- PLEASE NOTE – The 2023 New England Songwriting Competition is going back to it’s roots. To enter you must live in New England, or have some connection to New England. If you have any questions regarding eligibility, please contact Sue Martin here.
Rules and Regulations
Read the following Rules and Regulations before entering the contest:
1. Songs should consist of the contestant’s own work and should not infringe any copyrights or any other rights of any third parties.
2. Songs may be uploaded as .mp3, .mp4 or .wav audio files. Lyrics should be entered as .pdf or .jpeg only, with no name on file. Entrants must carefully check audio files and lyric files before entry. It is the entrants responsibility to check that submitted recordings and files are playing correctly before submitting their work. If faulty non playing recordings are submitted, the entry will be marked void by the judges and there will be no refund.
3. No changes may be made to song entries or to entrants details after submission. This includes changes to song title, category, writer’s name, audio file, written lyrics and all and any other changes including the email contact address. If a change is required the entrant must contact NESC to cancel the original entry, re enter the song again with the correct details and pay another entry fee.
4. Contestants may enter as many songs in as many categories as they wish and there is no limit on the number of songs that may be entered. Contestants may also enter the same song in more than one category (a separate entry fee is required for each category entry). Entry fee is non-refundable. Judges may at their discretion occassionally move an entry to a different category, but only when it is clear that the song has a much greater chance of success in another category.
5. Songs are judged based on composition. The quality of performance, vocals and production is not a consideration (with the exception of the Singer/Songwriter category where vocals/performance are also judged).
6. All prizes are non-transferable and will be awarded to the first name as it appears on the entry form. In the case of co-writers the fair division and distribution of prizes among writers is the responsibility of the winners. Responsibility for the fulfillment and delivery of prizes resides with the relevant partners and sponsors and the NESC shall take no part in any disputes therein arising. The New England Songwriting Competition reserves the right in its sole discretion to substitute any and all prizes with prizes of comparable value.
7. It is the entrants responsibility to provide correct contact details when entering the contest and to ensure that they can receive emails from the contest. Prizes and emails will be sent to the contact email address supplied on entry. If the contestant does not see or receive prizes or notifications or emails because they provided an incorrect email address, or because they failed to check their spam folder, or because their email account is over limit, or because they have a spam blocking system in place that requires verification from the sender, or because they failed to check their emails, or for any other reason, the NESC will bear no responsibility or liability.
8. The competition does not supply or offer individual critiques of songs entered. The constitution of judging panels is dependent on availability of judges and other factors and entrants may not request or expect specific named judges to examine their entries.
9. Entry in the New England Songwriting Competition constitutes permission to use winners’ names, likenesses, recordings, videos and voices for promotional and publicity purposes on the NESC own websites and on other third party websites and in publicity and promotional materials and press releases. This permission can be withdrawn by the entrant at any time upon written request.
10. Entrants retain full song ownership rights and all copyrights to all songs submitted. Entering the contest does not in any way affect the writers’ ownership of their songs.
11. Songs may have multiple co-writers. All co-writers’ names should be entered on the entry form.
12. The entry fee covers the administration costs involved in receiving and processing each entry and preparing each entry for the judging panels and is non-refundable.
13. The judges decisions are final and binding and entrants agree by entering the contest to accept and abide by the judges decisions.
14. By participating in the contest entrants agree to be bound by these rules and by any subsequent published revisions of these rules and by the decisions of The New England Songwriting Competition which are final in all matters relating to the contest.