MOTOWN MIC: The Spoken Word Competition

Program Details

Motown Mic: The Spoken Word was created to pay homage to Motown Records’ Black Forum Label— a Motown spoken word label created by Berry Gordy and the Motown Corporation in the ‘70s as a venue for Black expression and education. The label served to capture the voices of African American poets and orators such as Langston Hughes, Stokey Carmichael, Elaine Brown, Ossie Davis and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose moving and inspirational “I Have A Dream” speech was recorded by the label. As Motown revolutionized the music industry, its Black Forum Label documented the social consciousness of a generation— Motown Mic: The Spoken Word is a continuation of that rich legacy.

Eligibility

• Contestants must be residents of Southeast Michigan.
• Contestants must be 16 years or older. Contestants under 18 must submit a performance release for minors signed by a parent/legal guardian.
• Contestants must be solo acts.
• If selected as a finalist, Contestants must be available for full days on March 29 and 30, for the Grand Finale taping.
• Motown Museum expects all performances to be family-friendly. Lyrics containing profane, vulgar or explicit sexual lyrics will not be allowed.

Employees of Motown Museum, immediate family of anyone on the judges’ panel, and any artist(s) who are currently signed to a major label are ineligible to apply.

There is no entry fee for the audition and competition process. In addition, please be advised that neither Motown Museum, nor their successors and assigns will pay contestants to compete at this event.

Application Process

Application Deadline: March 5, 2021

Complete the online application form.

Upload an audition video:

• 3 minutes in length. Judges will issue a 1 point deduction should a piece exceed or fall short of the 10 second grace period
• Performed individually
• Original Poem written about the topic below:
  Motown Records Black Forum label provided a platform that amplified the voices of people and perspectives that need to be heard. Motown MIC: The Spoken Word is a program designed to honor that legacy. The year 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the release of award winning, eleventh studio album by American soul singer, songwriter, and producer Marvin Gaye “What’s Going On”. At a time when conversations about social justice are taking place with new urgency and passion, and in reflection of the words that Marvin Gaye sang, we want to hear from you. As you compose your submission, keep this, and the legacy of Motown’s contributions to these conversations in mind. Doing so will further influence hearts and minds and contribute to conversations about the moral and civic perspectives shaping our collective future.
• A panel of judges will review and score applications based on the  Judging Rubric.

Video Submission Requirements

When asked to submit a video please follow the format below for best results:

1. At the beginning of the video, please clearly state your full name, your age and your hometown
2. Make sure that your face is clearly visible, with your upper body fairly near the camera and the background simple, uncluttered, and not too bright (e.g., in front of a window).
3. Video file should be saved as Last Name, First Name Program Name (e.g. Smith, Ann – Motown MIC)
4. Videos should be submitted in standard video format (e.g. MP4, MOV, AVI or WMV files) and should be no more than 24Mb in size through email. If larger than 24Mb in size, please use a shareable cloud storage site such as Dropbox, Google Drive, YouTube to send the video.
5. Each video submitted must be performed from beginning to end in one take. No editing is permitted.
6. Audio files will not be accepted.
7. Recording may be made on any device, as long as it is submitted in the appropriate file format and is a clear picture.

If sending through a cloud storage site, please be sure to share with edit access to prevent from needing passwords or any back and forth requesting for access

If using a tablet or mobile device to record your video, you will need to download the video to a computer first in order to submit in the acceptable file formats

Prizes

The Grand Prize-Winning Act will receive:

• The title of 2021 Motown MIC: The Spoken Word Artist of the Year
• $2,500 Cash Prize
• Published on a literary broadside through the Broadside Lotus Press
• 2 hour studio session at Hitsville NEXT
• Your performance featured on the Motown Museum website and YouTube Channel
• Opportunity to perform at various events throughout the year for the Motown Museum and its affiliates

The Second Place Act will receive:

• $500 cash prize
• Opportunity to perform at various events throughout the year for the Motown Museum and its affiliates

The Third Place Act will receive:

• $250 cash prize
• Opportunity to perform at various events throughout the year for the Motown Museum and its affiliates

Prize Redemption Rules:

All prizes must be redeemed by the winner(s) within one year (365 days) of the Grand Prize announcement. Failure to redeem within one year will result in forfeiture of any unused portion of the prize(s).

• The prize cannot be claimed by third parties on behalf of winner(s). Unless the winner(s) is under 18, then a parent/guardian must claim the prize.
• There is no substitution, transfer or cash equivalent for prizes, except at the sole discretion of Motown Museum and its affiliates.
• Each prize is expressly limited to the item(s)/service(s) listed above and does not include taxes, gratuities or any other expenses.
• Payments of all federal, state and local taxes related to the award of the above prize(s) are solely the responsibility of the winner(s). The winner(s) will be required to complete and submit an IRS Form W-9 with the winner’s full Social Security Number or the equivalent for receipt of any prize valued at $600 or more and such winnings will be reported to the IRS. Failure to submit a completed W-9 or equivalent will result in forfeiture of prize.

The Motown Museum staff will not act as representation or management for the winning act. No contract negotiations will be made on the party’s behalf.

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