Entry Rates Breakdown

August 1, 2024 Update / A Note from Third Coast

Hi there,

Thanks to our community, we kicked off Third Coast’s year of extended fundraising by successfully raising $50K from this amazing, worldwide community. This is such an amazing feat: your resounding belief in Third Coast gives us the momentum to keep building programming. Thank you.

This is just the beginning of a new chapter at Third Coast. We’re eager to increase investment in the organization, and to expand our programming. If you’d like to support what we’ve already started, you can still make a donation here. If you’re part of an institution that values our work, please reach out.

We’re thrilled to offer a full slate of programming for audio makers around the world this year, including the 2024 Audio Doctor Summer Session and the re-launch of the independent Third Coast Competition, coming this fall. Like all of our programming, these opportunities break down barriers to entry, foster audio community and connection, and push the boundaries of experimentation and storytelling in the field. To make sure you’re updated on the latest from Third Coast, subscribe to our newsletter.

We’re so grateful to continue rebuilding with you. Let’s keep going!

In solidarity,
The team at Third Coast

Throughout Third Coast programming, we use a community-conscious pricing philosophy — what we call our Collective Pricing Model — that allows each person to determine the rate that’s right for them.

Collective Pricing in the Competition

How Collective Pricing works varies by program, but within the Third Coast/RHDF Competition, we ask that folks determine their entry rate by the length of their work, the institutional support and individual resources they have at their disposal, and their geographic limitations — all in the context of other members of the audio community In other words: What support do you have, and what support are you able to provide?

Before you enter the Competition, take a look at the recommendations below to determine which rate(s) work(s) best for you. (You'll be prompted with these same recommendations on the entry form itself.)

Please note that you will pay per entry, not per entry form (in other words, if you submit three entries in one form, you will pay for each entry, rather than paying for one form).

2022-23 Third Coast/RHDF Collectively Priced Entry Rates

FOR WORK SHORTER THAN 75 MINUTES

Early Deadline Rates (Before January 13)

  • True Cost ($80): Recommended for submissions paid for by non-profit and public media employers, individuals with means, or grant-funded projects
  • Access Rate ($40): Recommended for individuals paying for their submission without institutional support
  • For-Profit Rate ($120): Recommended for submissions paid for by for-profit organizations, or anyone interested in supporting access in the audio field

Final Deadline Rates (Between January 13 and March 10)

  • True Cost ($105): Recommended for submissions paid for by non-profit and public media employers, individuals with means, or those that are grant-funded
  • Access Rate ($70): Recommended for individuals paying for their submission without institutional support
  • For-Profit Rate ($140): Recommended for submissions paid for by for-profit institutions anyone interested in supporting access in the audio field
    organizations

FOR WORK LONGER THAN 75 MINUTES

Early Deadline Rates (Before January 13)

  • True Cost ($220): Recommended for submissions paid for by institutions, individuals with means, or grant-funded projects
  • Access Rate ($100):Recommended for individuals paying for their entry without institutional support
  • For-Profit Rate ($250): Recommended for submissions paid for by for-profit organizations, or anyone interested in supporting access in the audio field

Final Deadline Rates (Between January 13 and March 10)

  • True Cost ($275): Recommended for submissions paid for by institutions, individuals with means, or those that are grant-funded
  • Access Rate ($125): Recommended for individuals paying for their entry without institutional support
  • For-Profit Rate ($375): Recommended for submissions paid for by for-profit organizations, or anyone interested in supporting access in the audio field

PAY IT FORWARD OR SUPPORT THIRD COAST

Over the past 22 years, the Competition has enabled Third Coast to honor the most extraordinary audio works of the time. We see the potential for our Call for Entries to disrupt the traditional structure of a competition, and to better serve every entrant. Each year, we make every attempt to create a payment structure that meets the needs of our broad community of entrants and consider what resources they have at their disposal — including offering access rates for submitters based on financial need, providing Early Deadline Pricing for non-English submissions, and offering discounts to specific international entrants. If none of these rates are applicable or feasible for a prospective entrant, we work directly with individuals to determine a rate that works for them.

The best way to support this work is to choose the Pay-It-Forward Rate listed on our entry form. Before the Early Deadline of January 13, the Pay-It-Forward Rate is a flat fee of $300 for any entry. After the Early Deadline and before the Final Deadline, the Pay-it-Forward rate is a flat fee of $425 for any entry.

Our Competition is a growing program, dedicated to serving our community. In addition to maintaining our prestigious Awards, we’re working on offering additional feedback and mentorship around the creative process, the chance to participate in a new program, access to collective resources, and more.

You can also add an optional donation to your entry to support Third Coast’s work to build more opportunities in this field.

FOR NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE WORKS

For the first time this year, we’re excited to introduce new support for non-English language work by offering the Early Deadline Rate for all works not made in English through the Final Deadline of March 10. We hope this provides more time to provide accurate translated transcripts, and reduces stress on entrants’ financial resources.

FOR INTERNATIONAL SUBMISSIONS

We know that currency conversion to USD is a financial barrier that some of our entrants face. Therefore, we offer a discount to submitters based in countries not included in the IMF’s top 25 countries with the highest GDPs. When filling out our entry form, entrants from outside of these countries will be given the option to select a sliding-scale discount of 10%, 25%, 50%, or 75% from their total entry cost.

Countries not eligible for this discount are: Andorra, Australia, Belgium, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Qatar, San Marino, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

PAYMENT PROCESSING

Payment is processed through our entry form via credit card, debit card, or PayPal. Our payment processor charges a small fee per entry, which we give you the option to cover yourself, or pass on to Third Coast.

If you have concerns about your ability to afford an entry fee, please email us at competition@thirdcoastfestival.org.