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Original Song Contest Official Terms and Conditions

SING OUT LOUD ORIGINAL SONG CONTEST

CALL TO ARTISTS: CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF SING OUT LOUD FESTIVAL

Official Terms and Conditions

Introduction

SJC Cultural Events, Inc., (“Producer”) in partnership with the St. Johns Cultural Council (collectively, the ”Sponsors”) has extended an opportunity for members of our local community to enter original songs written about [our local community] into our “Sing Out Loud Original Song Contest” (“Contest”) for the chance to earn a professional production of your work and a paid performance opportunity as part of the Sing Out Loud Festival Local Artist Showcase (“Production and Performance Agreement”).

By submitting any Application, partial or complete, to the Contest (“Application”) to the Contest [email / website] available at [email address / website address] or by generally participating in any part of the Contest you agree to be bound by these Official Terms and Conditions (“Terms”).

You acknowledge that you have read, understand and voluntarily agree to abide by these Terms in their entirety and the Privacy Policy and Confidentiality Agreement available at www.singoutloudfestival.com. The effective date of these Terms shall be April 1, 2026.

Prior to offering your Application, please confirm that you meet the Eligibility Requirements in Section 2 below. In addition, please ensure that your Application meets the Submission Requirements in Section 3 below.

Applications will be accepted commencing at 10:00 AM on Friday, April 17, 2026 (“Open Date”), through and including 11:59 pm on Sunday, May 10, 2026 (“Closing Date”).

Producer makes no guarantees that all Applications it receives will be reviewed and no guarantees that any Application will receive a selection.

As used herein, “you” or “your” will refer to the individual who submits an Application to the Contest or who otherwise generally participates in any part of the Contest, to include but not be limited to the Selection (“Participant”). You must be at least sixteen (16) years of age and, if registering on behalf of a person under eighteen (18) years of age (each a “Minor”), you must be authorized to act on behalf of such Minor (i.e. a parent or legal guardian). Additionally, you agree to bind yourself and the Minor to our Minor Participation Agreement.

Eligibility and Entry

General Requirements: Prior to participating in the Contest and/or submitting an Application, you must prove that:

You are born on or before April 16th, 2010. If you were born after this date, you are not eligible to participate in this Contest.

You must be a legal U.S. resident. This means you must: (i) be a United States Citizen; or (ii) have the unrestricted right to work in the United States; or (iIi) possess the appropriate United States employment authorization that permits you to participate and compete in the Contest and engage in any other agreements. If requested, Applicant agrees to show proof, to Producer’s satisfaction, of compliance with this requirement.

You must be a resident of St. Johns County, Florida. This means you must: (i) possess a Florida Driver’s License or ID Card or vehicle registration showing a current St. Johns County address; or (ii) provide proof of a current homestead exemption, a lease, or a mortgage held in your name for a St. Johns County address; or (iii) provide a utility bill combined with a notarized affidavit from a homeowner or co-tenant who swears under oath that the Participant resides at said address, accompanied by the homeowner or co-tenants proof of residency.

You will exhaust all best efforts to be available on Producer’s timeline to finalize the terms of the Production Agreement.

Conflicts of Interest: Prior to participating in the Contest and/or submitting an Application, you must confirm and/or prove to the satisfaction of Producer:

You do not have any contractual arrangement that would prevent you from fully participating in the Contest, acceptance of the Prize, and/or entering into the Production and Performance Agreement, or any other agreements required by Producer.

You are not bound to or limited by any management agreement, music publishing agreement, and/or songwriting agreement prior to entering your Application or while you are participating in the Contest.

You do not have any booking agreements that would prohibit or limit your ability to participate in the Contest.

You must not currently be a candidate for any Public Office and must agree not to become a candidate for any Public Office until one (1) year after final conclusion of the Contest, as determined by the Producer.

