Terms & Conditions

Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Tangata Beats Terms and Conditions 2024

Eligibility

1. All contestants must be enrolled in and attend a school for at least 15 hours a week. If you leave school (sign out) during the course of the competition, you become ineligible to continue. You can change schools during the competition. (School means secondary, area, intermediate, primary, official home or correspondence school.)

2. All contestants must be no older than 19 (nineteen) years of age on 3rd May 2024, i.e. you are not eligible if you turn 20 years old before the entry's close date (you may be asked to supply proof of eligibility).

3. Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Tangata Beats are only for unsigned acts and individuals. You cannot enter if you have signed a recording or management contract and cannot sign during the competition without the prior written approval of Rockquest Promotions Ltd.

4a. No student can enter more than one Smokefreerockquest band OR more than one Solo-duo. (You can enter a Band AND a Solo/duo if the Solo/duo is entered in the Online Solo/duo Region).

4b. No student can enter more than one Smokefree Tangata Beats band OR more than one Solo-duo. (You can enter in a Band AND a Solo/duo if the Solo/duo is submitted by video for the Online Region.)

5. Students can't enter into a category (Solo/Duo OR band) they have already received National 1st place at a previous Smokefreerockquest or Smokefree Tangata Beats National Final.

Regions

6. Bands must compete in the region their school is closest to. Where a band represents multiple schools, it must compete in the region closest to the school the majority of members attend. If you need help determining which region to enter, please contact us.

7. Solo/duo entries must compete in the closest region to a school their act represents. All SFRQ Solo/duo entries in the greater Auckland area must compete in the Auckland Solo/duo Region.

8. Online (video submission) Band Region. Any band can elect to compete via this region or change to it at any time before their first performance, where one or more performers are unwell, at higher risk, or subject to self-isolation after a COVID test.

9. Bands and Solo/duos will not be allowed to compete in an incorrect region or in more than one region.

10. If you are entered in a band and also enter as a Solo/duo, the Solo/duo entry must compete in the Online Solo/duo Region. Any Solo/duo can elect to enter the Online Solo/duo Region.

Conduct

11. Smokefree supports Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Tangata Beats to allow emerging musicians to play their songs to crowds throughout the country. Because you are the essence of these events, we ask that you respect their smokefree status. Band names, song lyrics and titles, and clothing cannot contain references to or depictions of smoking, e-cigarette, vaping, or tobacco products. By entering this competition, all entrants declare their smoke-free and vape-free status in connection with the event and will be required to sign the following declaration at the events and with their Video Submissions. “As an entrant, I understand that for interviews, Regional and National Submissions and events, press conferences, and Webisodes or radio appearances, it is a requirement for me to be smokefree. If I, or any of my group members, fail to comply with this declaration, it will result in the group's immediate exclusion from all parts of this event.”

12. The use or possession of alcohol, cigarettes, illegal drugs, or vaping by any group member at any Smokefreerockquest/Smokefree Tangata Beats event or in any Video Submission will result in the instant disqualification of their entire group.

13. You represent your school in all aspects of Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Tangata Beats. Therefore, you must adhere to your school's policies regarding behaviour. If in doubt, seek the guidance of your teachers.

14. Any entrant defacing or destroying Smokefreerockquest/Smokefree Tangata Beats property or property/venues used by Smokefreerockquest/Smokefree Tangata Beats will be disqualified and held accountable for damages. This includes P.A. equipment, recording studios, regional final venues, accommodation venues, and any place used for photo shoots or interviews, e.g. radio stations.

15. Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Tangata Beats do not condone censorship. We support the NZ music industry and urge entrants to consider the commercial potential of the material they write. While not wanting to put constraints on the creative process of songwriters, we would like to point out that sexually explicit lyrics or lyrics that may offend may not have commercial potential and may not suit these competitions. Judges for this event are drawn from the NZ music industry. Entrants are urged to consider this point carefully

16. All acts will be required to follow all COVID-19 policies and requirements set out by the Ministry of Health, their school, and Rockquest Promotions.

