Mieka Pauley, a 27 year-old singer-songwriter from Cambridge, Massachusetts, was named the grand prize winner in The New York Songwriters Circle’s 2008 Songwriting Contest. Pauley, whose musical style combines elements of soul, blues, rock, acoustic and alternative, performed a stripped-down acoustic version of “All the Same Mistakes” during live finals held before a panel of music industry judges and fans, Nov. 5 and 6, at The Bitter End in Manhattan’s West Village. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

The submissions deadline for the 2008 International Songwriting Competition has been extended to Dec. 1. Entries must be postmarked or uploaded online on or before that date. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

The international finals of the Mountain Stage NewSong Contest, presented by Folk Alliance, take place on Saturday, October 11, at 7:30 p.m., at the Cultural Center in Charleston, West Virginia -- home to the internationally broadcast “Mountain Stage” radio and TV show that has showcased more than 2000 artists since its inception in 1983. Performing artists include this year’s early-bird finalists Maureen Andary of Washington, D.C. and Robby Hecht of Nashville, Tennessee; general round finalists Jacob & Lily of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Kelleigh McKenzie of Rosendale, New York, and Rose Polenzani of Somerville, Massachusetts; plus the following regional winners: Tanya Davis of Halifax, Nova Scotia; Steve Dawson of Chicago, Illinois; Jeff Ellis of Huntington, West Virginia; Kangero of Brooklyn, New York; Boris McCutcheon of Ojo Sarco, New Mexico; and Sarah Sample of Seattle, Washington. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

The submissions deadline for the Independent Music Awards (IMA) has been extended to August 22. Produced by Music Resource Group, publishers of The Musician’s Atlas, the Independent Music Awards feature more than 50 music and design categories. Music categories (album and song) that might be of particular interest to AcousticMusicScene.com readers include such genres as Alt. Country, Americana, Blues, Children’s Music, Folk/Singer-Songwriter and World (traditional). In addition, finalists and winners will be selected for songs of social action and covers of established songs. Among the design categories are album packaging, music video, photography, swag and websites. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

Aaron Espe has been selected as Sonicbids Emerging Artist for the 2008 Four Corners Folk Festival that takes place in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, August 29-31. Espe, a young folk-pop singer-songwriter who hails from the upland wilds of northern Minnesota, was chosen from among a field of more than 300 entrants. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

July 21 is the application deadline for entering the regional live rounds of the Mountain Stage NewSong Contest, presented by Folk Alliance. The submission deadline for the general round – open to anyone from anywhere without respect to geography – is September 1. Now in its seventh year, the contest is open to performing songwriters in all musical genres. Cash and other prizes and opportunities will be awarded. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

Ten artists from across the U.S. were named as finalists in the 2008 Music to Life Songwriting Contest and had an opportunity to share their original songs of social and political significance during the recently concluded Kerrville Folk Festival in the Texas Hill Country. Performing songwriters included grand prize award winners Ellen Bukstel and Nick Annis (who co-wrote “By My Silence”), Randy Browning (“Radical Rags”), Ellen Bukstel (Tikkun Olam, Repair the World”), Ellis (“City on Fire”), Jon Fromer (“Welcome”), Rachael Kilgour (“Cheap Grace”), Lisa Rogers (“Jesus and Jesus”), Eugene Ruffolo (“Dear Father”), Amy Speace (“The Weight of the World”), and Amy Carol Webb (“Raise Your Hand”). The Music to Life contest is sponsored by the Public Domain Foundation, a nonprofit organization launched by Noel Paul Stookey more than 30 years ago to encourage the making and use of music for social change. The foundation seeks to foster awareness of issues, provide funds for causes of social concern, enhance the capacity of music to effect social change, and build community through shared values and global understanding. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]