Freeport, Grand Bahama Island - The Bahamas National Festival Commission committee is coming to Freeport and invites all musicians and songwriters interested in the Bahamas Carnival Song Competition to a meet greet information session on Tuesday July 8th at The Ministry for Grand Bahama Boardroom on the 4th floor of the Harold Degregory Complex at 12 NOON. This is your chance to gain an understanding on the mechanics of how the competition will work, the reasoning behind the name and have your questions answered.

Refreshments will be served.

Overview

The Bahamas Carnival Song Competition is the annual contest that determines the champion Bahamian sound for the Bahamas Carnival. Bahamian musicians produce original songs that inspire Bahamians to “Shake Up the Streets” during the parties, parades and concerts that take place each spring during the Bahamas Carnival.

The Competition is open to Bahamian citizens only. Groups of persons, organizations or individuals may enter but will be treated as one entity. Employees of the Bahamas
National Festival Commission Secretariat (BNFCS) and Commissioners are not eligible to participate in the competition.

Selection Process

The Competition shall be coordinated at the national level. It will be judged by a panel of experts using selection criteria which meet affective and aesthetic criteria. The Competition will be conducted in three phases:

1. The preliminary round will be coordinated by authorized BNFC personnel. All entries must be submitted on or before 5:00pm Monday 21st July, 2014.
2. Twenty five (25) songs will be chosen in the preliminary round as semi- finalists. They will be announced on Emancipation Day 2014.
3. The CD of the twenty-five (25) semi-finalists will be produced by the BNFC and released on National Heroes Day.
4. The Semi-Finalist Concert will be held sometime during the first week after Easter Monday. From which the Ten (10) finalists will be selected.
5. The ten (10) Finalists will perform at the Mega Concert to be held on May 8, 2015 and the winners will be announced that same evening.

Awards

1. The winner of the BNFC Song competition will receive a cash award of $20,000.00.
2. The first runnerup will receive $12,500.00,
3. The second runner up will receive $7,500.00,
4. The third runner up will receive $4,000.00.
5. The remaining finalists will receive $1,000.00 each and they all will be publicly
   acknowledged and their music produced as a compilation album.

Rules and Regulations

1. The BNFC Song Competition is open to Bahamians. Employees of the Bahamas National Festival Commission Secretariat and BNFC Commissioners are not eligible to participate in the competition
2. Each entrant may submit up to three (3) songs.
3. Each entry must include: Completed entry form with original signature; CD/Digital Audio File
   containing one (1) song only, four (4) minutes or less in duration; and Typed Lyrics and Lead Sheet.
4. The CD/Digital Audio File should contain only the entry song and should not have any part of
   the recording or label which can identify the artiste(s), applicant(s), producer(s) or the song writer(s).
5. The Song should have the characteristics of the Bahamas; be one that evokes and celebrates Bahamian rhythms and flavour. In addition, the song should be one that is memorable with popular and emotional appeal.
6. All entries submitted must be original songs and shall not infringe on any copyrights or any other rights of a third party. The entrant warrants that the entry is an original song and entrants shall by entering, indemnify and hold the BNFC Secretariat harmless against any claims arising out of the Entrant’s violation of the foregoing.
7. Songs which do not satisfy the above criteria and the technical specifications will be rejected.
8. The BNFC Secretariat reserves the right to decide the method of selecting the winning song and also reserves the right to reject any or all entries submitted.
9. TheBNFCSecretariatwilluseitsbesteffortstoannouncethefinalistsatadesignatedtime, but will not be held liable for any unforeseen delays. Finalists will be notified of their selection by email or telephone.
10. Each entry must be accompanied by an entry fee of $25.00. If submitting more than one entry, you may total all entries on one check (example: 3entries = $75.00). If paying by credit card, $25.00 per song entry will be charged to your account.
11. If entries are submitted electronically, each entry must include: (A) Completed entry form (or photocopy). All entries must have an authorized signature. (B) CD or Digital Audio file (s) containing 1 song only, 4 minutes or less in length. (C) Check or money order for $25.00.
12. If songs are submitted electronically, MP3 of 8 MB or less is permitted, $25.00 per song entry will be charged to your credit card. This cost is the same whether entering electronically or regular mail. You would copy & paste the lyrics into the electronic field.
13. Finalists shall make themselves available, during the course of the Competition, for all promotional activities.
14. Entrants agree to release, indemnify, and hold the BNFC Secretariat, its sponsors, and judges harmless for liability, damages, or claims for injury or loss to any person or property relating to, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, participation in promotional activities or entrants’ violation of any these rules
15. By entering the BNFC Song Competition, entrants agree to accept and be bound by the decisions of the BNFC Secretariat and its judges, which are final and binding in all matters.
16. The entrant hereby grants to the “Bahamas Carnival Commission” (or whatever the official name is by the proposed statute currently being drafted) the rights to record, photograph, broadcast, or otherwise publish for promotional purposes any portion of live performances of the entrant of the song.
17. The entrant hereby grants to the “Bahamas Carnival Commission” (or whatever the official name is by the proposed statute currently being drafted) the unconditional rights to include the live performance of the entrant in the competition on any DVD should the Commission in its sole discretion determine. The Commission hereby acknowledges the right of the entrant to, and shall pay to the entrant, his/her proportionate royalty if such a DVD is created.v