Writing The Resistance with Erin Frisby
Writing the Resistance with Erin Frisby is a five-session songwriting workshop about using music to confront injustice and speak truth to power. Participants will develop at least one original song with support from weekly exercises, prompts, guided discussions, listening assignments, and a shared playlist. No prior songwriting or musical experience is required, and participants who do not play an instrument will have alternative ways to participate.
The workshop also includes an invitation to at least one group outing to an open mic and the option to be included in a class compilation. Discussions will cover protest-song traditions, arts-activism strategies, personal artistic purpose, lyric techniques, and song mapping.
When: Saturdays, November 21 through December 19, 2026
Showtimes: 1:30–3:00 p.m. each session
Tickets: $125 for all five sessions when paid in advance, guaranteeing a place; individual sessions are $30 at the door
Venue: Rhizome DC
Instructor: Erin Frisby
Instructor background: Erin Frisby is a longtime member of the DC music community who grew up singing Appalachian and Ozark folk music, studied opera, and has toured the United States performing original songs. Their work has received attention from Washington City Paper, Sound Opinions, No Depression, Country Queer, RockMommy, Alt Q Radio, and LA Taco. Frisby currently leads the rock band Ammonite and has created or presented music and songwriting programs for Chicago Public Schools, The Luce Center, The Millennium Stage, Hirshhorn Gallery Talks, and the Folger Shakespeare Library. They completed a 15-week intensive in arts activism and community arts through The Sanctuaries DC and co-founded This Could Go Boom!, a grassroots nonprofit supporting women, nonbinary, and gender-expansive voices in music.
Program: Participants will write at least one original song, complete regular creative assignments, join guided conversations and share-outs, undertake listening assignments, and explore the history of music used for social and political expression.
Additional opportunities: Participants may join a group open-mic outing and may opt into the class compilation.
Experience level: No previous songwriting or musical experience is necessary. Options are available for participants who do not play instruments.