A citywide call to create Miami’s next great anthem

What does Miami sound like to you?

Maybe it’s the rhythm of Little Havana, the pulse of Wynwood, the salt air of Biscayne Bay, or the late-night glow of the city’s music scene.

Elevate Miami, the University of Miami Frost School of Music, and Guitars Over Guns invite you to write and submit an original song for and about Miami.

We are looking for songs that express pride, belonging, resilience, joy, memory, and love for Miami and its people - songs where Miamians can find their own story.

All genres are welcome, including pop, Latin, hip-hop, R&B, jazz, fusion, indie, electronic, classical, spoken word with music, and beyond.

Selected finalists will be celebrated publicly and amplified across the city, with opportunities for live performance, storytelling, and citywide recognition.

What we are hoping to hear

This is not a songwriting formula. Every genre and style is welcome. But the songs that tend to rise to the top often do one or more of the following:

• Capture a feeling about Miami that people recognize instantly
• Tell a story about the city, its neighborhoods, or its people
• Create a chorus or hook that people want to sing along with
• Express pride, love, memory, or resilience connected to Miami

A great song might make someone say: “That feels like Miami.”

WHO CAN ENTER

The contest is open to anyone with a meaningful connection to Miami. Residency in Miami-Dade County is not required.

Two categories:

• Youth: under 18 at time of submission
• Adult: 18 and over

Notes:

• Only one submission per entrant
• Youth entrants must have parent or guardian consent if selected as a finalist or award recipient

YOUTH ENTRANTS

Participants under the age of 18 may submit entries with the consent of a parent or legal guardian.

Entrants must be under 18 years of age at the time of submission.

If an award recipient is under 18 years of age:

• Any monetary award will be issued to the participant’s parent or legal guardian on behalf of the minor.
• Elevate Prize Foundation may require a signed parental consent and release form prior to issuing any award.
• Parent or guardian consent may also be required for publicity, performances, or related program participation.

SONG REQUIREMENTS

Submitted songs must:

• Be an original work created by the entrant(s)
• Be no longer than 3 minutes and 30 seconds
• Include original lyrics
• Be submitted in a format and at a quality suitable for public listening
• Identify all collaborators
• Identify one lead composer or collaborator if multiple contributors are involved

Entrants represent and warrant that they are the sole owners of the submitted work or have secured all necessary permissions from collaborators.

WHAT TO SUBMIT

Please submit the following:

• A streaming link to your song (SoundCloud, Disco, or similar platform)  File uploads or Dropbox links will not be accepted.
• A short artist bio (100 words) describing you and your connection to Miami
• Full names of all collaborators and identification of the lead collaborator
• Disclosure of any AI tools used in the creation process (see AI policy below)

All entries must be submitted through Submittable. Submissions sent by email or social media will not be considered.

If you do not already have a Submittable account, you will be prompted to create a free account.

SUBMISSION PERIOD

Submissions open: March 2, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET  

Submissions close: EXTENDED! Now through April 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET

Late submissions will not be accepted.

AWARDS

Awards in each category (Adult and Youth):

• First Prize Award: $10,000
• Second Prize Award: $2,500
• Third Prize Award: $1,000

• Awards may be subject to applicable taxes.
• In the Youth category, awards will be issued to a parent or legal guardian on behalf of the minor.
• Additional recognitions or honors may be added depending on the quality and volume of submissions.
• Winners will be announced in May 2026.

JUDGING AND SELECTION PROCESS

Screening Round  Student screeners from the Frost School of Music and Guitars Over Guns will review submissions through an anonymous screening process.

Expert Judging Round  An independent panel of artists and music industry professionals will review semifinalists and recommend finalists.

Judges may include:

• Faculty and leaders from the University of Miami Frost School of Music
• Artists, producers, and music educators
• Leaders from Guitars Over Guns and other music organizations

Conflict-of-interest safeguards will be enforced to ensure fairness.

Evaluation Criteria

Judges may evaluate submissions based on:

• Emotional and lyrical connection to Miami
• Musicality and craftsmanship
• Originality
• Artistic excellence and performance quality
• Potential for broad public resonance
• Radio friendliness

Questions artists might consider:

• Is the song authentically connected to Miami?
• Does it make someone feel something about this city?
• Is it memorable?
• Is it distinctly original?
• Is it simply a great song?