As of the Open Date and continuing through completion of the Contest, neither you nor your immediate members or members of your household (whether related or not), may be an employee, officer or director (excluding interns or independent contractors) of: (i) Sponsors, (ii) any person or entity directly involved in the Contest, (iii) any person or entity supplying services to the Contest. (Collectively the “Contest Entities”)

Participant Conduct and Character: Eligibility is contingent upon Participants maintaining a high standard of moral character and professional conduct. The Producer reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to disqualify any Participant who has been convicted of, or pleaded nolo contendere to, or participated in any form of a diversion program as a result of any felony, any crime involving moral turpitude (including but not limited to fraud, embezzlement, or perjury), any crime of violence, or any crime against children or which causes a child to become a delinquent. By submitting an Application, the Participant warrants that they are not currently subject to any pending criminal charges or investigations of a similar nature. Should a Participant’s past or present conduct, regardless of conviction, be deemed by the Producer to bring the Contest, the Contest Entities, or the Producer into public disrepute, contempt, or ridicule, the Producer may terminate the Participant’s eligibility immediately without notice or further obligation. The selected winner’s eligibility to receive the professional production prize is strictly contingent upon the successful completion of a background check, and the Participant hereby consents to such a screening to verify compliance with the morality and character requirements set forth in these Terms.

Producer Sole and Absolute Discretion: You understand and agree that Producer has the sole and absolute discretion to make all determinations of Participant eligibility, which are binding and final in all respects, and Producer reserves the right to change, with or without notice, any of the eligibility requirements at any time. In addition, you acknowledge and agree that Producer has the sole and absolute discretion at any time to render ineligible and disqualify any Participant who, in Producer’s sole and complete discretion, is sufficiently acquainted with the Contest or the Contest Entities such that their participation in the Contest could create the appearance of impropriety.

Equal Opportunity: Producer is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and shall not discriminate against any Participant because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Submission Requirements

General Requirements: Prior to submitting your Application you agree:

To only submit one (1) Application with only one (1) song (“Submission”).

To submit your Application online via www.singoutloudfestival.com.

That you are at least eighteen (18) years of age, or, if you are a Minor the person submitting your Application is your parent or legal guardian.

That your Application complies with these Terms and will not be accepted unless it complies with these Terms.

Application Content: Your Application must conform as follows:

Your submission must be an “Original Work” as defined herein.

The submission must be an original song inspired by the spirit of Sing Out Loud Festival and the unique sense of place within St. Johns County.

Submissions should reflect themes including, but not limited to:

Community and connection through live music

The culture, history, and creative identity of St. Johns County.

The energy and experience of Sing Out Loud Festival

All musical genres and styles are permitted.

Submissions must include both:

A lyric sheet; and

An audio or video recording of sufficient quality for evaluation purposes.

Audio and video submissions do not need to be professionally produced but must clearly present the composition, lyrics, and performance.

Truthful Reporting: ALL FORMS MUST BE FILLED OUT COMPLETELY AND TRUTHFULLY. IF YOU FAIL TO COMPLETE ANY FORM, GIVE ANY FALSE INFORMATION, OR FAIL TO REVEAL ANY PERTINENT INFORMATION, YOU MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE CONTEST AT THE SOLE AND ABSOLUTE DISCRETION OF THE PRODUCER.

Finalist Selection Process

General Requirements: Submissions will be reviewed by the Producer and/or a panel of judges appointed by the Producer. Based on initial review, a select group of participants may be identified as finalists for further consideration.

Selection Process: Initial selections will be made based on submitted materials. The Producer may, at its discretion:

Request additional materials;

Conduct interviews or follow-up communications;

Invite select participants to perform live or submit additional recordings.

Participation in any additional evaluation process is subject to Producer’s discretion and scheduling availability. The Producer reserves the right to determine the number of finalists and the format of any additional evaluation process.

Subjective Judging Criteria

Judges: Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of judges appointed by the Producer.

Criteria: Scoring will be based upon subjective review of the Judges and weighted as follows:

Composition (40%): Quality of songwriting, including lyricism, melody, and overall structure

Originality (30%): Creativity, uniqueness, and distinct artistic voice

Performance (30%): Vocal delivery, musical execution, and overall presentation of the submission

Judges may also consider alignment with the Contest theme, including but not limited to, how effectively the Submission reflects the spirit of Sing Out Loud Festival and St. Johns County.

