FaQ
Package FAQ’s
Can I up/downgrade my Package?
You can upgrade your package but you can’t downgrade. We suggest you read through the variety of packages available and make the right choice from the start as we can’t guarantee there will be alternative package spots available closer to the conference. This is especially true for the Gold packages, which will sell out quickly.
Can I bring my partner/family?
Of course you can! Choose the Blue package for your partner and for a small extra fee, an extra single bunk can be placed in your suite for your child. Contact us for details.
Can I sign up for the Gold package but stay in another hotel?
No. Take a look at the Silver package. It contains most of the inclusions as the Gold package, but does not include accommodation, breakfast or dinner, or jam sessions. The Bronze package is another option, but has fewer inclusions than the Silver.
How have the packages been calculated?
The package fees are made up of five (5) components;
- Conference fee
- Conference space hire
- Resort accommodation
- Food and included drinks
- Other Venue charges.
With the exception of the Blue Label spouses and partners, all conference attendees pay the conference fee which is $600. This fee pays for the cost of speakers fees, Faculty, flights, transfers, accommodation and meals, ASC staff expenses, administration costs, insurance, wages, brochures and programs, attendee conference kits (including a conference T-shirt)... the list goes on. We are also setting up some 'follow on' initiatives for attendees to continue with after the conference is over (more info on those is coming soon).
The rest of the package fee is made up of combinations of the other components depending on the inclusions of each package.
What's the deadline for payment?
The deposit fee of $200 needs to be received by 8th May 2008 to be guaranteed your place at the event. This is especially important for a Gold, Silver and Blue Label packages.
Contact us for current package availability
The balance of Gold, Silver and Blue Label package fees must be received by 22nd May 2008.
Bronze package sign up and payment can be extended to the end of May as this package doesn't include accommodation or catering.
This is the absolute last time the deadlines can be extended as we need to notify the venue of our accommodation and catering numbers by these dates.
You can pay your deposit with your credit card at the website, or send a cheque or money order (as long as it is received by 8th May). You can even pay via "Electronic Funds Transfer" if you do your banking online. Contact Lisa Butler on 0412 149 094 or via email for the EFT bank account details, if this is your preferred option.
Does the package fee cover the cost of alcoholic drinks?
All the packages include the drinks provided at the cocktail mixer on Saturday night. The Gold and Blue Label packages also include the drinks that will be served with dinner each evening and at the Open Mics. The drinks served at the late night jam sessions are not included in the package, but the drinks will be at regular club prices. Silver attendees who come to the Open Mics will need to purchase their own drinks. Drinks purchased at the bar must be paid for separately. The cost of food and drinks consumed from your resort suite ëMini Barí will charged to your credit card.
I understand that the hotel suites are twin share, but I’m coming to the conference alone. What are my accommodation options?
We will automatically team you up with another solo attendee (of the same gender!) in a 'Twin Share' situation. We will do our best to match you up with someone around the same age and songwriting genre.
If you don't want to twin share, but prefer to have your own suite, there is an extra charge of $186 on top of the gold package fee. If this is your prefered option, you need to contact Lisa Butler on 02) 4344 3260 or 0412 149 094 to discuss/arrange this.
I am a non-performing songwriter living in Sydney. Which package should I choose?
Your decision will come down to two things – what you want to get out of the conference, and what you can afford. We suggest you think about the level of networking that is available to Gold and Silver attendees. Maybe you are looking for other writers to collaborate with? So even though you may not wish to perform your songs at the Open Mics, you may wish to hear what everyone else is doing. The Gold package also allows you to network with the pros over meals. Its a great opportunity to chat in a relaxed and informal way with people who can really help you with your career. If you haven’t been writing for long, and you don’t feel ready to perform your songs to others, or to pitch them to publishers, then we suggest you look at the Bronze package. You will raise the level of your writing skills, still get to meet and spend time with the Faculty and other attendees, then go home at the end of the day.
Why do the Gold attendees get first preference of publishers to pitch songs to?
There are a couple of reasons:
- Practicality. We anticipate that most of the Gold attendees will be flying in from interstate on the Thursday afternoon or evening, so it makes sense to split the registrations up and get them settled in before the Silver and Bronze attendees rock up on Friday morning.
- It's a perk! Whilst we have done everything possible to keep the conference costs down, and we are confident that our package fees are more than comparable, we do realise that, even with the 15% discount, the Gold package fee is still a tidy sum for most struggling writers to fork out. We figure that if youíre prepared to make the effort to find the fee, you deserve some nice little extras ñ and first pitch choice is one of them!
Do I have to attend every day of the conference or can I just pay for the days I want to attend?
The package fees are set, so if you live in the Sydney area and only want to attend some of the seminars, we suggest you purchase the Bronze package. Please be aware though, that the bronze package does not allow for pitching songs to publishers, nor does it allow you to perform at the Open Mic sessions (although you are welcome to be part of the audience!) or the late night jam sessions (Gold attendees and Faculty only), and it doesn't include meals (except morning and afternoon tea). It is a "seminars only" package.
