Glastonbury Festival, Glastonbury Talent Competition

Glastonbury Festival, in association with Q Magazine, is pleased to announce the return of the Emerging Talent Competition for the 40th Anniversary Festival in 2010.

The Festival runs the annual competition to unearth the UK's top unsigned acts - then gives them a chance to perform on one of the Festival’s main music stages. In the last five years, the ETC has helped bring bands including The Subways, Golden Silvers, Scouting For Girls, Stornoway and We Have Band to prominence.

"The standard of acts who've entered over the past few years has been amazing," said Festival organiser Emily Eavis. "It's really inspiring to hear how much great music - of so many kinds - is being made in this country right now. I can't wait to hear what comes through this time."

This year there will be a double chance for acts to win. In addition to the 12 entrants selected for the live finals of the main competition, one early bird entrant (any act entering before Dec 31st) will be selected to play the Queen's Head Stage at Glastonbury 2010. The early bird winner will also remain in the competition, retaining their chance to be selected for the live finals and, ultimately, win a slot on the Pyramid or Other Stage.

As usual, the competition will be judged by a team of music experts, representing the Festival (Michael and Emily Eavis), BBC Radio One (Huw Stephens) and Q Magazine (editor Paul Rees). The judges will be responsible for picking 11 of the finalists, with 10 runners-up put to a public vote to secure the final 12th spot.

To enter, bands and performers must not be signed to a major label and should be based in the UK or Ireland. Acts should upload two of their tracks to the competition website, at qthemusic.com, which is open from Monday, 16th November 2009 until 25th January 2010. The live finals will be held at the end of March 2010.

Glastonbury Festival 2010 runs from Wednesday 23rd – Sunday 27th June. Tickets for the festival are sold out. For more information please see www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk