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4200 Wisconsin Ave, NW PMB 106-137
Washington, D.C. 20016
(301) 654-8434

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FULL CONTEST & ELIGIBILITY RULES FOR THE
25th Mid Atlantic Song Contest.

For the 25th anniversary contest, S.A.W. will accept a total of 300 entries in each category. What does this mean for you?  http://www.saw.org/masc25/tips.cfm

All words pre-printed on this entry form (everything from page 1 to 4!) are considered part of the rules. If entering via electronic submission (online), you still agree to abide by all rules & regulations listed here. You may enter as many songs as you wish in each category. It is strongly suggested (mercy!) that your song be a max of 4 minutes, but this is not required. You may enter same song in more than one category. All songs remain the property of the songwriter(s). 

ELIGIBILITY

  • Each entry must have lyrics EXCEPT for the Instrumental Category.
    BUT: Instrumental category entries must include a 3 sentence description as to the artistic intent of the composition (this is essential).
     
  • All entries must be either submitted online by September 15 or must be postmarked September 15. All entries MUST be received by September 30 regardless of postmark. We prefer online entries, but will accept multiple entries from the same artist on one home burned CD without other unrelated tracks. We do not accept cassette recordings of any kind..
     
  • You must not have made more than $5,000 in publishing royalties in 2007 and cannot be employed as a staff writer for a publishing company nor have been paid for such services by a publishing company.
     
  • Each entry must be wholly original (co-writers allowed) and shall not infringe on any copyrights or any other rights of any third party. Each entrant shall hold SAW harmless from and against claims inconsistent with these requirements.
     
  • Special Prize Eligibility.
    To qualify for the $100 Young Artist Award for top artist 21 and under (as of August 15, 2008), you must give your birthdate & year, as well as your co-writers. The total amount of the prize is $100 and check is made out to the submitting songwriter. All co-writers must be 21 or under. All others may ignore or lie in wonderful glowing terms about your age as long as you are true to the fact that you're 22 and over.

    To qualify for the NEW $100 International Prize: for top song submitted by a songwriter residing outside of the US. ALL co-writers must reside outside of the United States at the time of contest deadline to be eligible for this prize. The total amount of the prize is $100 and check is made out to the submitting songwriter.
     
  • No composition or lyric may be entered that has been:
    (1) licensed;
    (2) placed under contract for commercial sale with any major label, publisher or other entity; before the deadline; or
    (3) selected in previous years' MASC contests as Gold, Silver, Finalist.
    HOWEVER: You may re-submit songs having won honorable mention in past contests.\

PROCESS OF ENTRY

  1. FILLING OUT ENTRY FORM. Each song must be submitted on a separate entry form. Fill out & sign the official entry form, which signals your acceptance of permissions & disclaimer at the bottom. For multiple entries fill out the song information on each separate form. Include payment information on the first form.
     
  2. SUBMITTING LYRICS. You must submit lyrics or instrumental description. If entering via mail provide four copies of either a) the complete lyrics of your song, or b) a three sentence description as to the meaning behind your instrumental composition. Include title of your work but no searchable copyright information. We may disqualify your entry if you do so (we want these to be anonymous). If song is not in English, provide an English translation--artistic license allowed. Lyrics must be contained upon one side of one 8.5 x 11 page, and must be at least 11-point typeface. There is no need to repeat duplicate sections--for example just identify and re-type “chorus” where it repeats, unless the chorus contains serious changes. Each entry must be self-contained on four separate sheets of paper.
     
  3. SUBMITTING RECORDING. If entering via mail, please note: we encourage multiple separate entries on the same CD, but you MUST include a complete paper track list as part of your entry. Entries must have song title(s) and category written legibly on the front cover and on the CD. Do not put your name or your picture on the CD. CHECK for technical glitches!  We will not replace tracks if you suddenly have a better version. We’re really very sorry, we wish we could. However, if you would like to enter that other track as a separate entry you may do so, but we can’t predict how that will affect the judges’ consideration of your work.
     
  4. CALCULATE AMOUNT DUE for all your entries. Fill out the first entry form we will see when opening the package with all of your payment information. Include a check or money order (no cash) for the total amount or include your credit card number, expiration date and signature.
     
  5. PACKAGING ENTRY. Place four copies of each set of lyrics or description in a stack. Place separate entry form with each set of lyrics, and place the compilation or individual CDs on the top of the stack. You may fold all the papers in half around CD and place in an envelope if you desire. Place in envelope. Affix proper postage. Send to:
    Mid-Atlantic Song Contest / S.A.W.
    PMB 106-137
    4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW
    Washington, DC 20016. 
     
  6. DEADLINE. All entries must be received online or postmarked by 11:59 pm, September 15, 2008. Mailed entries must be received by September 30, 2008.
    EARLY BIRD DEADLINE: All entries received by July 1 qualify for a SAW & TAXI membership raffle drawing
    LATE/LOST ENTRIES: Entries received after September 30 will not be considered (even w/postmark). SAW assumes no responsibility for loss/damage to entries prior to receipt.
     
