Rules 2010-2011

Art. 1. Mission

The HUMOROLOGIE contest is a biennial search for new talent within the wide range of wonder, circus and humour.
The contest is open to upcoming talent with professional aspirations in any kind of performing art that can amaze, surprise and astonish the audience. HUMOROLOGIE aims to serve as a central meeting point for artists, organizers, the media, and booking agencies.

Art. 2. Participation

Every artist who has professional aspirations, can participate with material which is not more than two years old.

Individuals as well as groups can participate.

All performing arts (circus, dance, theatre, stand-up, cabaret, musical humour, visual humour, mime…) are welcome.

Both domestic and foreign acts are allowed.

Participants of previous contests can enter again provided they bring new material.

Previous winners of the HUMOROLOGIE contest are excluded of further participation, unless they come with a different cast and new material.

For a valid participation, the registration form needs to be filled out and sent before September 10, 2010.

The registration is only valid after reception of the registration fee of € 75. HUMOROLOGIE requires the registration fee in order to have a firm commitment from the artists. Besides that, the fee is considered a element of quality control for the contest.

Art. 3. Program

The HUMOROLOGIE contest addresses all performing arts. There are no limitations as far as genre is concerned (circus, cabaret, stand-up, theatre, music, visual humour, clowning, mime, puppet shows…).
The participants perform before an audience and a jury. The performance can be an autonomous act or part of a full evening show.

Any royalties, required for the performance during the competition, are borne by the artist.
Recordings, if any, e.g. for TV coverage, are duty free. They will only be used in consultation with the artists.

Art. 4. Pre-selections

The pre-selections will be held:

• Saturday November 20, 2010 in “cultuurcentrum Deurne”, starting at 8:30 pm
• Friday November 26, 2010 in “cultuurcentrum De Herbakker” Eeklo, starting at 8:30 pm
• Saturday November 27, 2010 in “ontmoetingscentrum D’Iefte” Deerlijk, starting at 8:30 pm.

The contestants have to be present at least two hours in advance.

The performance during the pre-selections lasts between 15 and 20 minutes. If the contestant exceeds the time limit, the jury reserves the right to stop the performance.
The technical equipment will be restricted. A simple sound an light installation is provided.

The sequence of the performances will be determined according to the technical requirements and will be communicated by the organizers.

One hour after the end of the third pre-selection, the jury will communicate which contestants are selected for the semi-finals. A maximum of 6 semi-finalists will be selected.

After the final, all participants will get their jury report through the mail, the semi-finalists will get theirs a couple of days after the pre-selections.

Art. 5. Semi finals

The semi-finals will be held :

• Friday January 21, 2011 in “cultuurcentrum De Warande”, Turnhout, starting at 20:15 pm.
• Saturday January 22, 2011 in “cultuurcentrum De Spil”, Roeselare, starting at 20:00 pm.

The contestants have to be present at least two hours in advance.
The performance during the semi-finals lasts between 25 and 30 minutes. If the contestant exceeds the time limit, the jury reserves the right to stop the performance.

The sequence of the performances will be determined according to the technical requirements and will be communicated by the organizers.

One hour after the end of the second semi-final, the jury will communicate which contestants are selected for the final. A maximum of 3 finalists will be selected.

Art. 6. Final

The final will be held Saturday, January 29, 2011 in the Kortrijk City Theatre starting at 8:15 pm.

The actual final takes place during the first part of the evening show. The finalist perform between 25 and 30 minutes, in an sequence which will have been communicated by the organizers after the last semi-final.
If the contestant exceeds the time limit, the jury reserves the right to stop the performance.

After the break, there will be a guest performance while the jury discusses. After the guest performance, the jury report will be read out and the winners will be proclaimed.

Art. 7. Judging

The jury is independent and autonomous and defines in consultation with Humorologie the criteria with which they assess the candidates. They take into account originality, creativity, language, presence, acting and musical performance, the amazement brought about etc..…

Art. 7.1. Pre-selections

The jury for the pre-selection consists of at least 4 persons : two collaborators of Humorologie and two external individuals with a professional background.

Art. 7.2. Semi-finals and final

The jury for the semi-finals and the final consists of at least 4 professionals with a solid artistic background. The continuity of the jury is guaranteed. The jury may be assisted by an external secretary, who is in charge of preparing the jury report.

Art. 8. Prizes

Three prizes can be awarded :

1. The winner of the HUMOROLOGIE contest is selected by the jury and wins € 1250. Besides that, he gets the opportunity to be coached. That coach is selected in consultation with HUMOROLOGIE, HUMOROLOGIE organizes and pays for the coaching.
2. The prize awarded by the public after the final is € 750.
3. The jury can also award a personality prize which amounts to € 500. This prize is awarded by the jury and can just as well be given to a candidate who did not make it to the final.
   

Art. 9. Humorologie tour

After the final, the three finalists are involved in the production of a show which goes on tour. This tour is offered to professional organizers. Humorologie aims at 10 performances in the season 2011-2012.

Within the framework of this tour, the finalists commit themselves to a maximum of 15 performances for € 250 per performance. These € 250 are given per finalist, whether it is an individual or a group.

Art. 10. Registration

Registration forms can be downloaded via the website http://www.humorologie.be or obtained at the HUMOROLOGIE secretariat, Van Belleghemdreef 6, B-8510 Kortrijk-Marke. Tel. 0032/56.23.41.78, fax 0032/56.23.41.79 or via .(JavaScript moet ingeschakeld zijn om dit email adres te bekijken).

The registration form must be filled out completely, signed and sent to HUMOROLOGIE vzw, before 10 september 2010. Incomplete registration forms can be a reason not to be allowed to the pre-selections.
The registration form must be accompanied by at least one picture, a curriculum vitae and a technical sheet.

The registration fee of € 75 has to be transferred to account 285-0265350-84 of Humorologie vzw. The registration is only valid when the registration fee is received.

We consider the registration fee as a first threshold to ensure that only artists with serious professional aspirations participate.

Art. 11. Radio and/or television

The artists declare their agreement with recordings (if any) for radio or television during the contest, and their broadcast, without any additional compensation.