1. It is the aim of OPPA – International Bard Festival to support, develop and disseminate the work of authors/songwriters/performers.

2. OPPA is organised by “Ballada” Literary and Music Society.

3. OPPA consists of the competition, non-competition concerts and accompanying events.
 

1. Only persons being the sole authors, songwriters and performers of songs entered in the competition are allowed to take part therein.
1.1. Only the person who actually sings a song (sings the lead vocals, rather than backing vocals in the case of a group) is regarded the song’s performer.
1.2. No co-authorship is allowed. All lyrics and music of any single song entered has to be written by one and the same person.
1.3. Only individual persons and not groups are allowed to the competition. Where a person has been an integral part of a group, with which it performs in the competition, the name of the group may also be mentioned along with the leader’s name.

2. An application to start in the competition should include the following:
2.1. the Applicant’s name, first name, nationality, date of birth, phones, e-mail and address;
2.2. in the case of an accompanying group: a list of its members (names and instruments played);
2.3. lyrics of five songs entered, in A-4 size, in digital format .doc or .rtf ;
2.4. either demo or professional recordings of the songs entered in digital format .mp3 (bitrate 128 kbps);
2.5. an information on the Applicants’ previous artistic achievements;
2.6. an information on the Applicant’s needs as regards sound amplification during his/her performance.

3. For the deadline for filing applications and the address where they should be sent: see at the end of these Regulations. Polish, English, Russian and French languages are allowed for correspondence.

4. Applications should be send exclusively by e-mail.

5. In exceptional, justified cases the Organiser may extend the deadline for filing an application.

6. The Competition shall consist of three subsequent stages:

- basic, in which the OPPA Artistic Council shall judge the applications received;
- semi-final, in which the the OPPA Artistic Council shall evaluate Competitors’ stage performance before the audience;
- final, in which the OPPA Jury shall evaluate Competitors’ stage performance before the audience.

7. Information on results of subsequent stages of the Competition shall be published on the Festival’s web site.

8. Before entering the semi-final stage of the Competition, a Competitor shall be required to pay the inscription fee in the amount of PLN 50,- (cash) to the SLM "Ballada" desk office.

9. In semi-final each Competitor shall perform two songs.

10. The OPPA Artistic Council shall judge literary, musical and performing level of the songs performed, emphasising the Author’s individuality. Decisions made by the OPPA Artistic Council shall be irrevocable and require no justification.

11. The OPPA Artistic Council, knowing an Artist’s work, shall have the right to invite him or her to right to the semi-final or final stage, without respective previous stages.

12. The OPPA Jury shall be composed of renowned authors and songwriters as well as music media and the Artistic Council representatives.

13. For the final stage each competitor shall prepare five author’s songs, two of which shall be performed during the “Grand Final” concert, and the other three - in case he or she becomes the winner –in “The Golden Five” concert.

14. The Jury shall select one winner of the top prize: the Jonasz Kofta Award out of the winners of the final stage. The prize consists of co-funding of the artist’s recording session and a record release. Other winners’ prizes are gifts.

15. Competitors in the final stage of the OPPA competition shall award the organisers, free of any charge, the rights to make radio and/or TV recording or their performance and to publish their songs, performed during the OPPA concerts, on any carriers.

16. Any costs of travel and accommodation shall be borne by competitors.

17. Participants of the final stage of the competition shall have the right to enter all concerts of the OPPA festival free of charge.

18. Interprettion of the provisions of these Regulation shall rest with the OPPA organisers exclusively.