Selection: The Judges may nominate Participants for advancement through the selection process and for final consideration as the winning entry. Final determination of advancement and selection of the winner is subject to the Producer’s final review and approval.

Finality: The decision of the Producer is final and binding in all respects and on all matters relating to this Contest.

No Guarantee: The submission of an Application or the subsequent advancement of a Participant's work to the judging panel for review or advancement to the selection process does not constitute a guarantee of selection or the awarding of any prize. Participation in this contest is strictly voluntary, and the act of submitting a song as part of the competition does not create an entitlement to professional production services or any other benefit. The Producer and the judges reserve the absolute right to determine, in their sole and subjective professional discretion, whether any submission meets the artistic and technical standards required for the prize. The Producer further reserves the right to cancel the Contest or decline to name a winner if, in the opinion of the Producer, no submission sufficiently meets the criteria for professional production.

The Winning Prize (Production)

The “Prize”: The winner, if any, shall agree to enter into a separate Production and Performance Agreement for the professional recording of the winning song (the “Master Recording”) and the professional production of an audiovisual performance of the winning song (the “Music Video”).

The selected winner will also be offered a paid performance opportunity as part of the 2026 Sing Out Loud Festival Local Artist Showcase. The performance will be compensated at the standard local artist rate (currently $400) as part of Sing Out Loud Festival programming.

Taxes and Reporting

Taxes and Reporting: The value of the Production and Performance Agreement may be treated as a prize or award and reported accordingly. Compensation for any paid performance will be treated as payment for services and reported separately, as required by applicable law.

Grant of Rights and Intellectual Property

Submission License: By entering the Contest, you hereby grant to Producer and Sponsors, without further compensation and in perpetuity, a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, license to record, film, and use the Participant’s name, likeness, and performance of the song captured throughout the entire Contest for promotional and marketing purposes across all media.

Ownership: Unless otherwise agreed in the Production and Performance Agreement, the Participant shall retain the underlying copyright to the musical composition (lyrics/melody). The winning Participant grants the Producer a first right of refusal to provide professional recording services for said composition. Producer shall further own all rights, title, and interest in and to the Master Recording and Music Video created as part of the Production and Performance Agreement, as works made for hire, to the extent permitted by law.

Rights: For the avoidance of doubt, without limiting the generality of the rights granted to Producer, Sponsors, and/or any Contest Entities, these rights include, without limitation, the absolute right to edit and/or alter any Submission or selection process in all their various forms, including any and all interpretations, formats, or derivative versions thereof; distribute and synchronize all or any portion of your Submission or selection process in timed relation to any other visual elements; to web cast, pod cast, re-publish, re-telecast, re-platform, port, syndicate, route, and link to and from all or any portion of your Submission or selection process; to encrypt, encode and decode, and compress and decompress all or any portion of your Submission or selection process; to edit, mix, combine, merge, distort, superimpose, create or add special effects, illusions and/or other material to or of all or any portion of your Submission or selection process; to create composite, stunt, comic or unusual photographs, videos, animations, motion pictures and/or voice reproductions from all or a portion of your Submission or selection process; and to excerpt and/or extract portions of your Submission or selection process in order to host, store, index, categorize and display your Application or Submission on or through the Platforms. You further grant Producer and its related entities or affiliates, successors, licensees and assigns the irrevocable right (but not the obligation) to and to license others to film, tape and/or photograph, record, exhibit, edit and otherwise use your name, voice, sounds, image, likeness and biographical information in and in connection with the Contact in any manner in Producer’s sole election and discretion, including in connection with advertising (including at physical locations), sale, promotion, programming and publicity materials, marketing, merchandising, distribution, publicizing and any and all other types of exploitation of the Program or any part thereof (including, without limitation, in connection with commercial tie-ins, Contest advertisers and/or sponsors and any of their respective products, integrations and/or services) throughout the universe, in any and all media, now known or hereafter devised, in perpetuity (collectively, the “Rights”). You also grant to Producer and its related entities or affiliates, sponsors of the Contest, the Rights for the institutional purposes of Producer and its respective affiliated entities, throughout the world, in any and all media, now known or hereafter devised, in perpetuity. Except for the prize and performance compensation described herein, Participant shall not be entitled to additional compensation for Producer’s use of the Master Recording or Music Video.

