The 25th Anniversay Tucson Folk Festival will take place on Saturday &
Sunday, May 1st & 2nd, 2010.
The center of Festival activity, including the Plaza Stage, Kitchen Store
and Vendors area, is El Presidio Park in Downtown Tucson. Additional stages
are located within walking distance of the park at the historic Old Pima
County Courthouse, Old Town Artisans and the Tucson Museum of Art.
The Tucson Folk Festival is an acoustic event; however, electronic pianos
and bass amps are allowed.
Sets are 25 minutes long on a half-hour schedule.
The Tucson Folk Festival is produced by TKMA, an all-volunteer non-profit
organization, with funding from Tucson Pima Arts Council, Arizona Commission
on the Arts, local businesses and members. Funds are limited for this
event, so a stipend cannot be offered to performers.
Application Information
The deadline for Songwriter applications is
February 16, 2010.
The Songwriter application requires a
non-refundable fee of $20.
The fee includes a one-year individual membership in TKMA.
Checks must be postmarked by February 16, 2010,
or payment may be made online.
Demo CDs must be postmarked by February 16, 2010, or
demo tracks may be uploaded to our website. No tapes will be accepted.
Songwriting Competition
The Tucson Folk Festival Songwriting Competition is open to anyone with the
following exceptions:
Paid performers at the Twenty-fifth Annual Tucson Folk Festival.
Artists that are under contract with a major record label.
FInals will be held Saturday, May 1st, 2010 at the 25th Annual Tucson Folk Festival.
The first place finalist will perform on the Plaza Stage on Saturday,
May 1st, 2010.
Rules for Preliminary Selection
Your demo CD must include 2 original songs that have not been previously
recorded on a major label.
The demo CD will not be returned.
Time limit is 4 minutes per song.
Entrants will be penalized if the CD contains additional songs.
Entrants will be penalized if either of the 2 song submissions exceed four
minutes.
All judging decisions at the preliminary round are final.
Rules For Finalists
Ten entrants will be chosen for the finals.
Notification of finalists will be sent out no later than March 31, 2010.
Selected finalists will be required to commit to attendance by Friday April
9th, 2010.
Each finalist selected must perform the 2 original songs that were submitted
on the demo CD.
The only instruments allowed are those that the performer(s) can carry on
stage themselves.
Acoustic instruments with pickups are permitted, however, no special
electronic equipment, synthesizers, devices, electric instruments or
amplifiers are allowed.
Each contestant can have 1 accompanist. The accompanist cannot be a paid
entertainer at the 25th Annual Tucson Folk Festival.
If a selected finalist is unable to attend, a substitution may be made at
the judges discretion.
Scoring
The judges for the final round includes fellow musicians, involved in the
music industry and may include current festival headliners and past 1st
place finalists.
Songs are judged on overall quality, craftsmanship and originality.
25 points: Originality and Uniqueness
25 points: Song Structure
25 points: Arrangement
25 points: Talent and Stage Presence
Prizes
1st:
Performance on the Plaza Stage, Saturday evening,
May 1st, 2010;
additional prizes to be announced.
2nd:
TBA
3rd:
TBA
Other
Performers may sell their CDs on consignment through the TKMA Kitchen Store
with TKMA keeping $1 per CD. CDs are typically priced at $15, but you can
price yours as you wish.
