RULES OF THE COMPETITION
VI Lion’s World Song Festival For The Blind
“Sounds from the heart”
19–22 november 2026, Krakow, Poland
I. GENERAL PROVISIONS
1.1. These Rules (hereinafter referred to as the “Rules”) define the principles of organizing the VI Lion’s World Song Festival For The Blind “Sounds from the heart”, the final of which will take place in Kraków on 19–22 November 2026 (hereinafter referred to as the “Competition”).
1.2. The Organizers of the Competition are:
a) Lions Club Kraków Stare Miasto Association, KRS 0000101426
b) Lions Club Kraków Śródmieście Association, KRS 0000197291
hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Co-Organizers”.
1.3. The operational coordinator of the Competition and the administrator of the personal data of the participants of the Competition is Jacek Legendziewicz Jordan Group with its registered office in Kraków (31-535), 8 Gęsia Street, Poland (hereinafter referred to as the “Coordinator”).
1.4. Applications for the Competition are accepted from 1 September 2025, and the final stage of the Competition will take place in Kraków during the VI Lion’s World Song Festival For The Blind “Sounds from the heart” held on 19–22 November 2026.
1.5. The purpose of the Competition is to promote the musical creativity of blind and visually impaired people from all over the world, while ensuring equal access, respect, and compliance with the regulations of the European Union.
1.6. The Competition aims to recognize and reward blind or visually impaired artists who perform (sing or sing and play) musical works (hereinafter referred to as “Songs”).
II. COMPETITION APPLICATIONS
2.1. The Competition is open to performers who are blind or visually impaired, or to musical groups in which at least half of the members are blind or visually impaired. In case of doubt as to whether a person or group applying to the Competition meets the eligibility requirements, the Coordinator reserves the right to request confirmation of blindness or visual impairment, e.g., by presenting a disability certificate.
2.2. To take part in the Competition, between 1 September 2025 and 1 May 2026 (CET) applicants must:
a) complete the online registration form available at www.lionsfestival.org/pl/form, attach the Song submitted to the Competition, and accept these Rules, or
b) print the registration form from www.lionsfestival.org/pl/form, fill it in correctly, sign it, and then send a scan or photo of the completed form together with the Song recording submitted to the Competition to the email address: festiwal@jordan.pl
2.3. The application must include at least:
a) a recording of the submitted Song, maximum 6 minutes, in mp3 format (file up to 10mb) or mp4 H.265 video format (file up to 100mb), along with the indication of the author of the lyrics and the author of the music. If the Song is in video format and submitted online or via email, a link to the file must be included in the application,
b) the name and surname and country and city of origin of the performer (hereinafter referred to as the “Performer”) or the name and country and city of origin of the group (hereinafter referred to as the “Band”), together with a list of its members,
c) a photo of the Performer or Band in jpg format (0.5–1Mb),
d) a short biography of the Performer or a short note about the Band (min. 300 and max. 1000 characters),
e) a copyright declaration referred to in item 2.9.
2.4. If the application contains deficiencies or errors, the Coordinator may (but is not obliged to) contact the Performer or Band (using the contact details provided in the application) and request corrections or supplements. Any deficiencies may be corrected no later than 4 May 2026.
2.5. Applications may be submitted either by the individual Performer or by a representative of the Band.
2.6. The same Performer or Band may submit more than one Song, but each Song must be submitted as a separate application according to item 2.2.
2.7. The Competition particularly values original Songs, whose lyrics and music are the Performer’s or Band’s own work. The registration form must clearly state the authors of the lyrics and the music.
2.8. By submitting a Song to the Competition, the Performer or Band representative grants the Co-Organizers a free license to use the submitted Song by making it publicly available on the Internet on the Co-Organizers’ websites, in social media, and in press materials related to the Competition or the promotion of the Co-Organizers or the VI Lion’s World Song Festival For The Blind.
