1. Entries may be submitted in any language and may originate from any country.
2. Both the music and the lyrics of each entry must be the original works of the
author(s)/composer(s) attributed to the entry. To this effect, the author(s)/composer(s) indemnify the Organising Committee of GSF 2008 against all legal responsibilities that could arise through violation of the rights of any third parties, author(s)/composer(s) assuming this responsibility and agreeing to indemnify the above-mentioned Organising Committee against all consequences and costs which might arise as a result of any judgement and/or action taken by third parties who may claim authors’ rights over the work entered in the competition.
3. Songs entered for the GSF must be unpublished and remain so until the selection of the finalists and reserves (see Rules 11 to 13) has been completed. Finalists and reserve entries must, additionally, remain unpublished until the Finals Gala has taken place.
4. Entries must be submitted on CDs, with only one song being included in each CD.
5. Entries must not contain lyrics – or require a performance – that may be considered immoral and/or offensive to our society.
6. Composers/authors may submit up to a maximum of 3 entries, each with a maximum duration of 4 minutes. However, should more than one entry be selected as one of the finalists, composers/ authors will be required to nominate one of these as their sole selected entry for the Finals Gala.
NOTE: The 3-entry restriction applies to the individual authors/composers and to teams of composers/authors. This does not, however, prevent these same composers/authors from collaborating with other composers/authors on other entries.
7. Composers/authors will be responsible for providing a singer, or singers, of their choice or, where this is not possible, must authorise the GSF Committee to choose a local singer, or singers, to perform their song at the Finals Gala.
8. All entries must be sent, accompanied by the Completed Entry Form, to:
Gibraltar Song Festival 2008,
c/o J.L. Jones,
14/2 South Barrack Ramp,
Gibraltar.
9. Each entry must be accompanied by the following:
● Completed Entry Form;
● Three legible, written copies of the lyrics;
● Three copies of a vocal and music CD.
10. The closing date for receipt of entries is 31 July, 2008.
11. After the closing date, entries will be assessed by an invited panel of judges who will select the finalists, plus a number of reserves.
12. Once the final 12 songs and reserves have been selected, all composers/authors concerned will be informed without delay.
13. Finalists must confirm their participation in the Finals Gala within ten (10) days of receiving the official notification referred to in Rule 12, above. Should any finalist fail to provide this confirmation within the allocated time, the GSF Committee reserves the right to allocate his/her slot to a reserve entry.
14. Following submission of their confirmation, composers/authors will be required to submit the following by 10 September, 2008, at the very latest:
● Brief biography of each singer, accompanied by two head-and-shoulders photographs of same;
● Three copies (on CD) of the backing track (playback) of the selected song. Backing voices may be included. Alternatively, participants may provide their own vocal backing group to perform live at the Finals Gala.
NOTE: As it may prove necessary to edit biographical submissions in due course, participants are requested to make biographies as brief as possible.
15. The order in which entries will be performed at the Finals Gala will be drawn by the GSF Committee.
16. Judging at the Finals Gala will be the responsibility of an international panel of experts from the music industry.
17. All entrants must accept the decisions of the judges as being final.
18. Entries in the GSF must not be broadcast by any of the participants in any way before the results of the contest have been announced.
19. GSF reserves the right to include the complete Finals Gala, or part thereof, in GSF promotional material via any medium of communication, including DVDs, CDs and the GSF website.
20. Submission of entries for the GSF 2008 will be taken as acceptance to abide by the above Rules. Failure to abide by any of these Rules will result in automatic disqualification from the contest.
21. The GSF reserves the right to modify the above Rules if this is deemed necessary. Any such modification will be brought to the attention of registered entrants and will be posted on the GSF website.
