Songwriters who love the Mother Road, here’s your chance. And there’s money involved.
Santa Monica Travel & Tourism has invited music artists to create an original song that celebrates the city’s connection to Route 66 as part of the highway’s centennial next year. The top prize is $10,000.
The Route 66 Song Contest is open to artists older than 18 in 10 countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, reported the Santa Monica Daily Press.
Submissions will be accepted through April 30, with a winner selected in June. The contest is open to musicians in all genres. More details can be found here.
More from the article:
“The Santa Monica Route 66 Song Contest presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for music lovers to be part of this historic anniversary by invoking their artistic imagination and sharing what the road’s legacy and Santa Monica’s connection means to them,” said Misti Kerns, president and CEO of Santa Monica Travel & Tourism. “The arts are core to Santa Monica’s community and culture, and we’re pleased to invite artists from around the world to join us in creatively honoring this milestone.”
Santa Monica serves as the legendary western terminus of Route 66, with the highway officially ending at the intersection of Lincoln and Olympic boulevards. An honorary marker on the Santa Monica Pier commemorates the end point, where travelers can photograph their completion of the cross-country journey. […]
Mayor Lana Negrete emphasized the cultural importance of the contest during the announcement.
“Music crosses all lines, languages and culture, and it brings people together in a time of need,” Negrete said. “This is a really cool and sweet opportunity to honor the past, take into account all the things Santa Monica offers along Route 66 being the final stop.” […]
“We hope to see someone come up with something unique that talks a little bit about Santa Monica, but really about that American emblem road trip that takes you across our beautiful nation and ends right here at our beautiful coastal city,” she said.
(Image of the “End of the Trail 66” sign at Santa Monica Pier by Fintrvlr via Flickr)