PUBLIC VOTING

May 2026 (dates TBC)

Finalists will advance to a public voting phase hosted on Submittable.

Public voting provides community input and may be considered alongside expert judging and other factors in determining award recipients.

Judging panels, partners, and public voting provide advisory input only. Final award decisions are made at the sole discretion of Elevate Prize Foundation, doing business as Elevate Cities.

WINNER AMPLIFICATION

Finalists and winning artists may receive opportunities such as:

• Public performances at major Miami venues or civic events
• Media coverage
• Social and digital amplification
• Participation in future Elevate Cities music initiatives and storytelling programs

Performance invitations are optional and are not required in order to receive an award.

USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

We align with policies adopted by ASCAP, BMI, and SOCAN regarding AI in music creation.

AI tools may be used as part of the creative process if meaningful human authorship is present.

• Works that are entirely AI-generated without substantive human authorship are not eligible.
• Prompts alone do not constitute human authorship.
• Partially AI-generated works must include meaningful human creative contribution.
• Entrants must disclose whether and how AI tools were used in the creation of the submission.

Copyright protects original expression created by human authors, even if AI tools were used to assist the process. Purely AI-generated material is not protected.

RIGHTS AND OWNERSHIP

For purposes of this section, "Program Partners" means the University of Miami Frost School of Music, Guitars Over Guns, and any official Elevated Tracks 305 event producers, broadcasters, or civic collaborators formally designated by Elevate Cities.

Our guiding principle: Artists own their work. We amplify it.

Ownership  Artists retain full copyright ownership of their compositions and recordings.

Nothing in this program transfers ownership to Elevate Cities or its Program Partners.

License to Elevate Cities

By submitting a song, entrants grant Elevate Cities and its Program Partners a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide license to use the submitted work for civic, cultural, educational, promotional, and archival purposes related to Elevated Tracks 305 and related Elevate Cities programming.

This license includes the right to:

• Publicly perform the work at events
• Stream or display the work on websites and social media
• Synchronize excerpts of the work with video for promotional storytelling
• Include excerpts in promotional trailers or event documentation
• Edit or excerpt the work for promotional use

Elevate Cities may sublicense these rights only to official program partners or collaborators associated with Elevated Tracks 305.

Non-Commercial Use

The work itself will not be sold, commercially licensed, or monetized as a standalone revenue-generating asset by Elevate Cities.

The work may appear at ticketed events or on monetized platforms where monetization is incidental to broader programming.

Artist Rights Preserved

Artists remain free to release, distribute, license, monetize, or otherwise commercially exploit their work independently.

Representations and Warranties

By submitting, entrants represent and warrant that:

• They are the owners of the submitted work or have permission from all collaborators
• The work is original
• The work does not infringe the rights of any third party
• Any samples or third-party material used have been properly cleared
• All collaborators are properly credited

Entrants agree to indemnify and hold harmless Elevate Cities and its Program Partners from any claims arising from a breach of these representations.

Finalist Agreement

Finalists and winners may be required to sign a separate Artist Agreement confirming these terms before participating in performances, broadcasts, recordings, or receiving awards.

ACCESSIBILITY

We are committed to making Elevated Tracks welcoming and accessible to all.

If you require accessibility support or reasonable accommodations, please contact:  ich39@miami.edu

PROGRAM AUTHORITY AND TERMS

Elevate Prize Foundation, a private operating foundation doing business as Elevate Cities, authorizes Elevated Tracks 305 as part of its charitable mission to celebrate creativity, civic pride, and community leadership.

This program is designed as an educational and cultural initiative that elevates local voices and supports artistic expression.

All awards are made at the sole discretion of Elevate Prize Foundation, doing business as Elevate Cities.

Judging panels, partners, and public voting may provide advisory input, but the Foundation retains sole and final authority over:

• Program design
• Evaluation processes
• Selection of award recipients

MODIFICATION OR CANCELLATION

Elevate Prize Foundation reserves the right to modify, suspend, or cancel the program if necessary due to unforeseen circumstances.

GOVERNING LAW

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida.

Submission of an entry constitutes acceptance of these terms.

