1. Terms and conditions
The following information forms part of the terms and conditions of entry to the APRA Professional Development Awards (Professional Development Awards). By entering the Professional Development Awards, entrants agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.
2. Organiser
The organiser of the Professional Development Awards is APRA AMCOS New Zealand Ltd (CN 1205194) of Unit 113, 23 Edwin Street, Mt Eden, Auckland 1024, New Zealand (Organiser).
3. Professional Development Awards period
Entries open on 27 May 2024 and all entries must be received no later than 5pm 24 June 2024. Late entries will not be accepted.
4. Eligibility
Entry into the Professional Development Awards is limited to songwriters/composers who:
Please note that members cannot enter both the NZ and AU PDAs. They must choose one according to their residential status outlined above.
Employees of the Organiser (and members of their immediate families) are ineligible to enter.
5. Entry criteria
Entries may only be lodged by individual songwriters/composers (co-writers should nominate separately). Entry is limited to one per APRA AMCOS member.
There are five (5) Professional Development Awards available – each valued at NZ$10,000.
6. Online entry
To enter, eligible entrants must review the Professional Development Awards application form and follow the prompts to:
7. Entry materials
It is the entrant's responsibility to ensure that the recording submitted in respect of each Submitted Recording is complete and playable. The Organiser is not responsible for incorrect, inaccurate, late, damaged, or misappropriated entries. All entry materials submitted will not be returned to entrants. Copies of entry materials may be retained and used by the Organiser strictly for promotional purposes in accordance with these terms and conditions. Any false information provided as part of an entrant's entry materials will result in the automatic disqualification of that entrant.
8. Ownership
All entrants (or their publisher if applicable) will retain all copyrights and all other rights controlled by them in all songs entered in the APRA Professional Development Awards. For the avoidance of doubt, no copyrights in any song entered will be assigned to the Organiser by virtue of an entrant entering the Professional Development Awards.
9. Judging
All judges are subject to APRA AMCOS's Conflict of Interest Policy which can be viewed online here.
Production value and quality of performance will not be considered. The judging panels will not be in a position to provide entrants with feedback or a critique in relation to songs entered. The judging panel's decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
All valid entries received during the awards period will be judged by the Organiser on their merits in accordance with the judging criteria.
10. Notification of Entrants and Winners
The Organiser will notify all entrants of the judging panel outcome by email or phone, in August 2024 using the contact details provided on the online entry form. The winners will be publicly announced by end of September 2024. The Organiser will not be held liable for any unforeseen delays in the judging process.
11. Prizes
Each winner will receive:
12. Prize conditions
Each winner's entitlement to all prizes described above is subject to the following:
13. Warranties and presentations
Entrants warrant and represent that:
14. Privacy and releases
Entrants agree that, as a condition of their entry for a Professional Development Award, they:
15. No sales or extraordinary payments
The Organiser will not sell copies of any submitted recordings or otherwise distribute copies of submitted recordings other than for Organiser's promotional purposes. Entrants acknowledge that they will receive no royalty payments or payments of any kind from the Organiser, including for the performance of their submitted recordings in connection with the Professional Development Awards, other than those that they may be eligible to receive through APRA AMCOS's usual distribution system.
16. Jurisdiction and choice of law
The Professional Development Awards and these terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of New Zealand.
By entering the APRA Professional Development Awards you agree to the terms and conditions as listed above.
What are the Professional Development Awards for?
The Awards are intended to help emerging songwriters/composers attend songwriter workshops, music education courses, composer seminars, participate in co-writing opportunities and attend other relevant activities either domestically or internationally. Activities that will develop their career in songwriting/composing.
Can I use it to fund our next album?
The Professional Development Awards are not intended to fund recordings, nor are they intended to fund the purchase of gear for recordings – please consider this before applying.
Can I use it to help promote my work – publicity / music video / advertising campaigns?
No. The Awards are intended to develop your skills as a songwriter or composer, not to pay for professional services to promote your work.
I'm an artist manager. Can I submit an application on behalf of a songwriter I represent?
You can, but please ensure that you complete all fields with the writer's name and details, not yours. We do also want to hear directly from our writer members about how an Award will support their development, so the responses should come from them.
Do I apply for the PDA in New Zealand or Australia?
As an APRA AMCOS Member you can apply for either – dependant on where you are a legal resident. As an example: To enter the New Zealand 2023 PDAs, you must be a citizen or a legal resident in New Zealand for a minimum of 2 years on 1 January 2024.
I've already released an album and/or have a record deal. Can I apply?
You sure can. The Professional Development Awards are intended to help songwriters and composers move into the next phase of their musical careers. Make sure you use your application to tell us how winning will help you do this.
Is my information secure online?
The PDA application form and all submitted materials are held securely for the duration of the judging process on a highly secure server that ensures privacy and security for all APRA AMCOS data. Your application will only be viewed by select APRA AMCOS staff and the Judging Panel.
Why do I need to provide a bio and photo?
This information may be published online and/or in print if your application is shortlisted and/or you are a winner.
I am in a band – can the band submit an application?
Applications are only available for individual songwriters – although the band’s music can be considered, the individual songwriter’s application responses will be considered alone. Additionally, the funds will be provided to the individual alone.