Terms & Conditions
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1. Competition organiser
Cambridge Band Competition (CBC) is organised by Strawberry Fair C.I.C., company number 07638923.
For enquiries, please contact bandcomp@strawberry-fair.org.uk.
2. Entry and deadlines
2.1. Entry is open to solo artists, bands and other musical acts that meet the competition’s eligibility requirements.
2.2. Applications must be submitted through the official online entry form by Sunday 10 January 2027, at 18:00.
2.3. Each act must submit two accessible links to recordings of its music. Links to streaming or file-sharing platforms are accepted. File uploads and submissions by email will not be accepted.
2.4. Entries must contain accurate information. The organisers may request clarification or supporting information where reasonably necessary.
2.5. An act may submit one application per competition year. Individual musicians may participate in more than one competing act.
2.6. Previous participants, finalists and winners are welcome to enter again.
3. Geographical eligibility
3.1. At least 50% of an act’s performing members must meet one or both of the following criteria:
- Normally reside within a 30-mile straight-line radius of Cambridge city centre.
- Be currently studying at an educational institution located within Cambridge.
3.2. The 30-mile radius will be measured from Cambridge City Centre, Market Square, CB2 3QJ.
3.3. Students attending a Cambridge educational institution may qualify regardless of their permanent home address.
3.4. Members living outside the qualifying area may participate, provided at least half of the act’s performing members meet the eligibility requirements.
3.5. Only performing members are counted when assessing geographical eligibility.
3.6. The organisers reserve the right to request reasonable evidence of eligibility where there is a genuine question about whether the requirements have been met.
4. Age categories
4.1. The competition comprises two categories: Under 18s and Over 18s.
4.2. All ages will be assessed as of the date of the first competition heat, currently scheduled for Saturday 6 March 2027.
4.3. To qualify for the Under-18s category, more than 50% of the act’s performing members must be under 18 on that date.
4.4. Acts with 50% or more of their performing members aged 18 or over must enter the Over-18s category.
4.5. Where the act has an equal number of under-18 and over-18 members, it must enter the Over-18s category.
4.6. The presence of under-18 performers in an Over-18s act does not remove any applicable safeguarding, supervision or child performance requirements.
5. Band membership
5.1. Acts must provide an accurate line-up when applying.
5.2. Changes to performing members after submission are permitted with prior approval from the competition organisers.
5.3. Changes must not cause the act to become ineligible under the geographical or age criteria.
5.4. Any proposed changes should be communicated to the organisers as soon as reasonably possible.
6. Music and performance material
6.1. Cambridge Band Competition is primarily intended to showcase original music and songwriting. While cover versions are permitted, acts are strongly encouraged to perform and submit original material, particularly for the listening panel.
6.2. Innovation and originality are key judging criteria at both the listening-panel stage and live heats. Cover versions will generally receive lower scores for originality, which may significantly affect an act’s chances of progressing in the competition. Creative and substantially reimagined interpretations may, however, be recognised.
6.3. Copyright and ownership of original music remain with the relevant rights holders.
6.4. Submission of music does not grant Strawberry Fair ownership of the recordings or compositions.
7. Selection and judging
Listening panel
7.1. Applications will be reviewed by a listening panel, scheduled for Sunday 24 January 2027.
7.2. The listening panel will assess acts using three criteria:
- Technical ability
- Innovation and originality
- The Strawberry Factor, including suitability for the Strawberry Fair audience
7.3. Each category will be marked out of 10, giving a maximum score of 30 per act.
7.4. Stage presence will not be formally scored during the listening-panel stage.
Live heats
7.5. Selected acts will be invited to participate in the live heats.
7.6. Live performances will be assessed against four criteria:
- Technical ability
- Innovation and originality
- Stage presence
- The Strawberry Factor
7.7. Judges are expected to assess acts fairly, irrespective of personal musical preferences, and to declare any material conflicts of interest.
8. Progression to the final
8.1. One act from each heat will be selected by the judges to progress to the final.
8.2. One additional act will progress to the final as the audience favourite, determined by audience votes received across all heats combined. There will be one audience-favourite finalist across the competition, not one per heat.
8.3. The audience-voting process, including eligibility to vote, how votes are counted and how duplicate qualification or tied results are handled, will be published before voting begins.
8.4. The judges’ decisions on artistic merit are final, although participants may raise concerns about administrative errors or failures to follow the published rules.
9. Heats and final
9.1. The 2027 heats are planned for Saturdays throughout March and the first Saturday in April.
9.2. The final is scheduled for Saturday 8 May 2027.
9.3. Category-specific dates, venues and performance arrangements will be confirmed by the organisers.
9.4. Selected acts must confirm their availability to attend the relevant heat and final.
9.5. Performance lengths, equipment requirements, soundchecks and stage times will be communicated in advance.
9.6. If an act cannot attend its allocated performance, the organisers may withdraw its place and offer the opportunity to another eligible act.