A citywide call to create Miami’s next great anthem

What does Miami sound like to you?

Maybe it’s the rhythm of Little Havana, the pulse of Wynwood, the salt air of Biscayne Bay, or the late-night glow of the city’s music scene.

Elevate Miami, the University of Miami Frost School of Music, and Guitars Over Guns invite you to write and submit an original song for and about Miami.

We are looking for songs that express pride, belonging, resilience, joy, memory, and love for Miami and its people - songs where Miamians can find their own story.

All genres are welcome, including pop, Latin, hip-hop, R&B, jazz, fusion, indie, electronic, classical, spoken word with music, and beyond.

Selected finalists will be celebrated publicly and amplified across the city, with opportunities for live performance, storytelling, and citywide recognition.

What we are hoping to hear

This is not a songwriting formula. Every genre and style is welcome. But the songs that tend to rise to the top often do one or more of the following:

• Capture a feeling about Miami that people recognize instantly
• Tell a story about the city, its neighborhoods, or its people
• Create a chorus or hook that people want to sing along with
• Express pride, love, memory, or resilience connected to Miami    

A great song might make someone say: “That feels like Miami.”

WHO CAN ENTER

The contest is open to anyone with a meaningful connection to Miami. Residency in Miami-Dade County is not required.

Two categories:

• Youth: under 18 at time of submission
• Adult: 18 and over

Notes:

• Only one submission per entrant
• Youth entrants must have parent or guardian consent if selected as a finalist or award recipient

YOUTH ENTRANTS

Participants under the age of 18 may submit entries with the consent of a parent or legal guardian.

Entrants must be under 18 years of age at the time of submission.

If an award recipient is under 18 years of age:

• Any monetary award will be issued to the participant’s parent or legal guardian on behalf of the minor.
• Elevate Prize Foundation may require a signed parental consent and release form prior to issuing any award.
• Parent or guardian consent may also be required for publicity, performances, or related program participation.

SONG REQUIREMENTS

Submitted songs must:

• Be an original work created by the entrant(s)
• Be no longer than 3 minutes and 30 seconds
• Include original lyrics
• Be submitted in a format and at a quality suitable for public listening
• Identify all collaborators
• Identify one lead composer or collaborator if multiple contributors are involved

Entrants represent and warrant that they are the sole owners of the submitted work or have secured all necessary permissions from collaborators.

WHAT TO SUBMIT

Please submit the following:

• A streaming link to your song (SoundCloud, Disco, or similar platform)  File uploads or Dropbox links will not be accepted.
• A short artist bio (100 words) describing you and your connection to Miami
• Full names of all collaborators and identification of the lead collaborator
• Disclosure of any AI tools used in the creation process (see AI policy below)

All entries must be submitted through Submittable. Submissions sent by email or social media will not be considered.

If you do not already have a Submittable account, you will be prompted to create a free account.

SUBMISSION PERIOD

Submissions open: March 2, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET  

Submissions close: EXTENDED! Now through April 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM ETLate submissions will not be accepted.

AWARDS

Awards in each category (Adult and Youth):

• First Prize Award: $10,000
• Second Prize Award: $2,500
• Third Prize Award: $1,000

• Awards may be subject to applicable taxes.
• In the Youth category, awards will be issued to a parent or legal guardian on behalf of the minor.
• Additional recognitions or honors may be added depending on the quality and volume of submissions.
• Winners will be announced in May 2026.

JUDGING AND SELECTION PROCESS

Screening Round  Student screeners from the Frost School of Music and Guitars Over Guns will review submissions through an anonymous screening process.

Expert Judging Round  An independent panel of artists and music industry professionals will review semifinalists and recommend finalists.

Judges may include:

• Faculty and leaders from the University of Miami Frost School of Music
• Artists, producers, and music educators
• Leaders from Guitars Over Guns and other music organizations

Conflict-of-interest safeguards will be enforced to ensure fairness.

Evaluation Criteria

Judges may evaluate submissions based on:

• Emotional and lyrical connection to Miami
• Musicality and craftsmanship
• Originality
• Artistic excellence and performance quality
• Potential for broad public resonance
• Radio friendliness

Questions artists might consider:

• Is the song authentically connected to Miami?
• Does it make someone feel something about this city?
• Is it memorable?
• Is it distinctly original?
• Is it simply a great song?

