Submissions are currently being accepted in both the Great Lakes Songwriting Contest and the New York Songwriters Circle 2009 Songwriters Contest.

Although previously open only to songwriters from within its region, the Great Lakes Songwriting Contest, now in its sixth year, is now open to all irrespective of geography.

Maintaining that “no one wants to be put in a box, and no one wants to have to enter each song in multiple categories (for multiple fees),” the contest’s organizers, The Michigan Songwriters, LLC, have not established separate genre categories and welcome all types of music. $35,000 in cash and prizes will be split among 11 contest winners to be selected by a panel of songwriters and other music industry professionals based on the quality of the song, not the quality of the recording, performance or production. Besides cash and prizes from the contest sponsors, the grand prize winner will be invited to headline the annual Winners’ Concert.

Last year’s grand prize winner was Minneapolis, Minnesota-based pop/rock singer-songwriter Tim Mahoney for “Theme Song,” while Ontario, Canada-based singer-songwriters Allister Bradley and Jacob Moon shared first place honors for “What A Day” and “The Great Beyond,” respectively.

The entry fee is $28 per song, and all entrants are entitled to a complimentary, self-paced course from SongU.com. Entries may be submitted online or by mail. The mail-in deadline is September 1, while entries may be submitted electronically until September 15.

For more information and entry forms, log-on to www.GreatLakesSongs.com.

More than $20,000 in cash and prizes, as well as a performance opportunity with John Oates and a guest spot on a popular New York radio program, will be awarded to winners in the New York Songwriters Circle 2009 Songwriters Contest. Now in its fourth year, the contest, to be judged by a panel of music and entertainment industry professionals, is accepting entries both online and by mail until October 1.

Mieka Pauley, Last year’s top winner, earned $5,000 and various performance opportunities, among other prizes. Runners-up Gillian Grassie and John Schmitt received $3,000 and $1,500, respectively, plus additional prizes.

Using the renowned “Writers in the Round” nights at Nashville’s Bluebird Café as its model, The New York Songwriters Circle hosts bi-monthly shows at The Bitter End in New York City that have attracted both up-and-coming artists and music industry executives. Last year, its showcase events expanded beyond New York to include World Café Live in Philadelphia and both Johnny D’s and Berklee College of Music’s Café 939 in the Boston area. Showcases also are slated for The Mint in Los Angeles and Schubas in Chicago beginning later this year.

More information on The New York Songwriters Circle and the songwriting contest can be found at www.songwriters-circle.com.