The Hot Springs Area Cultural Alliance will host the fourth annual Glover Awards for songwriting during the 10-day Arts & The Park festival later this month.
The event celebrates songwriters from any genre who wish to share their art with those attending the festival and allows a chance at winning a cash prize.
Entries are still being accepted for the competition through Monday and can be submitted at HotSpringsArts.org. Each song entry has a $20 submission fee.
"Finalists are selected by a panel of judges and invited to perform live on the Art Springs Stage for the final round of the competition" on Saturday, April 27, at 6 p.m. in Hill Wheatley Plaza, emceed by Arkansongs host Stephen Koch, a news release said.
The event, under two new co-chairs, Paul Tull and Charles Barnes, celebrates Hot Springs-born musician Henry Glover and his legacy. As a "pioneering African American songwriter, producer, arranger, A&R man and musician," Glover paved the way for the songwriting community.
The idea to honor Glover was presented by Koch, who will be emceeing the awards ceremony for the second year in a row.
Though this is the fourth year for the competition to take place, measures have been taken to restructure the event. HSACA Executive Director Liz Colgrove said she believes the changes will make positive strides in the direction the organization wants to grow the competition for the future.
"We began the competition in 2021 and it was very small. It was a wonderful event run by volunteers from the Cultural Alliance Board and as we grew we have brought in more people and more experts. Last year we expanded the event to include instrumental music and instrumental songwriting as well, but this year we decided we would stay more true to Henry Glover's own songwriting roots," Colgrove said.
Co-Chair Paul Tull emphasizes how the changes will benefit the competition as a whole.
"It's not even about the performance it's truly about the song which honors Mr. Glover's legacy. He really does have a colorful history of the genres that he has produced and the barriers he has broken down. He's one of those Arkansas gems," Tull said.
The finalists who are selected to perform live have the option of doing the performance themselves or having a proxy. There will be three top awards of $500, $250, and $100. The first-place winner will also receive a highly coveted Glover, "a handcrafted trophy constructed by artist Brad Wreyford using locally sourced materials," the release said.
"We have some strong songs that have already been submitted," Tull said. "We are ready to score them and listen to the best of the best."
There is no age minimum or limit for song submissions. If a songwriter younger than 18 is selected as a finalist to perform live, the organization will require parental consent.
"Arts & The Park festival runs from April 26 through May 5, with various events and locations in and around the Hot Springs area," the release said.
For more information, email [email protected]. or visit:
http://www.hotspringsarts.org