Performance Requirements

17. Act members cannot be replaced, substituted or added after your first performance. 

18. If your live performance is electronically assisted, you need to indicate this on your entry form. In addition, all electronic elements need to be the original work(s) of one or more of the entered members of the Act, and there must be at least one live instrumental part.

19. All lead vocal lines must be performed live.

20. All performed songs must be original – i.e., written exclusively by one or more act members.

21. A song can only be performed in one category: Band or Solo/duo, but not both.

22. If your entry has three (3) or more performers, you must enter the Band Category. If your entry has only one (1) performer, you must enter the Solo/duo category. If your entry has two performers, you must enter the solo/duo category unless one of the performers plays the drums, in which case you are to enter as a band. You can have a maximum of ten (10) band members.

23. Smokefree Tangata Beats acts must ‍feature at least one of the cultural criteria elements in your performance. Please see www.smokefreetangatabeats.nz/how-it-works

Judging Process

23. Judging decisions will be based on discussion, industry experience and knowledge.

24. The Judges' decision will be final. No correspondence or discussion will be entered into.

Other Conditions & Requirements

25. All students must have the signature of their parent or guardian on the entry form, giving consent to us to release contestant information, images and recordings to media and sponsors, to send promotional material from the event organisers and sponsors, and to agree to all conditions of entry.

26. Entrants may be filmed and/or photographed at the event or elsewhere and included in the Smokefreerockquest/Smokefree Tangata Beats Webisodes, website, social media, and future promotional campaigns.

27. The Top 30 (Smokefreerockquest) and Top20 (Smokefree Tangata Beats) acts cannot sign a recording or management contract before 31 Dec 2024 without the prior written permission of Rockquest Promotions Ltd.

28. The Top 30 (Smokefreerockquest) and Top20 (Smokefree Tangata Beats are to allow one song to be included on a Rockquest Promotions 2024 Highlights compilation, which will be distributed free in 2025.

29. The national winners' music videos (Band and Solo/Duo categories) will be hosted exclusively on the Rockquest Promotions websites and social media pages.

30. Entrants are not permitted to submit songs for the National Final selection round, or at the National Final, that are entered in, have been entered in, or will be entered in other music competitions other than Rockquest Promotions Ltd events - Smokefreerockquest, Smokefree Tangata Beats, Showquest, OnScreen.

31. Entrants are not permitted to submit songs for the National Final selection round or at the National Final that are/or will be submitted for an NZ on Air Grant in this calendar year.

32. Entrants are not permitted to submit songs for the National Final selection round or at the National Final, where the songwriter (or any songwriters) is no longer part of the act.

33. The National Finalists agree to Rockquest Promotions Ltd. (or appointed agent) acting as their exclusive agent in all matters regarding recording and management contracts until 1 May 2025. The National Finalists cannot enter into a recording or management contract before this time without the permission of Rockquest Promotions Ltd.

34. The National Finalists agree that, if used as a guest band at a subsequent regional event, they will do so without charge (Rockquest Promotions Ltd will cover costs). The National Finalists agree to give Smokefreerockquest/Smokefree Tangata Beats up to two free National Final guest performances in future National Finals.

35. Contestants are required to gain approval from the organisers to use props, clothing or equipment bearing product branding of products other than those of our sponsors in their submissions. Permission will only be withheld if the organisers believe the security of the event sponsorship is at risk. This does not apply to the normal name branding appearing on musical instruments.

36. By virtue of entry, the entrant agrees to hold Smokefreerockquest/Smokefree Tangata Beats and its agents indemnified against any breach or infringement of copyright or rights held by any third party/parties, and the entrant undertakes to observe all such rights statutorily or otherwise. By virtue of entry, the entrant agrees to hold Smokefreerockquest/Smokefree Tangata Beats and its agents indemnified against any claim or liability for loss or accident resulting from any individual's involvement in the event.

37. All contestants will be notified if changes to these Terms and Conditions are required.