Legendary songwriter and multiple GRAMMY award winner Janis Ian will serve as Caffè Lena’s first ever Artist in Residence this August.
Behind the Residency
The month-long program brings workshops, mentorship opportunities and public conversations centered around songwriting and creative integrity to the Saratoga Springs venue.
In addition, Ian will make special appearances at several signature Caffè Lena programs, including the Songwriting Club on August 8, Rochmon Record Club on August 26, and an Open Mic on August 31.
The residency also brings Ian’s career full circle through her work with young musicians enrolled in the Caffè Lena Summer Camp. On August 6, the students will hear directly from Ian about her experiences breaking into the music industry as a young artist.
Ian wrote “Society’s Child” when she was sixteen, which brought her national attention in the 1960s for its taboo topic of interracial relationships. She later became known for songs including “At Seventeen” and “Jesse,” and a career that has moved through folk, pop, and jazz for more than six decades.
Today, Janis Ian is retired from touring, and turning her focus toward teaching and mentorship. In a statement, she said the residency addresses a gap she sees in traditional artist residencies, which often overlook singer-songwriters:
“There are plenty of residencies for classical musicians, and jazz musicians, but folk artists and singer-songwriters are still considered ‘Just for fun’ rather than serious craftspeople and artists. That needs to change.”
– Janis Ian
Caffè Lena’s Legacy & Future
Founded in 1960 in a former woodworking shop, Caffè Lena has spent more than six decades building its reputation as a home for folk and roots music. The venue has helped launch and sustain generations of influential artists, from Bob Dylan who performed there in 1961, to Anaïs Mitchell in 2008.
More recently, a $1 million anonymous donation received in late December 2025 reflects the importance of the longest continuously run folk music venue in the country. The historic gift helps to secure the organization’s future and expanding programming initiatives, including Ian’s residency.
Caffè Lena will announce registration and event information on its website.
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