Hotel Albuquerque Old Town is transforming into a hub for Western music and cowboy poetry this week, as the International Western Music Association kicks off its 2026 convention. The gathering runs from Wednesday through Sunday, bringing daily performances, workshops, vendors and art tied to the traditions of the American West.
According to Academy of Western Artists, the IWMA convention and awards show will run Nov. 11-15 at Hotel Albuquerque Old Town in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The association describes its mission as supporting the preservation, performance and composition of historic, traditional and contemporary music and poetry of the West, and it says its membership stretches well beyond the region, with people from the United States, Australia, Canada, England, Japan, Switzerland and Germany taking part.
The convention schedule, posted by the International Western Music Association, opens with a lunch featuring special guest speaker Orin Friesen. From there, the program moves into showcase performances from Cisco Jim, Grace Clark and Steve Cormier, giving attendees a sampling of the convention's showcase performances.
Workshops Cover Poetry, Songwriting and AI
Beyond the stage, the convention's daily lineup leans heavily into craft. A workshop titled “Polish Your On-Stage Poetry Performance” is led by Floyd Beard, while veteran songwriter John Lowell offers a three-hour session on the craft and art of songwriting, per the same listing. Organizers have also added a session called “The GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY (of AI)! (Part I),” presented by Bill Lindsay of Hamblen Music Co., reflecting how even cowboy poetry circles are grappling with new technology.
Attendees looking to shop can browse the event's music and merchandise boutique and vendor area, one of several commercial spaces set up alongside the performances and workshops. As KRQE News 13 reports, the IWMA convention more broadly includes daily events and performances, music showcases, cowboy poetry, presentations, art, vendors and workshops, along with a Western music and clothing mercantile.
Benefit Dinner and Veterans Breakfast Round Out the Week
Ticketed events bookend the convention's middle days. The IWMA Benefit Dinner & Concert is set for Thursday, Nov. 12, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., according to listings on Zeffy. Two days later, a Veterans Appreciation Breakfast & Program is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14, from 7 to 8:30 a.m., per the same ticketing page.
Hotel guests attending the convention can book rooms at a rate of $179 for reservations made before Oct. 21, the IWMA's event listing notes. This year's gathering follows the organization's 2025 convention, which KRQE's earlier coverage described as running Nov. 12-16 at Hotel Albuquerque with daily concert stages, nighttime concerts, a Western music and clothing mercantile, vendors and workshops — a format that looks much the same heading into 2026.
