The September celebrations may be two months away but already plans are underway to get things started off on a good and festive mood. One of the first activities leading up to the big event takes place next month and the Instutite of Creative Arts is hoping that there will be maximum entries that will make this year’s patriotic song competition one of the best. Today 7News caught up with ICA’s Director Gregory Vernon who explains how you can get in the participation.
Jacqueline Godwin,
Is the competition only opened to Belizean musicians?
Greg Vernon, ICA Director
“The patriotic song competition is opened to Belizeans musicians across the country of Belize. Everyone who are writers, sound writers, composers, arrangers musicians are welcomed to send in their entry. Artists around the world are welcome and please if you are living out in the US, the UK and you are a Belizean. Also artists living in Belize are welcome to submit their entries. All entries must be original with Belizean patriotic lyrical content and also must be able to really send a true patriotic message and a true real loving message to Belize and how we can be a part of the whole upbringing and the whole loving of Belize.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
What has the response been like?
Greg Vernon,
“It has been good. We have been getting calls. As you know the September Celebrations Secretariat is now at NICH but we also have the secretariat out at BTB, Miss Joycelyn, and she has been getting some calls for this competition.”
The deadline for the patriotic song competition is July fifteenth. All entries should be submitted to the Chairman of the September Celebrations Secretariat, PO Box 325, Belize City. The show is scheduled for august fifteenth at the House of Culture. The artists will be competing not only for trophies but cash and lots of it. First, second and third place winners will be awarded with three, two and one thousand dollars respectively.
Meanwhile equal financial rewards will also be offered tot eh winner sin the carnival song competition. Again it is open to all Belizean musicians. You can contact ICA at 227 -2110 for more information. The winning song will be featured throughout the September celebration activities.
The carnival song competition will be held in conjunction with the twenty eight anniversary of Belize’s independence and the 211th anniversary of the battle of Saint George’s Caye.