  7. JUDGING: Judges are professional artists, venue operators, presenters, Performing Rights Organization representatives, label representatives, DJs and Satellite radio representatives, financial backers & music supporters. Judges are instructed to disregard production /quality of recording. The Grand Prize Winner, Second & Third Place Overall Winners will be determined from the Golds by a larger panel of music industry professionals after all of the Gold winners are chosen. 

    We do not provide judges’ comments. We provided Judges’ comments for only two years (2006 & 2005). Curious as to why we stopped? A song contest is about comparing a very large pool of entries, not song critique. Comments taken out of context of the pool in which you are competing are sometimes difficult to interpret. SAW provides excellent opportunities for song critique in the Song Exchange, which is free and more useful to songwriters than the comments of judges as they work through hundreds of entries. We encourage you to attend our Song Exchange and the many educational programs we and many other songwriter associations and membership groups provide. If you need a referral for such an organization, please contact us.

    Only Contest Director & Assistant Director know the songwriter's name until such time as category judging is complete. 
     
  8. NOTIFICATION OF WINNERS: Grand Prize, Second and Third Place Overall Winners will be announced at the Awards Night Gala. All other winners will be announced by December 25, 2008 at www.saw.org. Gold and Silver prize winners in each category will be notified by phone, email or mail in the weeks prior to the Awards Gala to provide bio & website info. We will make every effort to reach winners as early as possible to alert them to their status in order to allow them to plan for attendance at the Gala. All winners, including Finalists and Honorable Mention in each category will be listed in gala program and announced from the stage. The full results will be posted the day after the big event. You may request a copy of contest results by writing to the address above.
     
  9. Grand Prize, Second Place and Third Place Overall winners are not eligible for individual category prizes. All songs submitted are eligible for Gold in their category (although it is unlikely, the same song CAN win Gold in two appropriate categories).
     
  10. SPECIAL 25th ANNIVERSARY MASC/ 30th SAW ANNIVERSARY AWARDS NIGHT: The Awards Night Gala will be held in the Washington, DC metro area in late fall of 2008 / winter of 2009. All contestants are encouraged to attend. Depending upon available time, Gold winners may be asked to perform their winning song live but are not required to do so. In the event that the Gold winners asked to perform cannot or choose not to perform at the event, the silver winner in that category may be asked to do so if time permits. Glass-etched trophies will be presented to the contest’s top three winners at the Gala. Please see list of prizes on saw.org, which is updated throughout the contest. We will provide a complimentary ticket for each Gold, Silver and Finalist winner to the Awards Gala. 
     
  11. PRIZES: Prizes must be redeemed within one calendar year of Awards Ceremony. We will notify sponsors of winner names or provide a certificate to winners if provided by sponsor. If, due to circumstances beyond MASCs control, the independent sponsors do not deliver their prizes to winners, MASC will attempt to replace those prizes with like quality prizes, however MASC cannot be held accountable for prizes not delivered by sponsors. Federal, local and state taxes on prizes are the sole responsibility of the winner. Unless noted, prizes are non-transferable and may not be redeemed for cash. Division of prizes among co-writers is the responsibility of submitting songwriters.
     
  12. PROMOTIONAL AGREEMENTS: Gold & Silver prizewinners in each category agree to furnish a recorded version of the selected song within two weeks after notification (non-MP3 versions) for airplay during the awards ceremony. Winners also agree that SAW may post MP3 clips of their songs on the SAW website and when possible, the Washington Post MP3 website. Certain silver winners will be included in a Winners' CD (see “Winners’ CD” below). The recorded song must be produced to technical standards required by SAW. SAW has the right to edit songs for length, and to omit selected songs from the CD that do not meet SAW's technical standards. ALL top winners consent to having their winning songs used in the manner as listed above as part of their prize.
     
  13. WINNERS' CD: Grand Prize, Second and Third Place Overall & Gold winners are guaranteed inclusion in the Winners CD, which is sponsored by OASIS. Unfortunately we may not be able to include all Gold & Silver winners due to technical limitations of CD format; therefore, it is possible that certain category winners and the Young Artist and International Prize winners might not appear on compilation CD. However, all Gold & Silver winners will be mentioned in the CD artwork with names & links posted on website.
     
  14. CERTIFICATE & CD DISTRIBUTION: Each songwriter and collaborator listed on the entry form of a winning song, including Finalists and Honorable Mentions, will receive a personalized (and really, really nice) 25th Anniversary Certificate of Merit. Winning songwriters may pick up their certificate at the awards ceremony. Gold winners receive 10 Winners' compilation CDs (usually by the August following the award). Silver winners will receive one copy of the compilation CD.
     
  15. SAW will make every attempt to deliver any unclaimed certificates & prizes to the addresses provided by songwriters as part of their entry.

The preceding rules have been updated for the 2008 25th Mid-Atlantic Song Contest and developed over a number of years by our song contest team.  QUESTIONS?  Contact masc@saw.org

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