The Ontario Council of Folk Festivals (OCFF) is now accepting entries for the 14th annual Songs from the Heart Songwriter Awards.
The awards celebrate top Ontario songwriters in nine categories, including  English and French, political, humorous, instrumental, children's, original, historical, blues, and world. Grand prize winners of the OCFF Songs From the Heart Songwriter Awards receive the Galaxie Rising Stars Award of the CBC.
Entry deadline is May 9. Visit www.ocff.ca to download an entry form and for detailed instructions.
Songs From the Heart Songwriter Award winners are selected by a jury. Each grand prize winner, one in French and one in English, receives three prizes, including a $1,000 Galaxie Rising Stars Award of the CBC, the chance to perform for key music industry members at the OCFF conference, and registration for one to the 2008 OCFF Conference. Prizes of $100 are awarded to the winners in each of the seven genre-specific categories, along with the opportunity to showcase the winning song at the conference. Detailed category descriptions can be found at the above website.
All award applicants are eligible for the Ontario Arts Council's Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award. The top eight songs, excluding the Galaxie Rising Stars Award winners, will be forwarded to a separate jury, which will select the winner of $1,000 and a registration for the 2008 OCFF Conference.
Galaxie, the continuous music network, is a commercial division of CBC/Radio-Canada. The network offers non-stop music channels, programmed by and for Canadians, in more than six million homes, stated a news release. It is included on the basic service of most digital cable, satellite TV and IPTV distributors and on some Internet portals. For more information, visit their website at www.galaxie.ca .
The OCFF is an influential Canadian network and organization devoted to the development and success of traditional, contemporary and multicultural folk and roots music, artists and festivals. The 22nd annual OCFF Conference will be held Oct. 23 to26 in Ottawa. To contact the OCFF phone (613) 560-5997, 1-866-292-6233 or e-mail [email protected] .
