Before You Submit — Read the Rules

Official Rules: Song Search New West

YOU MUST READ AND AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING TERMS. PARTICIPATION IN THIS CONTEST CONSTITUTES FULL AND UNCONDITIONAL AGREEMENT, UNDERSTANDING AND ACCEPTANCE OF THESE CONTEST RULES.

1. Eligibility

The Song Search New West contest is open only to residents of the City of New Westminster, including all current City of New Westminster employees.

All entrants must be living in the City of New Westminster at the time of entry submission. Proof of residency will be required if submission is selected.

All song entries must be submitted by video to the contest website at www.songsearchnewwest.com before the contest deadline.  Prior to being showcased on the contest website, all entries must be approved by the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and the School Alliance of Student Songwriters (SASS), in their sole and unfettered discretion. By submitting an entry, all entrants warrant and represent that they have full right and title to the entries so submitted and that such entries do not violate any prior copyright interests of any person whatsoever, and further, each entrant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS from any claim or action arising out of any breach of copyright caused by such entry. All entries will be reviewed by the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS to ensure that the content of the entry is appropriate in nature and promotes a positive representation of both SASS and the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee, and to ensure that all entries abide by the content restrictions contained in these official contest rules. The City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS may, in their sole discretion, refuse any entry at any time. No entries will be returned to the entrant and the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS are under no obligation to communicate acceptance or rejection of any entry once received. The decisions of the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS in relation to this contest will be final and binding on all entrants.

This contest is subject to all Federal, Provincial and local laws, as well as the rules adopted in view of said laws. All personal information provided by an entrant will be used only to administer the Song Search New West contest and for no other reason.

2. Contest Timeline

Contest opens for entries: No v. 30, 2009 at 4:30pm

Deadline for entries: Jan. 27, 2010 at 4:30 pm

Judging begins: Jan.27, 2010 at 4:30 pm

The contest winner will be announced by the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS on Jan.18, 2010.

3. Entry Requirements

(a) Submission

During the Song Search New West contest period, there is one way to enter: compose a new and original song, then create and submit a video featuring that song and upload it to the Song Search New West website (www.songsearchnewwest.com). The song itself must be no longer than three minutes and thirty seconds. Each entrant is encouraged (but not required) to provide some comment in their video, before their song begins, about the City of New Westminster (i.e. briefly describe why you wrote your song and why and what it’s about).  This commentary segment must not exceed one minute in length.  Only the composer of the song is eligible to submit a video for entry in the Song Search New West contest.  Submissions will be judged both on the quality of the songs and the performance thereof as presented in the submitted video.

(b) Subject Matter

The video entry should showcase and communicate the entrant’s sense of what inspires them or what they aspire to. The song performed on the video entry must be a new and original composition. The performer or performers featured on the video need not be the composer, but only the composer may submit a video.  The composer must be identified in the video and the composer’s name must appear on the website along with the video submission. A video entry should be creative, interesting, meaningful and/or fun. Any visual medium may be used to produce the video including, but not limited to, film and digital slideshows.

(c) Format

A video entry may be made in any file format and must

• • (i)  not exceed 4 minutes and 30 seconds in total length;

• • (ii)  comply with all content restrictions contained in these Official Rules

(d) Entry Limit

A person may only enter one video during the contest timeline.  Where a person has entered more than one video, the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS will review only the entrant’s first submission, and all other video entries submitted by that person will be rejected.

(e) Entry Process & Display

For further instructions regarding the entry process, visit www.songsearchnewwest.com and follow the links. Entrants must read the online entry form and release of liability agreement at the time they submit their video entry. All approved entries will be posted on the contest website.

(f) Waivers

Where applicable, entrants must obtain approval from all individuals and/or organizations featured in their video entry and each entrant must complete the online entry form and applicable permission(s). Entrants must only contribute new music for which they are the composer. All music must be credited by completing the online entry form and applicable music permission(s).

