Rob Harper wrote:

> Each caller or musician selected gets a travel allowance that will get them to Atlanta and back.

Let me unstintingly applaud this aspect of Catapult. Too many showcases ask performers to pay for the privilege of appearing, whether or not there’s a credible vetting process. I once paid a substantial amount to be in a showcase for schools, libraries, and recreation departments, with very little return. And of course there’s the National Square Dance Convention: Every one of the hundreds of callers must pay the same as a dancer to get in ($60 next year) after paying for travel, lodging, and meals for 3 to 5 days. No one even gets a schedule grid unless they buy a $10 program book. (Admittedly the organizers have high expenses; the event is held in a big city convention center. They used to be able to spread the cost over 20,000 attenders or more; lately they’ve been getting closer to 4,000.)

Tony Parkes

Billerica, Mass.