Chapter Events

NSAI-CHICAGO | CHAPTER CHALLENGE CONTEST | "IN-PERSON ONLY”

Tobias Music - Saturday 4/11/2026 - 12:30pm (Chicago Time).

Tobias Music 5013 Fairview Ave.

Downers Grove, IL 60515

You must be a NSAI member in good standing. Please check to verify 

To RSVP & SUBMIT a Song for the contest please use the "chapter-meeting-sign-song-consent form" link which is located on our Chicago chapter page (Teal tab just above the map). We will also be sending our affiliated NSAI-Chicago members the song-submission-consent link via the NSAI email portal.

*PLEASE NOTE Song Submission Deadline: 

12 Midnight Chicago Time - Friday April 10th, 2026!!!

This will help us facilitate a fair song submission presentation on the day of the contest; (Saturday, April 11th.)

You must be "Affiliated" with NSAI-Chicago and be a NSAI member in good standing to submit a song and to vote.

(“Affiliated” means you have joined a Local NSAI Chapter and receive information and participate in that Chapter’s activities.)

To affiliate with a Local Chapter near you, please follow these steps:

go to - https://www.nashvillesongwriters.com/chapter-search

click the name of the Chapter you are interested in.

That takes you to the Chapters Profile page. 

You will see the Chapters information, including a teal colored button that says, “Affiliate With Chapter.”

Click “Affiliate with Chapter” to join and you’re all set.

BTW: You don't need to submit a song in order to participate.

If you are a member in good standing and affiliated with NSAI-Chicago you can still join us at Tobias Music and vote for your favorite song which will represent our Chicago Chapter in the 2nd round of the contest in Nashville.

For complete Rules & Everything Chapter Challenge go to your NSAI Page / Local Chapters / NSAI Chapter Challenge.

OFFICIAL RULES:

• This is a NSAI Member event ONLY. Non-members cannot vote or submit a song in the competition. The Chapter Challenge is only open to current members in “Good Standing” who affiliate and attend the one NSAI Chapter Challenge meeting they choose to participate in.
• Members are allowed to submit one (1) prerecorded song at one (1) chapter meeting. Please note-it does not have to be a full demo. Simple work tapes with guitar/piano and vocals are fine.
• Multiple Submissions will result in disqualification.
• Songs submitted via email will not be accepted.
• No live performances will be accepted.
• Songs cannot be co-written with a professional songwriter.
• Songs under/pending contract are not eligible for submission.
•  AI MUST NOT be used in the creation of the Song (Melody) or Lyric of the submission to be eligible. Song submission must be the original work of the Songwriter without use of any artificial intelligence, and must not infringe upon the copyrights, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity or be otherwise contrary to applicable laws and regulations.
•  NSAI members in Local Chapters can submit one song at one local chapter meeting. Multiple submissions will result in disqualification.
•  Members cannot vote for their own song. 
•  Non-members cannot vote or submit a song in the competition. 
•  Voting must happen at the Chapter Challenge meeting -- NO EXCEPTIONS.

You must be present when playback of the first song begins thru when the last song ends. If you come late or leave early your vote and submitted song will be disqualified.

 Late submissions will not be accepted. NO EXCEPTIONS.

NSAI-Chicago will be presenting submitted songs anonymously.

Looking forward to seeing y'all on Saturday, April 11th!

Your NSAI-Chicago Co-coordinators,

Dina, Daryl, Jim & Fred