THE PRIZE PACKAGE

If you're one of three winning applicants, you'll receive a prize package worth an estimated €100,000 - which includes €2,000 grant to make your show, free hosting for life with Acast, marketing, promotion bespoke support and free equipment from Acast – including Shure, and Focusrite. To supercharge your podcast, you'll also receive mentoring from Acast covering production, branding and monetisation.

THE JUDGING PANEL

Some of Ireland's most successful podcasters will shortlist and select the winning applicants, including Jane Gogan (producer The Witness / The Stand), Fin Dwyer (Irish History Podcast), Kevin Twomey (I'm Grand Mam), Louise McSharry (Catch Up With Louise McSharry), Adrian Carty (producer Nothing Is Real) Síle Seogie (Ready To Be Real), and Rosemary McCabe (Not Without My Sister).

HOW TO ENTER

Have a great idea for a podcast, or need help getting your existing, unreleased show off the ground? Apply using the form below. Please introduce yourself and your podcast idea, then upload a 60-second audio clip explaining why you should be picked for Acast Amplifier. The idea MUST be a brand new podcast, or an existing idea that hasn't been published.

Apply

To be considered, budding podcasters based in Ireland — who don’t already have a podcast — should apply here. Applicants should introduce themselves and their podcast idea, alongside a 60-second audio clip explaining why they should be picked for Acast Amplifier.

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T&Cs

Terms and conditions for Acast Amplifier (Ireland)

1. Entrants
a) The Acast Amplifier competition (the “Competition”) is open to residents of the Republic of Ireland aged 18 years or over.
b) You can enter the Competition by completing the entry formherec) You may only submit one entry form to the Competition. An application may be submitted on behalf of more than one person.

2. Duration of the Competition
a) The opening date for entries to the Competition is 00:00 GMT on 30 March 2023.
b) The Competition closes at 00:00 GMT on 21 April 2023. No extensions to the deadline will be granted.
c) We accept no responsibility for entries not successfully completed due to a technical fault or malfunction, computer hardware or software failure, satellite, network or server failure of any kind.

3. Podcast requirements
a) The podcast concept must be a new, original idea, or an already recorded but unreleased podcast.
b) The podcast concept cannot be an extension of an already existing podcast.
c) The podcast concept must have a minimum of eight (8) episodes, unless otherwise agreed by us.
d) Acast shall not pay for any production costs other than the Prize as specified in Section 5(a), or any travel costs associated with accepting the Prize.
e) The first episode of the podcast must launch in 2023.
f) By submitting your entry to the Competition, you guarantee that you own the copyright and any other rights to the content of your Competition entry. You further warrant that you will not use material that someone else has created or owns without obtaining that person's express permission to use it.
g) You will retain any and all intellectual property rights in and to any podcast concept submitted to us.
h) The winners have full ownership of all intellectual property rights in the podcast concept, including any products created by Acast for the podcast concept (such as audio, design, original music and copy).
i) If you win the Competition, you grant us the right to use the intellectual property rights in the winning podcast concepts in any way we choose for marketing purposes, such as in a press release or an advertisement, worldwide and without limitation in time.

4. Winner selection
a) Three (3) winners will be selected by a jury consisting of Acast employees and podcasters selected by Acast in its sole discretion.
b) The jury's decision is final and cannot be appealed.
c) The jury does not have to justify its decision.

Prize
a) The winners will each receive a prize package worth up to a maximum of EUR 100,000 in total (inclusive of VAT), consisting of:
i - Free hosting on Acast for life for the winning podcast concept
ii - A grant of EUR 2,000
iii - Advertising on the Acast UK and Republic of Ireland networks promoting the winner’s show (“Acast Recommends”), placed by Acast at its Acast’s sole discretion
iv - Social media promotion on Acast’s social media channels
v - Support on artwork and design from Acast
vi - Support on delivery, hosting and monetisation from Acast
vii - Advice and mentoring from Acast
viii - Audio recording equipment from Shure (MV7 Podcast Kit)
ix - and 10 hours of podcast studio time paid for by Acast at a studio of Acast’s choosing (chosen in consultation with the winner),((i)-(ix) together, the “Prize”).
b) The value of each part of the Prize described in Sections 5(a)(i)-(ix) inclusive shall be determined by us in our sole discretion. We shall provide you with a breakdown of the value of each part of the Prize provided upon your request.
c) In order to accept the Prize, winners must sign up to Acast’s services and accept the terms and conditions for our services found here. https://www.acast.com/terms-and-conditions-for-creators-standardThese terms and conditions provide that Acast has the exclusive right to host, distribute and monetize the podcast.
d) Further details of how to accept and receive the Prize will be provided to the winners once selected.
e) We are not responsible for any costs associated with using or accepting any part of the Prize.
f) We reserve the right to substitute any part of the Prize with another prize if it becomes necessary to do so.
g) The winners will be notified by email in May 2023. If a winner does not respond to us within 14 days of being notified of the win, then that winner’s Prize will be forfeited and we will be entitled to select another winner.
h) The Prizes are personal, non-exchangeable, non-transferable and no cash alternative is offered.
i) You will be responsible for paying any taxes due as a result of accepting the Prize.
j) Our decision regarding any aspect of the Competition is final and binding. No correspondence will be entered into about it and no feedback will be provided on unsuccessful entries.

