Calling Musicians and Artists to the New York Coffee Festival in September

From the inaugural New York Coffee Music Project in 2015.

Drawing heavily on the connections between coffee and creative culture, the New York Coffee Festival, in its second year, is reprising two contests designed to shine a light on the work of emerging artists and musicians.

The Coffee Music Project and The Coffee Art Project are both free to enter and winners of each will receive cash prizes as well as other rewards such as auction support (art contest) or recording opportunities (music contest). Any profits from the event will support Project Waterfall, the UK-based charity that works to provide clean water in coffee-growing communities.

For the music project, musicians first must submit two YouTube videos of original songs, and 36 contestants will be selected to perform live in qualifying rounds on Sept. 11-13 at Pianos NYC in the East Village. Nine contestants will then be chosen to perform during the New York Coffee Festival on Sept. 16-18, while the finals will be held at Webster Hall. The winner of the competition will receive $1,000 cash, a free recording session and a trip to London to perform the headline slot at The London Coffee Festival 2017.

The winner of The Coffee Art Project — in which artists are asked to submit “a piece of artwork that represents a creative, unique and personal connection to the concept of ‘coffee’ or ‘coffee shop experience'” — will receive $1,500 cash, with two runners up receiving $500 each. Submissions selected for the contest will also be on display throughout the New York Coffee Festival.

The deadlines to enter both competitions come in August. Follow these links for details:

The Coffee Music Project

The Coffee Art Project