Entrants warrant and represent to the City of New Westminster Torch Committee and SASS that each and every person or entity appearing in a submitted video has expressly permitted to such inclusion.

(g) Content Restrictions

Submitted videos must not contain:

• • (i)  nudity, profanity, or vulgar behaviour;

• • (ii)  graphic violence, or any inappropriate materials, as determined by the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS, in their sole discretion. If you are uncertain about any aspect of this matter, please request clarification by email to songsearchnewwest@gmail.com

• (iii) dangerous stunts;

(iv)  real weapons of any kind, including, but not limited to, guns and knives;

• • (v)  drug use;

• • (vi)  material that is hateful, tortious, or slanderous;

• • (vii)  material that promotes prejudice, hatred or harm against any group or individual or promotes discrimination or exploitation based on race, sex, religion, disability, age or any other basis protected by federal, provincial or local law;

• • (viii)  material that is illegal or in violation of the laws or regulations in the province where the entry is created; and

• • (ix)  material that is likely, in light of prevailing community standards, to cause offense to any person, or to injure the name, reputation or standing of any person in any way, directly or indirectly.

4. Community Torch Celebration Performance Requirements 

(a)  Mandatory Requirements

The winner of the Song Search New West contest must meet the following mandatory requirements:

• The winner must perform the winning song at the Olympic Torch Relay Community Celebration being held at Queen’s Park in New Westminster on February 9, 2010.  If the winner would prefer not to perform the winning song themselves, the winner must notify the New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS no later than January 25, 2010, and the New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS will, at their discretion, arrange for another performer to perform the winning song.
• The winner must be 10years of age or older as of October 30, 2009.
• The winner must have their own transportation to and from the Queen’s Park performance site on February 9, 2010.  The winner will be unaccompanied at the Olympic Torch Relay Community Celebration except where that person has a disability and notifies the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS that he or she requires extra assistance.
• The winner must be prepared to participate in other occasional promotional performances leading up to the Olympic Torch Relay Community Celebration.
• The winner must not wear branded clothing while performing at the Olympic Torch Relay Community Celebration event.
• The winner will be subject to a security check prior to the Olympic Torch Relay Community Celebration event.

(b) Exclusion & Disqualification

Entries that do not comply with these Official Rules may be refused by the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS in their sole discretion. Entries should be positive and reflect positively on the City of New Westminster and the Community Torch Celebration. Any entries that are deemed to be inappropriate or obscene, or that otherwise do not comply with the content restrictions listed in section 3(g) of these rules, as determined by SASS and City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee in their sole discretion, may be rejected.

Furthermore, and without limiting the foregoing, the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS reserve the right in their sole discretion to reject entries that contain materials that are copyrighted, trademarked, protected by trade secret or otherwise subject to third party proprietary rights unless the entrant is the owner of such rights.

5. Property of the Entries

Upon submission, all video entries become the exclusive property of the City of New Westminster, SASS and the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee, and may be used in any and all future promotional and/or educational contexts as deemed appropriate by the City of New Westminster, SASS and the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee. The City of New Westminster, SASS and the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee shall have the unrestricted right to use, edit, publish, broadcast, or stream in any or all of the video entries, as well as the name, picture, statements, biographical information and likeness of any and all participants without further approval or compensation. By entering the Song Search New West contest, each entrant unconditionally assigns and absolutely transfers to the City of New Westminster, SASS and the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee in perpetuity any and all rights, titles and interests in each video entry including, without limitation, all copyrights and the exclusive right publicly to use, duplicate and exhibit, and to authorize others to use, duplicate and exhibit, its video entry.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is understood that the entrant will retain all title to and copyright in the composition itself in accordance with copyright laws and that only the rights to the submitted video performance of the copyright work are assigned hereby to the City of New Westminster.