Producer Work: Participant acknowledges that Producer may be developing or has developed materials similar in concept, theme, or content to submitted works, and agrees that Producer shall not be liable for any such similarities.

Liability, Waiver and Reservation of Rights

Release of Claims: You hereby release Producer and its employees, directors, related entities or affiliates, successors, licensees and assigns, the Contest Entities and the Judges (“Producer Entities”) from any and all claims, demands, or causes of action arising out of your participation in the Contest, including but not limited to any claims of defamation, invasion of privacy, or "false light" resulting from the subjective feedback of the judges or the editing of the Submission and Selection Process.

Indemnification: You hereby agree to indemnify Producer Entities and Sponsors against any violation of these Terms, and/or third-party claims to specifically include but not be limited to, claims alleging that the submitted song infringes on another's intellectual property rights.

Participant Warranty: You aver and warrant that your song Submission is an original work, created solely by you, and (i) does not infringe upon the intellectual property rights of any third party, (ii) is not the subject of any actual or threatened litigation or claim, and (iii) does not and will not violate any applicable laws. You further warrant and agree that you have not used, and will not use, Artificial Intelligence (AI) or any generative AI tools in any fashion—including in the generation of the composition of any lyrics, melodies, or arrangements—for the Submission. You explicitly consent and agree that the Producer may submit your work to any AI-detection software or third-party review services to verify its authenticity. If, at the Producer's sole discretion, any use of AI is discovered or reasonably suspected, you shall be subject to immediate disqualification and forfeiture of any prizes, regardless of the stage of the competition.

WAIVER: You hereby: (a) agree that CONTEST Entities shall have no liability whatsoever for, and shall be held harmless by you against any liability for any injuries, losses or damages of any kind to person(s) (including great bodily harm or death) or property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, as a result of participating in this Contest or any related activity; (b) release the Producer Entities and their respective advertising and promotion partners, fulfillment and/or judging agencies, retailers, franchises, agents and their estate and/or family members from all liability, claims, action, or proceedings relating to this Contest and from injuries or damages (including great bodily harm or death) arising in connection with or relating to participation in this Contest; and (c) waive any right to claim ambiguity in the Terms and related agreements.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event will the CONTEST Entities, including their parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, and related companies, nor their advertising agencies, vendors, contractors, or their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents (collectively, the 'Released Parties'), be responsible or liable for any damages or losses of any kind. This includes, without limitation, direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of your participation in the contest, your access to and use of any contest-related websites, or the downloading and/or printing of material associated with the contest. By participating, you waive any right to claim ambiguity in this limitation of liability."

Reservation of Rights: Producer reserves the right to modify these Terms and Related Agreements, remove or cancel suspect Applications or Submissions, and/or cancel, terminate or suspend any portion of this Contest at any time and for any reason (or no reason at all) in their absolute discretion. Producer reserves the right to exclude, in its sole and absolute discretion, any individual from any of the Contest for any reason or for no reason at all, including without limitation, violation of any portion of the Contest rules, violation of any of the Terms or related agreements, or tampering with the Contest process. Producer also reserves the right to change the Contest rules and procedures at any time. Being chosen for selection at any level in the process does NOT ensure that you will be selected to further participation in the Contest.

Participant acknowledges that submission of an entry does not create any confidential, fiduciary, or contractual relationship beyond the terms expressly set forth herein or the Production and Performance Agreement. Any personal information supplied by you via the Submission or selection process will be subject to the Privacy and Confidentiality Agreement. By submitting any Application or Submission to the Contest or by participating in the Selection Process and any other part of the Contest you agree to be bound by the Privacy and Confidentiality Agreement, and grant the Producer Entities permission to share your contact information and any other personally identifiable information with all other Producer Entities and/or Concert sponsors for the purpose and/or production of the Contest.

