Musicians are invited to submit original songs to the When Voices Rise Songwriting Contest, which opened March 2 and will accept entries through May 1, 2026. The contest seeks music that speaks to the urgency, complexity, and hope of the current moment, inspired by the protest and folk movements of the 1960s and 70s in the U.S. and Latin America’s Nueva Canción tradition.
Entries in any style or language—including English and Spanish—are welcome, and no fee is required. The winning song will receive $1,000, with two runners-up receiving $500 each. The top ten songs will be featured in a concert at Joe’s Pubon August 21, 2026. Mexican musical theatre artist Jaime Lozano will emcee the event.
“Music unites and energizes a community and gives us strength when confronted with so many disheartening and divisive forces,” said Nancy Nachama Cheser, the contest’s creator. Lozano added, “Art should be a reflection of its times and what a better way to speak up than using music, through song. Music has saved me many times and this contest is an invitation to raise our voices together as a community.”
The contest is sponsored by The Familia and the Saul N. Silbert Charitable Trust, with Cheser serving as co-organizer alongside Lozano and Florencia Cuenca. The team aims to foster creative responses to social and political challenges through music.
For more information and submissions, visit www.whenvoicesrise.com.
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