ELIGIBILITY
1. All contestants must be enrolled in and attend a school for at least 15 hours a week. If you leave school (sign out) during the course of the competition, you become ineligible to continue. You can change schools during the competition. (School means secondary, area, intermediate, primary, official home school or correspondence school.)
2. All contestants must be no older than 19 (nineteen) years of age on Wednesday 12th May 2021 ie. you are not eligible if you turn 20yrs old before the entries close date. (you may be asked to supply proof of eligibility).
3. Smokefreerockquest is for unsigned acts and individuals only. You cannot enter if you have signed a recording or management contract, and cannot sign during the competition without the prior written approval of Rockquest Promotions Ltd.
4. No student can enter in more than one Smokefreerockquest band OR more than one Solo-duo. (You can enter in a Band AND a Solo/duo if the Solo/duo is entered in the Online Solo/duo region.)
REGIONS
5. Bands must compete in the region their school is closest to. Where a band represents multiple schools, it must compete in the region closest
to the school the majority of members’ attend. Solo/duo entries must compete in the closest region to a school their act represents, except in the greater Auckland area, where all solo/duo entries must compete in the Auckland Solo/duo Region.
6. Due to the continued possible precense of COVID-19 in the community, we have added an Online (video submission) Band region for 2021. Any band can elect to compete via this region, or change to this region at any time prior to their first performance, where one or more performers is unwell, at higher risk, or subject to self isolation after a COVID test.
7. Bands and Solo/duos will not be allowed to compete in an incorrect region, or more than one region.
8. If you are entered in a band, and wish to enter in a Solo/duo also, the Solo/duo must be entered in the Online Solo/duo Region. Any Solo/duo can elect to enter in the Online Solo/duo Region.
CONDUCT
9. Smokefree supports Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Tangata Beats to give emerging musicians the opportunity to play their sounds to crowds throughout the country. Because you are the essence of these events, we ask that you respect their smokefree status. Band names, song lyrics and titles, and clothing cannot contain smoking, e-cigarette, vaping or tobacco product references or depictions. By entering this competition, all entrants are making a declaration of their smokefree and vape free status at the event, and will be required to sign the following declaration at the Regional events. “As an entrant, I understand that for interviews, Regional and National events, press conferences, and Webisodes, video submissions or radio appearances,
it is a requirement for me to be smokefree. If I, or any of my group members, fail to comply with this declaration, it will result in the group’s immediate
exclusion from all parts of this event.”
10. The use or possession of alcohol, cigarettes or illegal drugs, or vaping by any group member at any Smokefreerockquest event will result in the instant disqualification of their entire group.
11. At Smokefreerockquest you are representing your school. It is important that you adhere to your school’s policies regarding behaviour in public. If in doubt, seek the guidance of your teachers.
12. Any entrant defacing or destroying Smokefreerockquest property or property/venues used by Smokefreerockquest will be disqualified and held accountable for damages. This includes P.A. equipment; recording studios, regional final venues, accommodation venues as well as any place used for photo shoots or interviews e.g. radio stations.
13. Smokefreerockquest does not condone censorship. Smokefreerockquest does support the NZ music industry and therefore urges entrants to consider the commercial potential of the material they write. While not wanting to put constraints on the creative process of songwriters we would like to point out that sexually explicit lyrics or lyrics that may offend may not have commercial potential and therefore may not suit this competition. Judges for this event are drawn from the NZ music industry. Entrants are urged to consider this point carefully.
PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS
14. Act members cannot be changed or added after your first performance.
15. If your live performance is electronically assisted, you need to indicate this on your entry form. All electronic elements need to be the original work(s) of one of the entered members of the Act.
16. All lead vocal lines and at least one instrumental part must be performed live.
17. All performed songs must be original – ie: written exclusively by one or more members of the band.
18. Band Performances at the Regional Finals should not exceed 7 minutes in duration – usually two songs. Solo/duo performances at Regional
Finals (in the regions this occurs) should not exceed 4 minutes – one song only.
19. Where there are less than 16 entries in a region, all acts go directly to the Regional Final. Where there are 16 or more entries in a region, there will be a heats process where one song will be used to select the regional finalists. Where a heats process is held, the Solo/duo prizes for the region will be awarded at the heats.
20. A song can only be performed in one category; either Band or Solo/duo, but not both.
21. If your SFRQ entry has three (3) or more performers, you must enter the Band Category. If your SFRQ entry has only one (1) performer, you must enter the Solo/duo category. If your SFRQ entry has two performers, you must enter the Solo/duo category unless one of the performers plays drum kit, in which case you are to enter as a band.
JUDGING PROCESS
22. Judging decisions will be based on discussion, their industry experience and knowledge.
23. The Judges’ decision will be final and no correspondence or discussion will be entered into.
OTHER CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
24. All students must have the signature of their parent or guardian on the entry form, giving us consent to release contestant information, images and recordings to media and sponsors, giving consent to send promotional material from the event organisers and sponsors relating to the event, and agreeing to all conditions of entry.
25. Entrants may be filmed and/or photographed at the event and be included as part of the Smokefreerockquest Webisodes, website, social media, and future promotional campaigns.
26. The Top 30 acts cannot sign a recording or management contract prior to 31 Dec 2021 without the prior written permission of Rockquest
Promotions Ltd.
27. The Top 30 are to allow one song to be included on a SFRQ 2021 Highlights compilation, which will be distributed free in 2022.
28. The national winners (Band and Solo/Duo categories) music videos will be hosted exclusively on the SFRQ website and social media pages.
29. Entrants are not permitted to perform songs for the National Final selection round, or at the National Final, that are entered in, have been entered in, or will be entered in other music competitions (other than Smokefree Tangata Beats) in this calendar year, or submitted for an NZ on Air Grant.
30. Entrants are not permitted to perform songs for the National Final selection round, or at the National Final, where the song writer (or any of the song writers) is no longer part of the act.
31. The National Finalists agree to Rockquest Promotions Ltd. (or appointed agent) acting as their exclusive agent in all matters regarding recording and management contracts until 1 May 2022. The National Finalists cannot enter into a recording or management contracts before this time, without the permission of SFRQ.
32. The National Finalists agree that, if used as a guest band at a subsequent regional event, will do so without charge. (Costs will be covered by SFRQ) The National Finalists agree to give SFRQ up to two free National Final guest performances in future National Finals.
33. Contestants are required to gain approval from the organisers to use props, clothing or equipment bearing product branding of products other than those of our sponsors on stage. Approval will not be withheld unless the organisers believe the security of the event sponsorship is at risk. This does not apply to the normal name branding appearing on musical instruments.
34. By virtue of entry the entrant agrees to hold Smokefreerockquest and its agents indemnified against any breach or infringement of copyright or
rights held by any third party/parties, and the entrant undertakes to observe all such rights statutory or otherwise. By virtue of entry, the entrant agrees to hold Smokefreerockquest and it‘s agents indemnified against any claim or liability for loss or accident resulting from any individual’s involvement in the event.
© 2020 Smokefree Rockquest
