Young Talents Music Contest – Official Rules

1. Objective

The contest aims to support young rock bands, with members aged 18–30, from Eastern Europe. It offers opportunities for cross-border visibility, professional development, and financial and non-financial rewards.

2. Eligibility

• Bands must consist of members aged 18–30 at the time of registration.
• At least half of the band members must be residents of one of the following countries: Romania, Moldova, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, or Ukraine.
• Bands from these countries must meet the age criteria and perform original rock music (cover bands are not eligible).

3. Contest Structure

The contest is divided into two phases:

Phase 1: Online Sectional Competitions

• Sections:
  • Romania & Moldova
  • Slovakia & Czech Republic
  • Poland & Ukraine
• Selection Method: A combination of jury evaluation (50%) and public online voting (50%).
• Winners: One winner per section will advance to the international final.

Phase 2: International Final

• Location: Arenele Romane, Bucharest (31.10.2025–01.11.2025), hosted as part of the EERA final festival.
• Selection Method: Evaluated solely by the jury, consisting of industry professionals and representatives from partner organizations.

4. Prizes

Detailed prizes list: https://rock-alliance.eu/page/prizes

5. Registration and Submission

Registration will be conducted online via the EERA’s official website. Each participating band must submit the following:

Band Details:

• Band name
• Official band contacts
• Members’ names and birthdates

Short Presentation:

• A short band presentation, maximum 1,000 characters (including spaces).

Links:

• Official website (if available)
• Social media profiles: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube
• Audio link (Spotify artist page)
• Video links:
  • Official videos
  • Live performance videos

Visual Materials:

• Three high-quality pictures of the band
• Band logo

6. Voting Process for Phase 1: Online Section Competitions

Jury Voting (50%)
The jury will consist of representatives from project partners and professionals from the contest sections. The jury will evaluate participating bands based on artistic quality (creativity, originality, musical skills) and professionalism, ranking the top 7 bands with points as follows:

• 1st place: 10 points
• 2nd place: 7 points
• 3rd place: 5 points
• 4th place: 4 points
• 5th place: 3 points
• 6th place: 2 points
• 7th place: 1 point

Public Online Voting (50%)
Voting will take place on the EERA’s official website. Each voter can cast a single vote and must select at least three bands within a section. The top ten bands will receive points as follows:

• 1st place: 10 points
• 2nd place: 9 points
• 3rd place: 8 points
• 4th place: 7 points
• 5th place: 6 points
• 6th place: 5 points
• 7th place: 4 points
• 8th place: 3 points
• 9th place: 2 points
• 10th place: 1 point

Tiebreaker:
In the event of a tie of public voting, the bands involved will be awarded the average of the points allocated to the tied positions. For example, if the 6th and 7th places receive an equal number of votes, each band will receive (5 + 4) / 2 = 4.5 points.

Final Ranking:
The final ranking for each section will be determined by calculating the average of the jury (50%) and public voting (50%) scores. In case of a  tie, the jury vote will take precedence to determine the final ranking.

7. Voting Process for Phase 2: International Final

• Solely evaluated by the international jury.

8. Code of Conduct

Participants are expected to maintain professional conduct during all contest phases. Misconduct, plagiarism, or violations of contest rules may result in disqualification.

9. Timeline

• Registration Period: 30.04.2025 – 01.06.2025
• Phase 1 (Online Competitions): 02.06.2025 – 15.06.2025 (midnight, CET)
• Phase 1 Results Announcement: 18.06.2025 (on the EERA official website and social media)
• Phase 2 (International Final): 31.10.2025 – 01.11.2025 (during the EERA festival in Bucharest)

10. Contact Information

For inquiries or support, please contact: nelu@promusicevents.ro

GDPR Compliance:
By entering the contest, bands agree that their provided information (e.g., band name, presentation, social media links, and visual materials) will be published on the official website’s artist portal to promote the contest. Any personal data not intended for public use will remain confidential and handled in accordance with GDPR regulations.

Project funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.