COMPETITIONS

Play It Strange presents a cover art competition to celebrate all creatives who are secondary school-aged. This competition seeks artwork for the front cover of the annual Play It Strange competitions. You submission could feature as the cover art for our Year 9-11 Songwriting competition, Peace Song Competition, Year 9 - 13 Songwriting Competition or the Te Reo Māori Songwriting Competition. You can enter one to four of your artworks, one for each of the album covers (Year 9 - 11, Peace Song, National Secondary School and the Te Reo Māori albums). This competition is open to anyone aged 13 - 19. Enter the competition by submitting your details and a digital file of your artwork. Artwork should be in a square format, with space for logos and the album title.

The Play it Strange National Secondary School Songwriting Competition is the flagship competition for New Zealand secondary school students Years 9 to 13.  Write your song about anything you want and in any language. 

Enter the competition by submitting your details, a recording of your song and the lyric sheet. The recording and performance quality of the entry is not taken into account in the judging process.

1st place receives a $1,000 gift card from the Rockshop.

The prize for all finalist songs chosen is a day in a professional recording studio (one day to the value of $800 plus gst) to record your song for the annual digital album
plus a $50 Rockshop voucher and a certificate.

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Enter this competition by submitting your details, a recording of your song and the lyric sheet.

For the Peace Song Competition, the theme of peace and non-violence may be interpreted broadly from inner personal peace, peace in the home and among families, to peace between people of the world.  

The lyrics of the entry are focused on intimately.  The title of the original song does not have to be "The Peace Song".  The recording and performance quality of the entry is not taken into account in the judging process.

1st place receives a $1,000 gift card from the Rockshop.

All finalists will have their song recorded in a professional recording studio (one day to the value of $800 plus gst) to go on the 2024 Peace Song digital album.

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This competition focuses on secondary school-aged songwriters, years 9 to 11, with the theme "weaving the lives they lead" through the lyrics. 

Enter the competition by submitting your details, a recording of your song and the lyric sheet. This year's competition will be judged by Mike Chunn and guest judge Marlon Williams. The recording and performance quality of the entry is not taken into account in the judging process.

1st place receives a $500 Rockshop gift card.

ALL finalists will have their song recorded in a professional recording studio (one day to the value of $800 plus gst) to go on the 2024 Youthtown Songwriting Competition digital album.

Open for entry Wednesday 5 June 2024

Entry will close at 5pm on Wednesday 31 July 2024.

Please read the Terms and Conditions before entering.

This competition focuses on secondary school-aged songwriters, years 9 to 13, with the use of Te Reo Māori in the lyrics.

Enter the competition by submitting your details, a recording of your song and the lyric sheet. This year's competition will be judged by Rei. The recording and performance quality of the entry is not taken into account in the judging process.

1st place receives a 1:1 mentor session with Rei, $500 Rockshop gift card

ALL winners will have their song recorded in a professional recording studio (one day to the value of $800 plus gst) to go on the 2024 Lion Foundation Songwriting Competition digital album.

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