Ise-Shima Art Company, a Japanese competition organiser, has opened entries for the seventh ISAC International Popular and Media Music Composition Competition. The deadline is 31 January 2027 at 23:59 GMT, with results planned for 28 February 2027. There is no restriction on the nationality or age of entrants, which puts it within reach of songwriters, producers and screen composers working anywhere in Africa.
The competition takes pop songs, vocal and instrumental music, jazz, computer-produced music, Vocaloid works, and music for film and games, with no limit on instrumentation or duration. Each work must have a single composer and jointly composed works are not eligible, although other people may contribute lyrics, arrangement, performance, vocals, recording or production. Judging is on compositional craft, originality and sound design. Entry is online and requires a public audio or video URL the jury can open without a login, a password or individual approval; a score, lyrics and a work-description PDF are optional.
This is a paid-entry competition, and the economics are worth reading before anyone commits. The fee is JPY 5,000 per work, rising to JPY 7,000 in the final 14 days before the deadline, with optional consolidated jury feedback at a further JPY 5,000 per work. Payment is by credit card or PayPal only, which is the practical obstacle for entrants in markets where neither is simple to reach. Against that, prize money totals JPY 100,000 for the Grand Prize, normally awarded to one work and at most two, which would split the amount, plus roughly 35 Special Prizes that carry a certificate rather than cash. The organiser says prize winners and their works are featured on its website and social channels.
Competition organiser Sumio Kobayashi submitted the call to The InterSpace Daily as a disclosed notice, requesting free editorial consideration only and stating that no paid advertising, coverage, distribution, membership or reciprocal-link arrangement is authorised. We have no relationship with the organiser, we do not vet competitions, and this is not a recommendation to enter. Read the rules in full before paying any fee.
The official rules and the application form are at en.iseshimaart.com.
