GET IN THE LOOP!
The 2026 Musicworks Electronic Music Composition Contest is open

Our annual juried contest spotlights new musical talent from around the world, offering four cash
prizes and opportunities to be heard and published. In 2025, we received 127 submissions from 17
countries, including Canada, U.S.A., U.K., Italy, France, Japan, and others.

First prize: $500, a composer profile in Musicworks in 2027, and the composition released on the
accompanying Musicworks CD.

Second prize: $200 and composer coverage on musicworks.ca in 2027.

Third prize: $100 and composer coverage on musicworks.ca in 2027.

Marcelle Deschênes Prize in Electronic Music / prix Marcelle Deschênes pour la musique électronique: $300 and a composer profile in 2027. This prize is open to entrants who self-identify as female or non-binary.

REQUIREMENTS
Compose and submit an experimental piece in any electronic-music genre—acousmatic, electroacoustic, glitch, soundscape, intelligent dance music (IDM), turntable art, or video music. The contest is open to entries from anywhere in the world and from artists at any stage of their careers. Pieces must be previously unpublished (i.e. not released on a commercially available
recording at the time of submission).

Maximum length: 10 minutes.
Accepted file types: MP3 or MP4 only.
Contest entry fee: $30. Unlimited additional entries are $5 each.

All entrants receive a one-year print subscription to Musicworks ($44–$59 value).
Contest closes November 9, 2026

Prize details, eligibility, assessment criteria, rules and restrictions, and the entry portal can be found at:

bit.ly/2026EMCContest

For more information, contact Taylor Kozak at manager@musicworks.ca.

*Cash prizes and entry fees are listed in Canadian dollars.

Musicworks is a non-profit organization supported by financial assistance from the Government of Canada, Canada Council for the
Arts, Canadian Heritage, Ontario Arts Council, SOCAN Foundation, advertising, paid subscriptions, and donations.