ASCAP's fifth annual "I Create Music" EXPO will take place at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel, April 22-24, 20010.

The ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO puts you face to face with some of the world's most successful songwriters, composers and producers, all who willingly share their knowledge and expertise and give you the know-how to take your music to the next level.

Register Early, Pay Less! Early Bird Registration starts November 2. Early Bird registration price is just $235 for ASCAP Members, $260 for Partner Members and $285 for others.

And Save Even More! Follow the ASCAP EXPO on Twitter for a Special Pre-Launch Sale link, up to the minute announcements and other exclusive info available only on twitter.com/ascapexpo. The special 3-day sale from October 30th through November 1st will be offered via the EXPO Twitter account and it will have lowest price of the year - $225 for ASCAP Members and $250 for others.

The 2010 EXPO Will Feature Everything You Love About EXPO Plus Even More:

• Celebrity Q & A's
• Master Classes
• Songwriting & Composing Workshops
• Attendee Song Feedback Panels
• Networking Opportunities
• State-of-the-Art Tech Demos
• Leading Music Industry Exhibitors
• Publisher & Business Panels
• One-On-One Sessions
• DIY Career Building Workshops
• Showcases and Performances

More information at http://www.ascap.com/eventsawards/events/expo/

WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE IN 2010?

Whether you want to be a rock star, or a consummate artist, or both, you need to be clear and focused with what path you take and how you are going to promote yourself. But it all begins with who you are.

This workshop helps artists become clear with their innate qualities, and how best to go about promoting that and capitalizing on that to create a successful career in the arts.

Now's the time to start thinking about next year's plans: as an artist, you have the opportunity to reinvent yourself in every way - the way you are, through your persona, performances, promotion, online, marketing... everything you do and breathe.

For all artists, whether musicians, singers, painters, actors or those wanting to define one's path and find clarity in how to present oneself to the world ... this workshop is for YOU.

Come to this intense workshop for artists who want to explore

-who you are
-what you want
-and how you can get it

REGISTER TO ATTEND
Gilli Moon's  DEFINING THE ARTIST WITHIN - - WORKSHOP (on the phone)

Mondays Nov 2, 9, 16, 23 (USA)
7pm P.S.T - Pacific Standard Time/Los Angeles see other time zones on the website.

More information at http://www.gillimoon.com/WorkshopImage

The Faces Artist Management Music Education Seminar is being launched for unsigned artists, independent labels, and entertainment companies looking to educate themselves on the business side of the music business.

Date/Time:

November 7, 2009
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Place:

Hyatt Place Atlanta-East/Lithonia
7900 Mall Ring Road
Lithonia, GA 30038, USA

The music seminar will be followed by a "networking-after-party" with an artist showcase later in the evening from 7 PM - 12 AM also at the Hyatt Place. Any artist that performs in the artist showcase will have one of their songs on the F.A.M monthly mixtape - THE NEW BEST OUT.

For more information, visit: http://www.storesonlinepro.com/store/3431697/seminar

From the co-founder and director of the original legendary New Music Seminar comes a seminar for the new business of music.

This low-cost one day event will give you the knowledge and the tools to step into tomorrow’s music business today.

The day will kick off with a keynote speech, followed by four sessions filled with vital information on how to see it and how to do it, accompanied by the New Music Seminar Guide Book filled with important contact information and vital new music business basics.

The Schmoozatorium will have important industry exhibitors and an opportunity for you to network with the other Seminar delegates. Delegates will also receive the NMS Directory, an invaluable guide filled with vital information, including forms, contacts and discount offers worth well over $100.

DATE: February 2, 2010

LOCATION: Los Angeles

More information at http://www.newmusicseminar.biz/

Millennium Music Conference Showcases create an exciting and valuable platform for new talent. Performing at the annual event and networking with other musicians, music industry professionals and music fans in this unique conference environment can be integral to careers. Hundreds of unsigned, independent acts and artists will be selected for the night time showcases in 2010.

•All showcases are open to the public, the majority are free, and most all genres of popular new music are represented.

•Band performances are generally 40 minute sets of original music of a bill with acts of similar genre.

•All selected acts and artists are automatically registered for the afternoon business sessions at the Radisson Penn Harris Convention Center.

•All acts that submit to showcase can receive free badges for all band members to attend the conference whether selected or not.

