then we’ll all shift, as an audience, down to the other stage, and the other act will take the stage,” Holihan said.
Holihan, who created the incubator program, said it was designed in response to a shifting music industry.
“I developed this program three years ago based on a need that we identified; a lot of artists have to do it themselves,” Holihan said.“It’s much more of a DIY environment than it was decades ago. Labels aren’t investing in artists until they’ve proven themselves in terms of streaming platforms and brand identity.”
Holihan said the program is geared toward musicians with a foundation in the industry who need assistance to elevate their artistry. She said applications for the next cohort open in late spring 2026.
“We are looking for people who are at a level in which they’ve started to build their sound and their brand, but they need some help getting it to the next level,” Holihan said. “They can use the additional support of a network, resources, and mentorship.”
As part of the program, Holihan said artists receive a wide range of support, from creative coaching to business guidance.
“That involves everything from vocal lessons, songwriting classes [and] recording time, to financial and contract workshops, brand and identity work … and other development pieces,” Holihan said.
Holihan said many of the performers have worked closely with Music Columbus staff since late summer.
“We’ve been working very hands-on with them every week since August, and this is going to be a massive celebration to them and how far they’ve come,” Holihan said.
Holihan said the organization intentionally designed VergeFest to give audiences a closer look at Columbus’ rising talent.
“We wanted to create a celebration that was a chance for them to take the stage and showcase everything they’ve worked on,” Holihan said. “But also, a chance for our Columbus community to come and experience up-and-coming artists that are living, building and working on their careers right here in Columbus.”
The festival has grown each year, Holihan said, in part due to new partnerships.
“This year it’s just bigger and better than ever,” Holihan said. “We’ve got sponsors that have come in to help us make it a more robust event for everyone, including the artists.”
Singer-songwriter Talitha Boyd, a second-year in communications and incubator participant, said she is excited to take the stage again.
“I’ll be playing all original songs, most of which are unreleased,” Boyd said.
Boyd said the incubator program has offered her and other artists a meaningful path toward independence.
“The incubator program is a developmental program for artists, teaching us how to be independent artists,” Boyd said.
Boyd said the curriculum covers both creative and professional skills.
“They bring in different people to teach us different things,” Boyd said. “We’ve had talks about what the legal side is like, we’ve had songwriting sessions, we talk about artist management and branding.”
Boyd said the program also provides opportunities to young artists who often struggle to access resources.
“They give us really cool opportunities, like studio time and free photography sessions,” Boyd said.
Boyd said she hopes the event will help audiences discover new voices.
“It’s also a great opportunity for more people to learn about each individual artist, and also Music Columbus as a whole,” Boyd said.
VergeFest plays an important role in elevating Columbus’ music scene, Boyd said.
“Festivals like this are a good way to build up the scene,” Boyd said. “I think music in Columbus has been upcoming and there’s so much talent here. I think this is a good way to showcase that.”
Tickets and the full performer lineup can be found at Music Columbus’ website.