2.9. By submitting a Song, the Performer or Band representative declares and guarantees that the Song and its use by the Co-Organizers or Coordinator as described above does not infringe any third-party copyrights, neighboring rights, performers’ rights, or image rights.
2.10. By submitting an application, the Performer or Band representative grants the Co-Organizers consent to publicly share the submitted photo of the Performer or Band and the information provided in the registration form on the Co-Organizers’ websites, social media, and press materials in relation to the Competition or the promotion of the VI Lion’s World Song Festival For The Blind, and declares that such actions will not infringe third-party copyrights or personal rights.
2.11. Participation in the Competition is voluntary and free of charge. The Co-Organizers and Coordinator do not cover the costs of preparing the application and will not return submitted materials.
2.12. Participation in the Competition implies acceptance of these Rules and confirmation that the participant meets all eligibility requirements.
III. COURSE OF THE COMPETITION
3.1. Songs submitted to the Competition will be evaluated for their originality, artistic value, message, and performance quality by the Performer or Band (hereinafter referred to as the “Participants”).
3.2. From among the correctly and timely submitted applications, the Competition Jury will, by 15 May 2026, select 30 Songs (hereinafter referred to as “Semifinal Songs”) to proceed to the next stage of the Competition, hereinafter referred to as the “Semifinal.” The Jury will also prepare a reserve list containing additional Songs in order, which may enter the Semifinal in the event that a Participant whose Song was selected does not meet the condition for participation in the Semifinal referred to in item 3.5.
3.3. Regardless of the number of Songs submitted by a Participant (i.e., by a Performer or Band), only one Song per Participant may qualify for the Semifinal.
3.4. The list of Semifinal Songs, together with the names of the Participants performing them, will be published no later than 20 May 2026 on the Festival website and social media.
3.5. A condition of participation in the Semifinal is that the Participant confirms, by 7 June 2026, their ability to take part in the Semifinal. If a Participant who submitted a Semifinal Song does not wish or is unable to participate in the Semifinal, or does not confirm their participation in time, the opportunity to take part may be offered to a Participant whose Song is on the reserve list referred to in item 3.2.
3.6. The Semifinal will take place in Kraków during the VI Lion’s World Song Festival For The Blind “Sounds from the heart” (hereinafter referred to as the “Festival”) and will consist of a live public performance of the Song by the Performer or Band who submitted it, during the Semifinal concerts on 19 or 20 November 2026 (a detailed schedule will be provided to Participants before the Festival). Based on these performances, the Jury will select 10 finalists.
3.7. The Final of the Competition will take place during the Festival gala on 21 November 2026. The Competition Jury present at the Festival will select the winner of the Competition as well as the second and third prize winners. An Audience Award and a Journalists’ Award will also be granted.
3.8. The Co-Organizers will provide Participants taking part in the Semifinal with:
a) arrangement of the Song for symphonic orchestra or appropriate accompaniment according to the character of the Song and arrangements with the Participant, so that the Song can be presented in the best possible way during the Festival,
b) transfers for Participants from the airport or railway station in Kraków to the place of accommodation, as well as to rehearsals or Festival events if needed,
c) participation in the Festival, including the gala on 21 November 2026 and the ceremonial dinner after the gala,
d) assistance, if necessary, in obtaining visas to Poland in accordance with applicable regulations, by providing the Participant with an invitation to the Festival that may be used in visa procedures,
e) assistance, if necessary, in contacting a Lions Club operating in the Participant’s place or country of origin so that the Participant may explore the possibility of financial support for travel costs to Kraków.
3.9. The Co-Organizers do not cover the costs related to travel to Kraków for the Festival or any other travel expenses, including those connected with obtaining travel documents or a visa to Poland.
