VARSOVIA STAGE
International Online Song Competition
Warsaw, Poland
Applications: 1 September – 25 November 2026
Results Announcement: 15–25 December 2026
1. General Information
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“Varsovia Stage” is an international online song competition.
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The competition is organized in Warsaw, Poland.
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The organizer of the competition is the SAR SARGSYAN CULTURAL ENTERTAINMENT Foundation (SSCE Foundation).
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Participation in the competition supports the statutory activities of the SAR SARGSYAN CULTURAL ENTERTAINMENT Foundation (SSCE Foundation) in the fields of culture, education, and the arts.
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The competition is open to participants of all nationalities performing songs in any language and musical style.
2. Competition Objectives
The objectives of the competition are:
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to discover, support, and promote talented performers from different countries around the world;
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to develop participants’ musical passion and artistic skills;
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to encourage cultural integration and international artistic exchange through music;
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to promote Polish songs and the achievements of Polish musical culture in the international environment;
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to provide an opportunity for vocal talents to be presented in an online format, especially for individuals who, for various reasons, are unable to participate in on-site competitions.
3. Participants
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The competition is open to participants of all nationalities without age restrictions.
The competition is held in the following categories:
A – Soloists
Category I – up to 9 years old
Category II – 10–13 years old
Category III – 14–17 years old
Category IV – 18–25 years old
Category V – 26 years old and above
B – Vocal Groups (duos, trios, and larger ensembles)
Category I – up to 13 years old
Category II – 14–20 years old
Category III – 21 years old and above
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In the case of vocal groups, the age category is determined by the average age of all members.
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The participant’s age is calculated as of the application deadline.
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For participants under the age of 18, the application must be submitted by a parent or legal guardian.
4. Repertoire
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Each participant performs one vocal piece.
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Participants may submit a second piece. It is recommended that the second piece differ in style or character in order to present a broader range of artistic abilities.
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If two pieces are submitted, each piece will be evaluated separately by the Jury.
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The repertoire, language, and musical style are unrestricted.
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The competition includes all musical genres performed in the form of a song.
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Original songs, cover versions, and crossover forms, including opera crossover, ethnic crossover, folk crossover, and similar musical styles, are permitted.
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The Organizer encourages participants to perform works by Polish composers and songwriters, as well as repertoire from Polish music culture, supporting the international promotion of Polish musical heritage.
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The song may be performed with a backing track or live accompaniment.
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The maximum performance time is 5 minutes.
5. Applications and Competition Materials
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Applications are accepted exclusively through the official application form available on the competition website.
The application must include:
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a properly completed application form;
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a link to the competition video published on YouTube (the video does not need to be publicly available and may be set as “unlisted”);
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a recent high-quality photograph of the participant;
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confirmation of the competition fee payment;
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a signed GDPR consent form (the form is available for download on the official competition website).
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For participants under the age of 18, the application must be submitted by a parent or legal guardian.
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Applications are accepted from 1 September to 20 November.
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All submitted competition materials will be published on the official competition website as part of the participants’ presentation gallery. The purpose of publication is to promote participants, facilitate the work of the Jury, and enable audiences to discover artists from different countries around the world. The materials will be available from 25 November to 25 December 2026.
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The video link must remain active until 25 December 2026.
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The Organizer reserves the right to reject incomplete applications or applications submitted after the deadline.
Recording Requirements
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The recording must feature the participant performing the submitted song.
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Recordings made using a mobile phone, camera, or any other recording device are accepted.
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Recordings made during concerts, festivals, competitions, or other live performances are permitted, provided that they meet the requirements set out in these Regulations.
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The recording must have been made no earlier than 12 months before the date of submission.
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The audio and video quality must allow the Jury to evaluate the performance properly.
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Recordings that have undergone studio processing or editing that alters the participant’s actual vocal abilities are not permitted, including Auto-Tune, pitch correction, or any other form of digital vocal modification.
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The Organizer recommends submitting recordings made in a single take.
6. Competition Fee / Donation
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Participation in the competition is subject to a fee.
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The competition fee for one song is 100 PLN for participants from Poland and 30 EUR for international participants.
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If a second song is submitted, an additional fee in the same amount is required.
