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.]

Canadian singer-songwriter David Hein's music is a bit hard to pigeon-hole, and the themes of his songs are certainly not run-of-the-mill. Descriptive words like eclectic, quirky, entertaining, high-energy, original acoustic folk-rock spring to mind. Add award-winning to that list. Hein was named the winner of the 2008 Susquehanna Music & Arts Festival (SMAF) Songwriting Contest in Darlington, Maryland on May 9. He won over the judges with his cleverly worded, intimate ballad "Subway Sparrow" (which also was also the runner-up for best song of the month in February on songwriteruniverse.com) and enticed many in the audience to sing along on the refrain of the more up-tempo, rapid-fire-paced "Jetpack." [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

Winners in 19 categories were named this month from among more than 15,000 entries in the 2007 International Songwriting Competition (ISC). For the first time in its history, a majority of winners -- including all three in the Americana category, two of three in the folk/singer-songwriter category, and one of three in the AAA category -- came from outside the U.S. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

SolarFest, which bills itself as the New England Renewable Energy Festival, is seeking songwriters to perform in its annual Songwriter Showcase this July. Ten singer-songwriters, who write and perform original music and are not currently signed to a major recording label or publishing deal, will be selected to perform two songs and compete to be among the three winners of cash prizes and studio time. The first-place winner also will be invited back to perform as a featured artist during next year’s SolarFest. All finalists will receive two complimentary passes for SolarFest, which takes place July 11-13 at the Forget-Me-Not Farm in Tinmouth, Vermont. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]

Video entries are now being sought for a new environmental short film competition, whose theme is the power of song to change the environment. Launched by Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc., a member-supported nonprofit organization created by Pete Seeger and others more than 40 years ago to help restore and protect the Hudson River, The Clearwater Environmental Short Film Competition is one way in which the organization is seeking to inspire people to use music and song as instruments for environmental change. Much as Pete Seeger has educated people about important issues and causes through his music, the folks at Clearwater are looking for videos that use music and song to heighten interest in and concern for the environment. [To read the entire article, click on the headline.]