3.11. By taking part in the Semifinal or Final, Participants grant the Co-Organizers a free license to record their performances at the Festival (in the form of photos, audio, and audiovisual recordings) and to use such recordings and the Participant’s image on the Internet, particularly on the Festival’s and Co-Organizers’ websites and social media, as well as in other media in connection with the promotion of the Lion’s World Song Festival For The Blind or the Co-Organizers.
IV. PRIZES
4.1. The Competition includes the following prizes:
a) First Prize
b) Second Prize
c) Third Prize
d) Audience Award (by public voting)
e) Journalists’ Award
(hereinafter collectively referred to as “Prizes”).
4.2. Prizes will be awarded at the gala on 21 November 2026.
4.3. The winners list will be published on the Festival website and may be shared on Co-Organizers’ social media.
4.4. Participants cannot request cash equivalents or transfer the right to receive a Prize to another person.
4.5. The Competition winner will also be invited to perform at the next edition of the Festival.
V. COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
5.1. A written complaint regarding the Competition should include the Participant’s name, surname, telephone number, and email address, as well as an indication of the reasons for the complaint. The complaint may also contain the method of resolution proposed by the Participant.
5.2. All complaints should be submitted in writing to the address of the Coordinator’s registered office or directly at the Coordinator’s office: Jacek Legendziewicz Jordan Group, 8 Gęsia Street, 31-535 Kraków, Poland, during the Competition or within 2 weeks after its conclusion.
5.3. The Participant will be informed about the resolution of the complaint by email, sent to the address provided in the complaint, within 14 days from the date the complaint reaches the Coordinator.
VI. PERSONAL DATA
6.1. The administrator of the personal data of the Participants is Jacek Legendziewicz Jordan Group with its registered office in Kraków (31-535), 8 Gęsia Street, Poland (hereinafter also referred to as the “Administrator”). The processing of personal data will be carried out in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation).
6.2. Personal data will be processed for the purpose of organizing and conducting the Competition, for tax purposes (with regard to winners), for marketing purposes, as well as for defense against claims and for tax reporting purposes.
6.3. Providing personal data in the form of name, surname, contact details, and place of origin of the Participants is voluntary but necessary to take part in the Competition.
6.4. Participants have the right to access their data, and subject to the provisions of law, they also have the right to rectify, delete, restrict processing, transfer data, object, and withdraw consent at any time.
6.5. Participants have the right to lodge a complaint with the Personal Data Protection Office.
6.6. The Administrator declares that the Participants’ data will not be processed in an automated manner and will not be subject to profiling.
6.7. Participants’ data will not be shared with external entities except as required by law.
6.8. Participants’ data will be stored for the period necessary to achieve the purposes indicated above, until the expiry of limitation periods for claims related to participation in the Competition and the awarding of prizes, and until the expiry of tax-related limitation periods, i.e., 7 years.
6.9. The Administrator applies technical and organizational measures to properly secure the entrusted personal data, appropriate to the risks and categories of protected data. The Administrator has implemented appropriate measures to ensure a level of security corresponding to the risk, taking into account the state of technical knowledge, the cost of implementation, and the nature, scope, purpose, and context of processing, as well as the risk of violating the rights and freedoms of natural persons with varying likelihood and severity. In particular, the Administrator considers risks associated with data processing arising from:
a) accidental or unlawful destruction,
b) loss, modification, unauthorized disclosure of data,
c) unauthorized access to personal data transmitted, stored, or otherwise processed.
VII. FINAL PROVISIONS
7.1. These Rules are available at https://lionsfestival.org/en/regulamin and at the Coordinator’s office.
7.2. The Co-Organizers reserve the right to amend these Rules at any time without stating a reason, using appropriate forms of information and notification to the Competition Participants. Amendments to the Rules may not infringe rights acquired by Participants prior to the amendment or worsen the conditions of participation in the Competition.
7.3. The Competition complies with WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards and the European Accessibility Act (EAA).
7.4. In matters not regulated by these Rules, the provisions of Polish law shall apply. Any disputes will be settled in accordance with Polish law.