General Conditions

Participant Confirmation Cooperation: You will, upon verbal or written request, furnish to Producer any documentation, substantiation, and releases necessary and reasonably required for all copyrighted material, music, identifiable third parties, identifiable locations, and releases from anyone who assisted in the creation of your Submission to prove, confirm, verify, and substantiate your compliance with any or all of these Terms, including, without limitation, the foregoing representations and warranties. In the event you cannot provide all required releases, Producer reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, rescind, discard or remove your Submission or Selection, or seek to independently secure the releases and clearances for the benefit of Producer.

Governing Law: This Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws. All questions regarding the construction, interpretation, validity and enforcement of these Terms and/or the Submission, or Selection Process are governed by the laws of the State of Florida without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules that would cause the application of any other State’s laws. Any disputes arising from this contest shall be resolved through binding arbitration in St. Johns County, Florida.

No Waiver: The Producer’s election not to enforce any rule, requirement, or morality provision against a Participant at any given time shall not constitute a permanent waiver of that rule or any other provision of these Terms or the related agreements. The Producer’s rights and remedies are cumulative, and the failure to strictly insist upon the performance of any term or to seek disqualification for a breach shall not prevent the Producer from subsequently enforcing such terms or disqualifying a Participant for the same or a similar breach at a later date. No course of dealing between the Participant and the Producer shall operate as a waiver of any of the Producer’s rights. Further, no leniency or extension of time granted by Producer shall be construed as a waiver of the Producer’s right to enforce these Terms or the related agreements. Waivers must be express and in writing.

Waiver of Jury Trial and Class Action: BY SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION AND OTHERWISE PARTICIPATING IN AND/OR ENTERING THE CONTEST, PARTICIPANT ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THEY ARE WAIVING THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING. FURTHERMORE, ALL DISPUTES SHALL BE RESOLVED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, AND PARTICIPANT EXPRESSLY WAIVES THE RIGHT TO COMMENCE OR PARTICIPATE IN ANY CLASS ACTION, COLLECTIVE ACTION, OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING AGAINST THE PRODUCER ENTITIES.

Dispute Resolution: Mediation and Arbitration:

Mandatory Non-Binding Mediation In the event of any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to this Contest, the Application, the Submission, the Selection Process, or the Professional Production (collectively, a "Dispute"), the Participant and the Producer (the "Parties") agree that they shall first attempt in good faith to settle the Dispute through mandatory, non-binding mediation.

Location: The mediation shall be conducted in St. Johns County, Florida, unless otherwise agreed by the Parties.

Selection: The mediator shall be mutually selected by the Parties from the Florida Supreme Court’s list of certified circuit civil mediators.

Costs: The administrative fees and the professional fees of the mediator shall be split equally (50/50) between the Participant and the Producer. Each party shall bear their own legal fees and associated costs.

Mandatory Binding Arbitration If the Dispute is not resolved through mediation within forty-five (45) days of the initial written request for mediation, the Dispute shall be submitted to and settled by final and binding arbitration.

Authority: The arbitration shall be conducted in accordance with the Florida Revised Arbitration Code and administered by a single neutral arbitrator.

Binding Nature: The arbitrator’s decision shall be final and binding upon both Parties, and judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction in St. Johns County, Florida.

Costs: The Parties agree to split equally (50/50) the costs of the arbitrator and any administrative fees of the arbitration forum. Each party remains responsible for their own attorneys’ fees and personal costs.

Survival: The invalidating or unenforceability of any provision of these Terms or other referenced agreements shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. In the event that any provision of these Terms or other referenced agreements is found invalid or otherwise unenforceable, the other remaining terms, conditions, rights and agreements shall remain in full force and effect and shall be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or unenforceable terms were not contained herein.

Drafting: Participant acknowledges and agrees that they have had the full and fair opportunity to review these Terms with legal counsel of their choosing prior to submitting an Application and/or Submission. As such, the Parties agree that these Terms shall be construed neutrally and according to their fair meaning, as if both Parties had jointly participated in the drafting and preparation of this document.