My spouse/family member/friend is coming to the conference with me on a Blue Label package.
Can they sit in on the conference seminars and song pitching sessions with me?
No. The seminars and song pitching sessions are for the Gold, Silver and Bronze attendees only. The Blue Label package is an 'accommodation and meals only' package and does not include the conference component, therefore Blue Label attendees are not permitted into the actual conference activities (except the Saturday night cocktail party).
An exception to this rule will be made for any conference attendee under the age of 16 years who has arranged to be accompanied by a parent/guardian, and for attendees with a disability requiring assistance throughout the day.
Does the purchase of a Bronze package include ATTENDANCE (as opposed to participation) in the open mic and jam sessions?
The late night Jam Sessions will be for Gold package attendees only, but the Open Mic audience will be open for everyone, including patrons of the Ettalong Beach Club & Mantra Resort.
The Open Mics will take place after dinner on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings between 9pm and 11pm approx and will be a great opportunity for all attendees to hear each other's work, make co-writing connections and network with each other. But please remember that only Gold and Silver package attendees can PERFORM at the Open Mics, and the Jam sessions are for Gold attendees and Faculty only.
Conference FAQ’s
Will there be seminars specific to my Genre?
All the main seminars will be genre non-specific, so it doesnít matter what genre you write, you will definitely benefit from them. The seminars run by our Australian songwriter professionals will deal with specific genres. So far, we will definitely cover Pop, R&B/Urban, Rock, Country, Christian, Blues/Roots and Folk, and Production as these are the most popular genres. Our decisions on other genres to be covered will be based on the information we receive from your sign up forms. If, for example, there are enough Hip Hop or Children's songwriters attending to warrant a seminar discussion on those genres, we will endeavour to fill that need.
Why is there a limit to the number of songs I can pitch?
The song pitch limit is based on the number of publishers we can afford to bring in, as well as the amount of space we can hire. If and when we gain major sponsorship for the event, we will then be able to look at this issue and hopefully allow everyone more pitch opportunities. So, if your Dad owns a multi-national corporation and has money that grows on trees, hit him up for a few bucks! We will gladly accept!
Will the conference include seminars on topics such as performance, promoting myself/my band, increasing CD sales, getting a record deal, etc?
No. There are plenty of festivals, expos and conferences that deal with these topics already. The Australian Songwriters Conference is designed to help you become a better songwriter and whilst there will be a couple of seminars discussing how to produce a good demo of your songs, how to approach publishers, and the various markets where songs are used, around 80% of the seminars relate to the actual craft of songwriting.
My spouse/family member/friend is coming to the conference with me on a Blue Label package.
Can they sit in on the conference seminars and song pitching sessions with me?
No. The seminars and song pitching sessions are for the Gold, Silver and Bronze attendees only. The Blue Label package is an 'accommodation and meals only' package and does not include the conference component, therefore Blue Label attendees are not permitted into the actual conference activities (except the Saturday night cocktail party).
An exception to this rule will be made for any conference attendee under the age of 16 years who has arranged to be accompanied by a parent/guardian, and for attendees with a disability requiring assistance throughout the day.
Does the purchase of a Bronze package include ATTENDANCE (as opposed to participation) in the open mic and jam sessions?
The late night Jam Sessions will be for Gold package attendees only, but the Open Mic audience will be open for everyone, including patrons of the Ettalong Beach Club & Mantra Resort.
The Open Mics will take place after dinner on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings between 9pm and 11pm approx and will be a great opportunity for all attendees to hear each other's work, make co-writing connections and network with each other. But please remember that only Gold and Silver package attendees can PERFORM at the Open Mics, and the Jam sessions are for Gold attendees and Faculty only.
Travel FAQ’s
Can you help me with my travel arrangements?
Yes we can! Call our trusty travel guru, Leslie Wright, at Travelworld Woy Woy on 02) 4341 7200. Leslie is assisting us with travel arrangements for the Faculty, and she will be happy to help you too.
How do I get from Sydney's Kingsford-Smith airport to the hotel?
Instructions coming soon.
I’m driving to the venue and need directions.
Directions coming soon.
ASC SONG CONTEST FAQ'S
Do I require a lyric sheet?
You can submit a lyric sheet if you want to but its not a necessity.
(unless you are entering the Lyric Only category of course!)
Should the CD only have the song title on it or can my name appear as well?
Your CD can have your name on it as it won't be sent to the judging panel, but it will help ASC staff keep the records straight! After the closing date, all the songs for each category will be placed onto CD's and sent to the judges with just the song titles on them so they don't know who the writers are.
Should all songs be on seperate CD's or can I put them all on one CD?
You can place all your song entries on the one CD. Just be sure to mark the track numbers and genre so we can check them against the songs on your entry form.
Should my name only appear on the entry form.
The name of the ASC attendee should go on the top of the entry form.
There is a space for the song Author/s in each song entry section. If you are entering songs that are co-written, include all the writers of the song in that section. Again, the entry form won't go to the judges - its for ASC record keeping.
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