Today marks the launch of the second annual MusiCares® and GRAMMY Foundation® Teen Substance Abuse Awareness through Music Contest. Announced by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, along with MusiCares and the GRAMMY Foundation—the two nonprofit organizations of The Recording Academy®—the contest asks young musicians, ages 14-18, to compose or create an original song and/or music video that explores, encourages, and celebrates a healthy lifestyle or accurately depicts a story about drug abuse. Winners will be revealed during NIDA's second annual National Drug Facts Week, which begins Oct. 31, 2011.
"The quality of last year's entries was so impressive that the contest is launching earlier this year to give more students a chance to participate," said NIDA Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow. "This competition gives teens a unique opportunity to express and share their feelings and experiences about how living a drug-free life helps them navigate their way safely into adulthood."
"When we launched this contest last year, we thought it would be an ideal way to showcase aspects of our nonprofit missions—music education for young people for the GRAMMY Foundation and health and human services and addiction recovery for MusiCares," said Neil Portnow, president/CEO of the GRAMMY Foundation, MusiCares, and The Recording Academy®. "The submissions from teens were so powerful and moving that we are eager to see the results of this year's campaign, and continue to spread the word to young people about the toll of addiction and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle."
The first place winner will be invited to Los Angeles to attend the 54th annual GRAMMY Awards® Backstage Experience, a special backstage tour that takes place while artists rehearse for the live GRAMMY® Awards. In addition, the first, second and third place winners will have their musical entries posted on the GRAMMY365®website and the MTV Act blog, as well as on the Above the Influence campaign site sponsored by the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign—a program of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. All winners will receive a small cash award from the Visions Adolescent Treatment Center in Malibu, Calif., and a certificate from NIDA acknowledging their role in the dissemination of health information about substance abuse. NIDA will provide technical expertise in the judging process, with points given for an accurate depiction of the subject matter.
Original music compositions or compositions with accompanying videos must be sent to MusiCares postmarked no later than Monday, Oct.10, 2011. Entries must be no more than three minutes long. More information can be found on the National Drug Facts Week website: drugfactsweek.drugabuse.gov.
Entry address:
Ms. Erica Krusen
MusiCares and GRAMMY Foundation Teen Substance Abuse Music Contest
3030 Olympic Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90404