6. Cancellation, Modification or Suspension of Contest

If, for any reason, the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS are unable to continue the Song Search New West contest as planned, including due to causes that SASS and the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee consider may affect the administration, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this contest, SASS and the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to modify, cancel or suspend the contest. In the event of such cancellation, modification or suspension, SASS and the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee may select the winners for the contest in any manner that they deem fair and appropriate in their sole discretion.

7. Voting Entitlement

After the submission deadline, the entries will be reviewed and a potential finalist will be determined by a panel of judges.  All entries will be judged for style, composition, artistic merit, and/or uniqueness.  SASS and the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee decisions regarding any and all aspects of the contest are final.

8. Acknowledgement, Warrant & Indemnity

By entering the Song Search New West contest, entrants are hereby deemed to:

• (a)  acknowledge that they are solely responsible for their own entries and the consequences of publishing them to the contest website entry site,

• (b)  warrant that their entries are their own original work and do not infringe any other person’s rights, and

• (c)  indemnify, defend and hold harmless the City of New Westminster, the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS and each of their directors, officers, elected officials, employees, sponsors, prize suppliers and agents for all liability resulting from or related to any claims, actions, damages, losses or costs arising by reason of this contest and their participation therein including, without limitation:

• • (i) infringement of intellectual property rights;

• • (ii) public dissemination of the entries, through any use of the entries by SASS and the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee; and

• • (iii)  invasion of privacy, libel or slander related to the entries.

9. Contest Prize

The contest prizes include, but are not limited to, a professional sound recording of the winning song by Don McLeod and an opportunity to perform live at the Olympic Torch Relay Community Celebration in New Westminster on the morning of Feb. 9, 2010. The City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS will send the winner all relevant information such as date, time location and other information relating to this live performance.

Contest prizes must be accepted as offered and no substitutions are allowed. Contest prizes consist only of those items specifically listed as part of the prize – any feature, cost or expense not specifically listed as part of the prize is the sole responsibility of the winner. In the event that the recipient of the prize withdraws from the Song Search New West contest, the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS may award the prize to the next selected entrant. There is a limit of one studio recording prize.

The prize shall be accepted by the winning entrant at his or her own risk, and the entrant will be required to sign a Declaration and Release of Liability, releasing the City of New Westminster, the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS from any liability, losses, damages, claims and/or expenses which may be suffered in connection with the contest prize.

10. Use of the Videos

All videos submitted for the purposes of this contest may be used for promotional, educational and/or informational materials produced by the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee or SASS on websites, interactive DVDs, etc. The City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS reserve the right not to use any videos submitted in the contest.  The City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS also reserve the right to edit submitted videos for any purpose deemed necessary by the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee or SASS. Participants declare their understanding of these rights when they enter the contest.

11. Disclaimer and Release

The City of New Westminster, the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS are not responsible or liable for any lost, late, incomplete, invalid, corrupted, incorrectly addressed entries or any damage or loss arising from, or connected with the contest. The City of New Westminster, the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS assume no responsibility for electronic hardware, software malfunctions or technical failures of any kind, or the incorrect or inaccurate capture of any entry or other information, whether caused by participants, or by any equipment associated with or utilized in the contest. By participating in this contest, each participant hereby agrees to release and discharge the City of New Westminster, the City of New Westminster Community Torch Celebration Committee and SASS and each of their directors, officers, elected officials, employees, sponsors, prize suppliers and their agents from all actions, claims and demands whatsoever arising directly or indirectly out of their participation in this contest.

12. Disputes

Entrants agree that any and all disputes and causes of action arising out of or connected with this contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved under the laws of British Columbia, without respect to any conflict of law issues, and participants agree that such shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action. This contest shall in all respects be construed and enforced in accordance only with the laws of British Columbia and all participants hereby irrevocably consent to and submit themselves to the jurisdiction of the courts of British Columbia.

13. Questions

If you have any questions, please visit our FAQs form on www.songsearchnewwest.com website or send an email to songsearchnewwest@gmail.com