To celebrate the 40th anniversary of FOLK NORTH WEST Magazine, Enjoy Travel is delighted to have been invited to ‘Do something special’ for the occasion, so we are launching a search for a STAR.  The competition will be run through the magazine’s member clubs starting early in the New Year and running through to mid-September. With the right help and support, it is planned to expand this and grow it into an annual event.

There will be various heats held throughout the region from which eight acts will eventually be chosen and these will be invited to travel to Portugal in October 2017 as guests of Enjoy Travel to participate in a GRAND FINAL.  Heat winners will be selected by a local panel of judges comprising of representatives from North West Folk, Enjoy Travel, the local host club, and members of the local press and radio involved in the promotion of Folk Music.  A minimum of at least three representatives must adjudicate.

The Grand Finalists will perform TWICE in front of a live audience made up of festival goers at Costa del Folk in Portugal and the dates for this are 9th – 15th October 2017.  Festival goers will be given numbered voting slips with two sections which they will be asked to fi ll in according to how they feel about the various acts.  These slips will be collected towards the end of the festival and the winner will be announced on the last night of the event.  The judges for the fi nal will be chosen during the festival week and an announcement will be made advising who the panel will consist of.  They will sit and adjudicate but their decision will only be asked for in case of a tie or any other such reason where clarity is required.  Their role will be to supervise the proceedings and determine who is the clear winner.

As all fl ights and accommodation for the fi nalists will be provided with the compliments of Enjoy Travel this is eff ectively a free holiday which will be presented to the winner at each of the heats.  Each club must register with NORTH WEST FOLK magazine their intention to run a heat and each heat must attract a minimum number of FIVE ACTS .  There is no maximum number but should a club be unable to provide a minimum of participants, they can and should join with another club where possible.

Where there are more than eight clubs wanting to participate then regional heats will be introduced and these will be arranged in advance with the full support of the various clubs involved. Should your club wish to hold a heat and need a PA system etc., then Enjoy Travel can assist. Details regarding PA systems, microphones, amplifi ers, monitors and such like for Portugal will be discussed individually with the heat winners

RULES GOVERNING ENTRY
1: The contest is open to singers, musicians, solo, duo, trios, etc.  with enough material to present two polished performances of at least 20 minutes each. (Diff erent material for each performance preferred)
2: Artists may appear as a solo, duo, trio, or a group.  Maximum is four.
3: Music type is at the discretion of the artist.  Traditional Music also acceptable
4: Contestants should NOT be full time professionals
5: All contestants MUST BE OVER 18 YEARS OF AGE.  Alternatively they must be accompanied by a chaperone.  Costs for chaperones are NOT included in any arrangements.
6: Each contestant must complete the application form in this brochure and send it to the address shown and marked TALENT SHOWCASE.
7: The organisers retain the right to seek additional entries.
8: By filling in the application form the contestant automatically accepts the terms and conditions.
9: A competitor may enter more than one heat if they are unsuccessful at their fi rst attempt
10: Canvassing of the judges will automatically disqualify an entrant
11: Dates for the appropriate club nights and /or Heats will be published in NORTH WEST FOLK magazine and also on our website www.costafestival.co.uk