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The competition fee is non-refundable.
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Any bank charges or currency conversion costs are the responsibility of the participant.
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Failure to provide proof of payment may result in rejection of the application.
Bank Details:
Recipient: Fundacja SAR SARGSYAN CULTURAL ENTERTAINMENT
Bank: PKO BANK POLSKI
Account Number: 48 1020 1042 0000 8102 0628 1390
IBAN: PL48 1020 1042 0000 8102 0628 1390
SWIFT/BIC: PKOPLPW
Transfer title: Donation _VARSOVIA STAGE _ participant’s full name
Important Information!
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The competition is organized by the SAR SARGSYAN CULTURAL ENTERTAINMENT Foundation (SSCE Foundation). By submitting an application, the participant supports the Organizer’s statutory activities related to culture, education, and the arts.
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Payments related to participation in the competition are accepted in the form of donations supporting the statutory activities of the Foundation.
7. Jury and Evaluation
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Participants’ performances are evaluated by an international Jury composed of artists, educators, music producers, and other experts connected with music and the arts.
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The Jury consists of 10 members. Information about the Jury members is published on the official competition website in the “Jury” section.
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The Jury evaluates participants based on the following criteria:
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vocal performance (intonation, vocal technique, voice production and control);
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artistic interpretation of the song;
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suitability of the repertoire to the performer’s age and abilities;
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overall artistic expression;
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originality and individuality of the performance.
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Each Jury member awards from 5 to 10 points.
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The final result is the sum of all points awarded by the Jury members.
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The Jury has the right to award multiple equal places or not to award a particular place.
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The decisions of the Jury are final and cannot be appealed.
8. Awards and Results
The following awards are presented in the competition:
a. 1st, 2nd, 3rd Place and Certificate of Participation
b. Special Awards:
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Best Performance of a Polish Song;
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Best Original Song;
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Best Performance of an International Song – a song performed in a language other than Polish;
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Best Artistic Interpretation.
c. Grand Prix of the Competition;
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The Grand Prix of the Competition is awarded to the participant who achieves the highest score and is selected by the majority of the Jury members as the best participant of the entire competition.
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Places are awarded according to the number of points received:
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1st Place – 90 – 100 points;
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2nd Place – 80 – 89 points;
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3rd Place – 70–79 points;
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Certificate of Participation – 50-69 points.
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Since places are awarded according to the number of points obtained, more than one participant may receive the same place within a category.
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The Jury reserves the right not to award selected Special Awards if there are no candidates meeting the criteria of a particular award.
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Winners of 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place, as well as recipients of the Certificate of Participation, receive an electronic diploma and an electronic certificate of appreciation for their teacher / instructor.
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The Grand Prix winner receives an electronic Grand Prix diploma, a trophy sent by the Organizer, and an invitation to participate in the Irena Santor “Vistula Sounds” International Festival without an application fee and without taking part in the qualification stage. Travel and accommodation costs are not covered by the Organizer.
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Winners of Special Awards receive an electronic Special Award diploma and a medal sent by the Organizer.
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Participants may receive invitations to international competitions, festivals, concerts, and other artistic projects cooperating with the Organizer.
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As an additional form of promotion of participants and their artistic activities, video recordings of the Grand Prix winner and Special Award winners may be published on the official website and social media profiles of the Organizer and the competition, subject to the consent of the winner or, in the case of minors, their parent or legal guardian.
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Competition results will be published on the official website and social media profiles of the competition between 20 December.
9. Consents and Final Provisions
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The participant or their parent/legal guardian consents to the processing of personal data related to the organization and implementation of the competition in accordance with applicable legal regulations.
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The participant declares that they hold the rights to the submitted competition materials and accepts full responsibility for their compliance with copyright regulations.
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The Organizer has the right to use submitted competition materials, photographs, and participant information free of charge for promotional, informational, and competition-related purposes.
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The Organizer shall not be held responsible for technical issues beyond its control, including problems related to the Internet, online platforms, or the transmission of materials.
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The Organizer reserves the right to amend these Regulations. Any changes will be published on the official competition website.
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In matters not covered by these Regulations, decisions shall be made by the Organizer.
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Submission of an application constitutes acceptance of these Regulations.