The Showcase Submission/Application Deadline is DECEMBER 8, 2009 and the fee is $20.00.

For more information, visit: http://www.musicconference.net/

The SongDoor International Songwriting Competition is an annual event, open to amateur and professional songwriters worldwide. Entries are accepted online or by mail from April 15 through November 15. The entry fee is $10. An unlimited number of songs may be entered in any of six categories: Christian, Country, Pop, Alt, Soft Rock and Instrumental. Judges include seasoned music industry producers, artists and engineers who have worked with such artists as Britney Spears, Neil Young, Keith Urban, Cheap Trick, Justin Timberlake, Jimmy Buffett, Garth Brooks, Vince Gill and a host of others. Judges: Joe Beck, Brady Seals, Bill Shore, Robert Reynolds, Dennis Winters, Steve Avedis and Tony Raine.

For SongDoor rules, FAQs and entry form, please visit the website: http://www.songdoor.com

Led by world-renowned percussionist, Bashiri Johnson (Michael Jackson / Sting / Whitney Houston), StudioTraxx.com is pleased to announce that it has teamed up with some of today's most sought after major label studio musicians to bring you an unprecedented online song production package contest! This contest originated from Bashiri's desire to "give back" to the music business, which has blessed him with a long and successful career.

Winners will be selected by panel review based on VOCAL ABILITY and overall artist potential. To enter, simply upload your best MP3 song demo. There is no cost to enter this contest!

Entry deadline is December 1, 2009. One grand prize winner and three runner up winners will be selected on December 15, 2009.

For more info, visit: http://www.studiotraxx.com/contest_entry.php

ArtistForce proudly introduces a free edition of the ArtistForce.com live entertainment business platform, which will allow artists, venues, promoters, and talent buyers the unique opportunity to explore and utilize the valuable resources available through the ArtistForce.com platform, at no cost to the individual user. The free edition of ArtistForce.com offers artists the invaluable opportunity to connect with up to five different industry resources per month and will make it possible for users to receive messages, negotiate booking inquiries, and use the ArtistForce widget, without paying any fees whatsoever. Entertainment buyers will receive unrestricted ArtistForce.com access at no cost, so that they can review talent, negotiate performance offers in real time, manage event expenses, generate documents, manage contacts and connect in the only private business network exclusive to live entertainment at no cost.

ArtistForce is offering an extremely generous reward to the artist who best utilizes these free tools, thus providing incentive for potential users, while at the same time proving ArtistForce’s inherent belief in the services it offers. The artist who books the most paid shows using any free or paid edition of ArtistForce, between October 9, 2009 and February 14, 2010, will be presented with a check for $10,000 in Austin during the company’s participation in South By Southwest 2010, where the winning artist will also be given the tremendous opportunity to perform live at an ArtistForce-sponsored event.

“We are energized about the opportunity that every edition of ArtistForce.com provides for artists and entertainment buyers to reduce friction in their business relationships, develop a solid live entertainment strategy, learn the dynamics of the live business and book shows.” said Jonathan Romley, Founder and CEO of ArtistForce. With the release of these new editions, ArtistForce continues to lead the way in the new business of live entertainment.

“ArtistForce.com is such an evolutionary program. Not only does it produce opportunities for the band to play both better paying and producing gigs but it also shows you how to think more as an independent artist should rather than wasting time shooting in the dark or guessing.” explained Mike Wood of the Austin band Book of Sounds, a participant in the ArtistForce free edition pilot program.

ArtistForce.com provides a total web-based business solution for indie artists and live entertainment professionals, offering patent-pending real time performance offer negotiation, expense management, settlement, status tracking, document generation, contact management, and industry news, to its users. The only private business network exclusive to live entertainment, ArtistForce delivers streamlined efficiency and an unparalleled number of choices, connection, and control, by centralizing the live entertainment industry’s day-to-day business. Paving the way for new relationships and creating opportunities for emerging artists and industry professionals all over the globe, ArtistForce continues to revolutionize the way live entertainment does business.

Founded in 2006 by Jonathan Romley, ArtistForce.com is the first web-based relationship management platform and marketplace for live entertainment. Designed as the next generation technology platform for live industry business professionals and entertainers, ArtistForce solutions has allowed indie artists to act as their own booking representatives; made it possible for managers to easily interface and collaborate with agents and talent; allowed music festivals to manage hundreds of artist relationships and has given promoters the ability to find real time artist and venue availability to book shows.