PUBLIC VOTING

May 2026 (Dates TBC)

Finalists will advance to a public voting phase hosted on Submittable.

Public voting provides community input and may be considered alongside expert judging and other factors in determining award recipients.

Judging panels, partners, and public voting provide advisory input only. Final award decisions are made at the sole discretion of Elevate Prize Foundation, doing business as Elevate Cities.

WINNER AMPLIFICATION

Finalists and winning artists may receive opportunities such as:

• Public performances at major Miami venues or civic events
• Media coverage
• Social and digital amplification
• Participation in future Elevate Cities music initiatives and storytelling programs

Performance invitations are optional and are not required in order to receive an award.

USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

We align with policies adopted by ASCAP, BMI, and SOCAN regarding AI in music creation.

AI tools may be used as part of the creative process if meaningful human authorship is present.

• Works that are entirely AI-generated without substantive human authorship are not eligible.
• Prompts alone do not constitute human authorship.
• Partially AI-generated works must include meaningful human creative contribution.
• Entrants must disclose whether and how AI tools were used in the creation of the submission.

Copyright protects original expression created by human authors, even if AI tools were used to assist the process. Purely AI-generated material is not protected.

RIGHTS AND OWNERSHIP

For purposes of this section, "Program Partners" means the University of Miami Frost School of Music, Guitars Over Guns, and any official Elevated Tracks 305 event producers, broadcasters, or civic collaborators formally designated by Elevate Cities.

Our guiding principle: Artists own their work. We amplify it.

Ownership  Artists retain full copyright ownership of their compositions and recordings.

Nothing in this program transfers ownership to Elevate Cities or its Program Partners.

License to Elevate Cities

By submitting a song, entrants grant Elevate Cities and its Program Partners a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide license to use the submitted work for civic, cultural, educational, promotional, and archival purposes related to Elevated Tracks 305 and related Elevate Cities programming.

This license includes the right to:

• Publicly perform the work at events
• Stream or display the work on websites and social media
• Synchronize excerpts of the work with video for promotional storytelling
• Include excerpts in promotional trailers or event documentation
• Edit or excerpt the work for promotional use

Elevate Cities may sublicense these rights only to official program partners or collaborators associated with Elevated Tracks 305.

Non-Commercial Use

The work itself will not be sold, commercially licensed, or monetized as a standalone revenue-generating asset by Elevate Cities.

The work may appear at ticketed events or on monetized platforms where monetization is incidental to broader programming.

Artist Rights Preserved

Artists remain free to release, distribute, license, monetize, or otherwise commercially exploit their work independently.

Representations and Warranties

By submitting, entrants represent and warrant that:

• They are the owners of the submitted work or have permission from all collaborators
• The work is original
• The work does not infringe the rights of any third party
• Any samples or third-party material used have been properly cleared
• All collaborators are properly credited

Entrants agree to indemnify and hold harmless Elevate Cities and its Program Partners from any claims arising from a breach of these representations.

Finalist Agreement

Finalists and winners may be required to sign a separate Artist Agreement confirming these terms before participating in performances, broadcasts, recordings, or receiving awards.

ACCESSIBILITY

We are committed to making Elevated Tracks welcoming and accessible to all.

If you require accessibility support or reasonable accommodations, please contact:  ich39@miami.edu

PROGRAM AUTHORITY AND TERMS

Elevate Prize Foundation, a private operating foundation doing business as Elevate Cities, authorizes Elevated Tracks 305 as part of its charitable mission to celebrate creativity, civic pride, and community leadership.

This program is designed as an educational and cultural initiative that elevates local voices and supports artistic expression.

All awards are made at the sole discretion of Elevate Prize Foundation, doing business as Elevate Cities.

Judging panels, partners, and public voting may provide advisory input, but the Foundation retains sole and final authority over:

• Program design
• Evaluation processes
• Selection of award recipients

MODIFICATION OR CANCELLATION

Elevate Prize Foundation reserves the right to modify, suspend, or cancel the program if necessary due to unforeseen circumstances.

GOVERNING LAW

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Florida.

Submission of an entry constitutes acceptance of these terms.