The Spotlight Awards staff works year-round to prepare for our open application process. We have created clear and coherent instructions to help guide you along the way. Please ensure you read the Rules and Category Guidelines below to ensure your application is a success.

Program Rules and Eligibility

General eligibility requirements to apply for the Spotlight Awards are listed below. Please ensure you have read this criteria before submitting your application.

• Open to students of all talent levels enrolled in high school, approved independent study or home school programs at the time of the application deadline.
• Eligible counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Diego.
• Previous grand prize finalists are not eligible to compete.
• Previous participants, semifinalists and honorable mentions are eligible to reapply.
• Students must disclose if they have a relationship with any judge participating in the Spotlight Awards program (family, friend, or instructor). Failure to disclose this information may result in the immediate disqualification of the student and the judge.
• Students may apply in both the Performing Arts and the Visual Arts program.
• Students may apply to more than one category. Categories are: Ballet, Non- Classical Dance, Classical Voice, Non-Classical Voice, Jazz Instrumental, Classical Instrumental, Photography, 2 Dimensional Art. Please submit only one application for each category. Should a student advance to the finals, he/she may compete in only one category.
• Make-up auditions may be scheduled only in an emergency and are at the sole discretion of the Director of the Spotlight Awards.
• All recordings and publicity photographs pertaining to the Spotlight Awards program are the property of the Music Center. The Music Center may use such materials for any and all purposes without compensation to the applicant.
• Group artwork will not be judged
• Visual Arts submissions must be the participant's original work and may not have been previously published. The artwork may not contain any elements that include the trademarks, logos, copyrighted works or intellectual property of third parties. The design may not include any intellectual property of third parties; this includes imagery from the internet. If the artwork advances to the semifinal level, the artist and parent/guardian will be required to sign an affidavit attesting to the adherence of the above rules.
• The high quality of student work is an invaluable tool for expanding the reach of Spotlight Awards to benefit more students. By submitting this application, the applicant acknowledges and agrees that the Music Center shall have the right to reproduce any and all submitted artwork, recordings and publicity photographs, and may use such reproductions for any purpose, including without limitation the promotion of this and future Spotlight Awards events, all without compensation to the applicant. Any such reproduction shall be the sole property of the Music Center.

Program Category Guidelines

Each category listed below has specific guidelines and requirements. Read the guidelines by clicking on a category below, you will be directed to a detailed outline for that particular category. If you have more questions, please visit our FAQ.

Classical Voice

Non-Classical Voice

Ballet

Non-Classical Dance

Classical Instrumental

Jazz Instrumental

Visual Arts: Two-Dimensional Art

Visual Arts: Photography

For information visit the online FAQ, if you still have questions, please call our Hotline at 213.972.3300 or email us at spotlight@musiccenter.org.