Website: http://www.artistforce.com/

Noteborn Music Company is looking for new cutting edge music of all genres to license to feature films and television.

In collaboration with Sonicbids, the licensing company is setting up an opportunity with the popular Boston based indie music haven, giving over 200,000 registered bands and any new member opportunities to open up new doors for their careers.

With over 30 years of experience in the music industry, Noteborn Music is an international publishing company that hand picks quality music for use in feature films, indie films, TV shows and advertising campaigns. Aiming to publish, promote, and develop artists professionally and intelligently, the company works with award winning music producers and engineers. To date, Noteborn Music has successfully placed songs with Spike TV, On Demand cable, MTV, ABC, CBS, Lifetime, HBO, USA Networks, feature films and national advertising campaigns.

Noteborn values both independent and signed artists of all genres; however they only select well-produced music. If your song is selected, it will be entered into their music library for submissions to television shows, advertising campaigns, movies and more.

In the highly competitive world of indie music the performing artist must look at every possible angle to promote their music. Today there are opportunities to license music to movies, commercials and the relatively newly found goldmine, video games. Every artist needs an edge and professional representation to cut through the red tape and politics and Noteborn Music Company has been making things happen for artists for many years now, providing opportunities that normally would not be available.

Noteborn Music Company makes sure all artists are compensated and credited for their music by the movie or network. Artists will retain all copyrights and ownership of their material and offers non-exclusive contracts to all artists that are accepted.

Visit Sonic Bids (http://www.sonicbids.com/notebornmusicsep09) to enter the opportunity or the Noteborn Music Company website (http://www.notebornmusic.com). They are taking submissions until December 21st, 2009.

Fish Publishing runs a short story competition each year, the winners of which are published in the annual Fish Anthology.  The Fish Short Story Prize welcomes stories on any theme written in English, with a maximum of 5,000 words. The Anthology will be launched during the West Cork Literary Festival, July 2010.  Fish have been running the short story contest since 1995. Publication in the anthology has been a stepping stone for many into successful writing careers.

Prizes
The winner and nine runners up will be published in the 2010 Fish Anthology.

First Prize - €3,000 - (of which €1,000 is for travel expenses to the launch of the Anthology.)

Second Prize - a week at the Anam Cara Writers' & Artists' Retreat in West Cork's Beara Peninsula, with €300 traveling expenses.

Third Prize - €300

All those who are published in the Anthology will receive five complementary copies of the Fish Anthology.

Deadline: November 30, 2009

More information at http://www.fishpublishing.com/short-story-competition-contest.php

The annual Soul-Making Literary Competition is open to everyone, everywhere and looks for original, freshly creative and finely crafted works that embraces all creative interpretations of English poet, John Keats' statement:

"Some say the world is a vale of tears,
I say it is a place of soul-making."

Soul, in general, in many religions and philosophies, is conceived as the animating and vital spiritual principle in human beings; an inner, immaterial element that, together with the material body, constitutes the human individual.

Making is the act of one that makes; the process of coming into being; of realizing potential.

The Soul-Making Literary Competition invites multifarious works that address soul-making in innovative and expanded expressions.

Deadline: November 30, 2009 (Postmarked)

All prose works must be typed, double spaced, page numbered, and paper clipped. Please indicate word count on title page.

Poetry must be typed, (double or single spaced okay). One page poems only and only one poem per page, (two-column one-page-poems okay). All poems must be titled.

Do not put your names on your manuscripts, instead, enclose one 3x5 card typed, affixed with a printed label or carefully printed with your name, address, phone, fax, email, and title(s) of work(s) and particular category/categories entered.

Young Adult entrants must indicate age on card and manuscript.

Category must be indicated on 3x5 card as well as on manuscript.You may enter as many categories and as many times as you wish but you may not enter the same work in more than one category.

Previously published works okay (except for Novel Excerpt); however, those winning awards in prior Soul-Making categories may not be resubmitted.

No tear-sheets or photocopies of book pages. No colored paper, hard to read fancy fonts, illustrations or graphics, please.

Please enclose $5 per entry payable to NLAPW, Nob Hill Branch (US $ only).  International entrants, please send Travelers Check drawn on a USA bank.