Data protection
a) Acast Stories Ireland Limited (“Company”, “we”, “our”) is the data controller responsible for the processing of your personal data according to this Section. Through this Section, we aim to explain what personal data we collect, how will we use your personal data, how long will we store your personal data and how you can exercise your data privacy rights. If you have any questions regarding this Section, you can contact us at privacy@acast.com.
b) By accepting the Terms and Conditions for Competitors, you hereby consent to Company’s collection and use of your personal data in accordance with this Section.
c) When you register your contact information to become a Competitor, Company will collect and process data that is personal to you, namely the following (“Competitor Personal Data”): Name; and E-mail address.
d) Company collects and processes Competitor Personal Data in order to administer the competition, to communicate competition results where relevant and to deliver the Prizes. Our legal basis for the processing of your personal data is that it is necessary for the performance of our agreement with you in accordance with the Terms and Conditions for Competitors agreed by you when you registered into the competition. In cases where you are liable to pay taxes, our legal basis for processing of your personal data is that the processing is necessary for us to comply with applicable laws.
e) Your personal data may be shared with certain named third parties if the competition is in collaboration with such third parties. Company and/or any third party does not transfer your personal data outside the EU / EEA.
f) Company will retain your Competitor Personal Data for the entire duration of the competition.
g) Company would like to make sure you are fully aware of all of your privacy rights. As an individual subject to Company’s processing of your personal data, you have the following rights
i - Request access to the personal data we collect and process about you
ii - Request that we update or correct any incomplete or inaccurate personal data concerning you
iii - Request that we delete your personal data or that we restrict the processing of your personal data
iv - In certain circumstances, request that we send you a copy of the personal data we collect and process about you
v - In certain circumstances, object to Company’s processing of your personal data; and
vi - If you believe your personal data is not being processed in accordance with applicable privacy laws, you also have the right to lodge a complaint to the competent data protection authority.
h) For more information regarding your privacy rights and how to exercise them, please visit Acast’s GDPR Privacy Policy at https://acast.com/en/privacy-gdpr or contact us at privacy@acast.com. In order to protect your privacy and personal data, we may require you to verify your identity.
i) You have the right, at any time, to withdraw your consent. However, this will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before your withdrawal.

Miscellaneous
a) You are deemed to have accepted and agreed to be bound by these rules upon entry. We reserve the right to refuse entry or refuse to award the Prize to anyone in breach of these rules.
b) We reserve the right to hold void, cancel, suspend or amend the Competition if it becomes necessary to do so.
c) We will not be liable for any loss or damage occurring as a result of your entry into the Competition; or a winner accepting the Prize.
d) Nothing in this Agreement shall limit or restrict liability for:
i - death or personal injury caused by the relevant party’s negligence
ii - liability for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation
iii - or any liability that cannot be excluded by applicable law.
e) The Competition and this agreement will be governed by English law and entrants to the Competition submit to the jurisdiction of the English courts,
f) “Acast”, “we”, “our” and “us” are references to Acast Stories Ireland Limited.

I am aged 18 or over and am a resident in the UK. I am not, and have never been, represented by a production company, agency or management firm for podcasting, presenting or other entertainment media. Any previous podcasting I have done has been independent and I have not received funding or professional support. My application (including my idea, personal statement and audio statement) is built from my ideas. I understand that my application may not be considered by the judging panel if the terms outlined above are exceeded. I understand that Acast may collect personal data and the personal data of any participant I put forward including names and email addresses. I confirm that I give consent / I have consent from any and all paricipants to share such personal data with Acast. I agree to this personal data being stored and used for future marketing information concerning Acast for a period of one year. Acast will not share your personal data or the personal data of participants you put forward with any third party (except to the extent needed to fulfill the terms of this competition). If you change your mind and would like to opt out of your data being stored by Acast you can email acast-amplifier@acast.com. For further information on how Acast stores personal data please visit www.acast.com/privacy Successful applicants to Acast Amplifier will be asked to take part in a photo and video shoot to promote their winning podcast. These materials may be used for future promotional materials by Acast.