10. Prizes
10.1. Prizes may differ between the Under-18s and Over-18s competition categories.
10.2. Prizes may include cash awards, non-cash awards, performance opportunities or other benefits, subject to the eligibility requirements and applicable legislation.
10.3. The availability and distribution of cash prizes will be determined by the organisers, taking account of any applicable legal, licensing and safeguarding requirements.
10.4. Full details of the prizes, eligibility requirements and any conditions attached to them will be published before the relevant competition heats begin.
10.5. No entrant is guaranteed a cash prize or other award by virtue of entering or participating in the competition.
11. Under-18 participants and safeguarding
11.1. Acts containing performers under 18 must identify an appropriate adult contact and comply with the competition’s safeguarding arrangements.
11.2. Necessary parental or guardian permissions must be obtained before an under-18 performer participates.
11.3. Where applicable, the organisers will establish the requirements for child performance licences, exemptions, supervision and chaperones.
11.4. Participating acts and their responsible adults must cooperate with reasonable safeguarding and venue safety requirements.
11.5. These requirements apply to all performers under 18, including those participating in the Over-18s category.
12. Photography, filming and publicity
12.1. Strawberry Fair may seek to photograph, film or record competition performances for event coverage and promotional purposes.
12.2. Appropriate permissions will be obtained for the intended use of identifiable performers’ images, videos and recordings.
12.3. Where children are involved, additional permissions and safeguarding considerations will apply.
12.4. Promotional permissions will be managed separately from acceptance of these Terms & Conditions.
12.5. Declining optional promotional photography or filming will not automatically disqualify an act.
12.6. Entrants retain ownership of their submitted promotional materials, subject to any permissions or licences expressly granted for their use.
13. Data protection
13.1. Personal information will be collected and processed for competition administration, eligibility assessment, judging, communication and performance arrangements.
13.2. Relevant information may be shared with authorised competition personnel, judges, venues and service providers where appropriate and lawful.
13.3. The handling, retention and protection of personal information, including information relating to children, will be explained in the competition’s Privacy Notice.
13.4. Personal information will not be used for unrelated marketing without an appropriate lawful basis.
14. Withdrawals, changes and cancellations
14.1. The organisers may reject or withdraw an entry where an act fails to meet the eligibility requirements or provides materially inaccurate information.
14.2. The organisers may make reasonable changes to dates, venues or competition arrangements where necessary, including circumstances outside their control.
14.3. Affected acts will be informed of significant changes as soon as reasonably practicable.
14.4. Any changes to published judging or audience-voting procedures must be communicated transparently and must not unfairly disadvantage participating acts.
15. Conduct, disqualification and removal
15.1. All participating acts and their members are expected to behave respectfully and appropriately towards fellow performers, judges, organisers, volunteers, venue staff and members of the public.
15.2. Strawberry Fair and the Cambridge Band Competition organisers reserve the right to refuse entry, suspend participation or disqualify any act at any stage of the competition, including during or after a heat or final, where they reasonably consider that an act or any of its members has:
- Engaged in threatening, abusive, discriminatory, harassing, bullying or otherwise seriously inappropriate behaviour.
- Behaved in a manner that compromises the safety, wellbeing or enjoyment of others.
- Breached competition rules, venue regulations or applicable laws.
- Engaged in conduct, including activity on social media or other public platforms, that is reasonably considered to bring Strawberry Fair or Cambridge Band Competition into serious disrepute.
- Acted in a way that materially disrupts the competition or undermines its fair and inclusive operation.
15.3. The organisers reserve the right to require an act or individual member to leave a competition event immediately where necessary for safety, safeguarding or the proper running of the event.
15.4. Decisions regarding suspension or disqualification will be made at the organisers’ reasonable discretion, taking account of the nature and seriousness of the circumstances. Where reasonably practicable, the act concerned will be given an opportunity to respond before a final decision is made.
15.5. Where an individual member’s conduct gives rise to concerns, the organisers may, at their discretion, permit the act to continue with an approved replacement member, provided the act continues to meet the competition’s eligibility requirements.
15.6. Disqualified acts will not be entitled to progress further in the competition or receive any prize that has not already been awarded.
16. Acceptance of terms
16.1. By submitting an application, the applicant confirms that they have read and agree to these Terms & Conditions.
16.2. The applicant confirms they are authorised to enter the act and will share relevant competition information with its members.
16.3. These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales.
Competition contact: bandcomp@strawberry-fair.org.uk