Artist workshops at the festival bring together performers from diverse cultural traditions for informal public discussions about and demonstrations of their music. The organizing principle might be an instrument, a musical idea or specific cultural activity. Typically guided by a moderator, the workshops offer festival-goers the opportunity for a more in-depth exploration of a subject as well as a more intimate look at some of the festival artists. Generally the musicians involved have never shared a stage before and are perhaps even meeting for the first time. So there are always surprises as they swap tunes, talk about music, demonstrate techniques and have fun with each other and the audience.