Send entries to:
The Webhallow House
1544 Sweetwood Dr.,
Broadmoor Vlg., CA 94015-2029

No e-mail entries or those mailed special delivery, certified or registered will be accepted. Do enclose SASE in your entry package if you wish to receive contest results.

For more information, visit: http://www.soulmakingcontest.us/Pre-1996/index.htm.

Pro Soul Alliance is a progressive, independent record label that offers unique, comprehensive, and affordable self marketing solutions for talented artists internationally.

Understanding the needs of the independent artist and the challenges of the new do-it-yourself style of music business, Pro Soul Alliance is running a contest in hopes of finding and assisting the winner become the next great indie artist. The 2 successful artists will receive 6 months of indie label services valued at $6,000, including the following as needed:

• Professional phone consultation and education with CEO of Pro Soul Alliance on the artists development and career
• A professional blog based website they can edit and update, complete with hosting by Rackspace, one of the best in the world, with artistsname.com
• Professional bio and press copy writing, blog development and updating
• Search engine optimization for effective search ranking
• Graphic design, photography and image assistance for promo materials
• Social networking configuration and integration, connecting with fans (Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, Blip.fm, Youtube, ReverbNation etc)
• Offline & online marketing assistance, radio airplay, follow up, and tracking
• Product development, design, CD production and digital distribution through major online retailers worldwide including ringtones and mobile phone
• Licensing and song placement; electronic licensing options online
• Scheduling of show dates for live performances
• Video Production; YouTube promo viral marketing videos

Contest ends October 30th. Details, entry information and music submission can be accessed by visiting this link: http://www.prosoul.com/contest
 

The Miami Music Festival is the nation's newest showcase and conference for emerging musical acts. Independent artists, and those invited by record labels and showcase sponsors, will perform on more than 25 stages in clubs, restaurants, tents and hotels in the Brickell area of downtown Miami on December 10 - 12, 2009. Although The Miami Music Festival will present artists performing all genres of music including Alternative and Pop, the festival will feature Latin, Urban, Caribbean and Jazz.

A two-day conference at The Miami Convention Center featuring a variety of interactive sessions, master classes and keynote interviews is offered as well. Record label A&R executives, music publishing and touring executives, technology, media and marketing executives, radio program directors, film and TV music supervisors, advertising executives and other buyers of music will be on site to participate in the conference and to attend showcase performances.

Attendees will have the option to purchase either one-day or three-day wristbands, which grant access to live performances during the festival. Conference badges grant holders admission to all MMF conference programming as well as preferred access to all MMF stages throughout the event.

For more information, visit: http://www.miamimusicfestival.org/

Music Xray (aka Platinum Blue Music Intelligence) and Music Industry News Network (Mi2N) have collaborated to offer musicians a unique opportunity to have their music exposed to music industry professionals. With any Mi2N PR Music order, artists can submit a song of their choosing to any of the many industry opportunities offered on Music Xray and the service submission fee will be waived. By doing so, artists can capitalize on the opportunity for exposure to hundreds of industry professionals available through Music Xray, including major and indie labels, producers, career coaches, song critiques, and contests.

Ideal for artists, labels, and promoters, the Mi2N Music PR service provides guaranteed press release placements through a network of newswires, social media, blog communities, and forums. With packages ranging in price from $9.95 (PR Express) to $179.95 (PR Platinum Video), Mi2N offers a PR marketing solution to meet every budget and need. Clients will receive a promo code voucher for one free song submission to Music Xray's platform of top music industry professionals, labels, agencies and producers. Over 150 industry professionals and entities use Music Xray, including major labels and Grammy-winning producers, and thousands of artists have already joined the site.

Begin the process to uploading your song to Music Xray by purchasing an Mi2N Music PR package at http://www.mi2n.com/input.php3.

You can also download a PDF on Mi2N Music PR at http://www.mi2n.com/services/pdf/Mi2N_MusicPR.pdf

What People Are Saying About Mi2N Music PR:
"I've used Mi2N to increase exposure of my press releases for my company (WaTunes). I highly recommend that you use Mi2N for your press distribution as it is the most cost effective solution out there!" Kevin Rivers, CEO WaTunes.com

"This system rocks! I'm going to recommend this to absolutely no-one as I don't want other people knowing my secret weapon. And you can use that as a quote from me, mate." Kevin Fetterplace, Mojo Working International

"Eric has an amazing press release distribution and publicity organization for the music industry. It has been easy and effective for our clients...at a great price! We all highly recommend Mi2N PR services to everyone we know!" Kathy Douglas, Indie Extreme

About Mi2N
Mi2N (Music Industry News Network) is the largest online daily newswire serving the music industry. Since 1998, Mi2N has kept professionals worldwide informed on the latest developments shaping their sector by covering nearly every facet of the industry, from new business models and technological innovations to up-&-coming artists and emerging trends. Through its Mi2N Music PR service, it has become a leading PR resource for major and independent music companies around the world.
http://www.mi2n.com

About Music Xray
New York, NY based Platinum Blue Music Intelligence Inc. (Music Xray) is leading the way in song filtering for the music industry and in enabling artists to interact directly with professionals and companies that screen songs for exposure and licensing opportunities. The company has developed, acquired and licensed technologies that uniquely position it to provide valuable services and create more efficient systems for the music business.
http://www.musicxray.com

Email: prsyndicate@mi2n.com
Url: http://www.mi2n.com/input.php3
http://www.musicxray.com/x

Writer's Digest is looking for fiction that's bold, brilliant...but brief. Send them your best in 1,500 words or fewer.

But don't be too long about it—the deadline is Tuesday, December 1, 2009.

PRIZES
First Place: $3,000
Second Place: $1,500
Third Place: $500
Fourth Through Tenth Place: $100
Eleventh Through Twenty-Fifth Place: $50 gift certificate for Writer's Digest Books

* The names and story titles of the First-through Tenth-Place winners will be printed in the May/June 2010 Writer's Digest, and winners will receive the 2010 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market and Agents, Editors, and You: The Insider's Guide to Getting Your Book Published. Plus, all First through 25th place winners will receive a free copy of the 10th Annual Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition Collection.

For more information, visit: http://writersdigest.com/short.

Babelgum, the independent web and mobile video content platform, continues its talent-scouting mission with the launch of the Babelgum Metropolis Art Prize, which seeks out the worldʼs best and edgiest artists. The competition is an open call to all artists active in any visual medium to submit videos of their works. Entries will be evaluated by a jury of curators chaired by iconic art-house actress and video artist Isabella Rossellini, in addition to being voted upon by the Babelgum audience. Nine winners will have their videos broadcast on jumbo monitors in New York Cityʼs Times Square; three will also win cash prizes worth a total of US $30,000.

Isabella Rossellini shared her enthusiasm about the competition: “We want to be inspired, challenged, excited, awed, moved, intrigued and weirded-out. Babelgumʼs Metropolis channel explores and celebrates the city and the urban environment in all its gritty, strange and wonderful permutations. Weʼre looking for art that reflects this spirit.”

Laurence Billiet, publisher of Babelgumʼs Metropolis channel, commented: “Babelgum is a singular hub for creativity. The prize exemplifies this unique sensibility and will further raise awareness of Metropolis, Babelgumʼs channel dedicated to art, design, architecture and urban culture.”

Entries for the inaugural Babelgum Metropolis Art Prize will be accepted September 1-October 18, 2009 at www.babelgum.com. Jurors and audiences will vote on the videos from November 2 through December 6, 2009. In a special winnerʼs exhibition on December 17, 2009, Babelgum will show nine videos on Times Square, turning New York Cityʼs most spectacular space into an art installation site.

The Babelgum Metropolis Art Prize consists of the following awards:

The Metropolis Art Grand Prize: The winner will receive US $20,000, a dedicated artist channel on Babelgum Metropolis and will have his/her video screened on Times Square monitors.

The Best Street Art Video: The winner will receive US $5,000 and have his/her video screened on Times Square monitors. The Best Street Art Video will be selected by juror Cedar Lewisohn, curator of the 2008 Street Art exhibition at the Tate Modern gallery in London.

The Audience Award: The winner will receive US $5,000 and have his/her video screened on Times Square monitors. The Babelgum audience will vote for this award online and on mobile.

The Times Square Special Screening Awards: six runners-up (two from each prize category) will also have their videos screened on Times Square monitors.

Further information about submission specifications and regulations, including deadlines to submit, screen and vote, are available on the Babelgum website.