Awards Entry Terms and Conditions

Version 1.3

Introduction

These Awards Entry Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern participation in the Awards operated by The Meridian Awards Ltd ("Meridian", "we", "our" or "us").

These Terms form a legally binding agreement between Meridian and every Entrant. By submitting a Submission to the Awards, you confirm that you have read, understood and agree to be bound by these Terms, together with any other policies or documents expressly incorporated by reference.

These Terms are intended to protect the integrity, fairness, transparency and professional standards of the Awards, while ensuring that every Entrant is assessed according to consistent rules and procedures.

Participation in the Awards is also governed by the following Meridian documents, where applicable:

  • Eligibility Rules 
  • Category Rules 
  • Submission Licence Agreement 
  • AI Submission Policy 
  • Judging and Confidentiality Policy 
  • Privacy Policy 
  • Cookie Policy 
  • Website Terms and Conditions 

In the event of any inconsistency between these Terms and another Meridian policy, these Terms shall prevail unless the relevant policy expressly states otherwise.

1. Definitions

For the purposes of these Terms:

Awards means The Meridian Awards programme, including all award categories, competitions, initiatives, ceremonies and associated activities organised by Meridian.

Category Rules means any published eligibility requirements, judging criteria or submission requirements that apply specifically to an individual Award category.

Eligibility Rules means Meridian's published eligibility requirements applicable to the relevant Awards cycle.

Entrant means any individual or organisation that submits, or intends to submit, a Submission to the Awards.

Judge means an individual authorised by Meridian to assess eligible Submissions.

Meridian, we, our or us means The Meridian Awards Ltd, a company incorporated in England and Wales under company number 17298148.

Submission means any information, recording, musical work, audiovisual work, image, artwork, photograph, biography, lyric, document, metadata, declaration or other material submitted to Meridian in connection with the Awards.

Website means www.themeridianawards.com, together with any associated subdomains, web pages, online portals, judging platforms and digital services owned or operated by Meridian.

Personal Data means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person, as defined by applicable data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).

You or your means any individual or organisation acting as an Entrant or otherwise submitting a Submission to the Awards.

2. Acceptance of These Terms

By submitting a Submission to the Awards, you confirm that:

  • you have read and understood these Terms; 
  • you agree to comply with these Terms and all applicable Meridian policies; 
  • you have read and understood the Eligibility Rules and any applicable Category Rules; 
  • you accept Meridian's published procedures relating to submissions, judging and administration; 
  • you acknowledge that Meridian has final authority regarding the interpretation and application of its published policies, except where otherwise required by law. 

Failure to comply with these Terms or any applicable Meridian policy may result in one or more of the following actions, where Meridian reasonably considers them appropriate:

  • rejection of a Submission; 
  • disqualification from the Awards; 
  • removal from finalist consideration; 
  • revocation of an Award or recognition; 
  • restriction from participating in future Awards cycles. 

Nothing in these Terms limits Meridian's ability to take any other reasonable action permitted by these Terms or by applicable law where necessary to protect the integrity, fairness or reputation of the Awards.

3. Eligibility

To be eligible for consideration, every Submission must comply with the Eligibility Rules, any applicable Category Rules and these Terms.

It is the responsibility of each Entrant to ensure that every Submission satisfies all published eligibility requirements before submitting an entry.

Eligibility requirements may include, where applicable:

  • release dates; 
  • country or territory of eligibility; 
  • category-specific requirements; 
  • originality and authorship requirements; 
  • contributor eligibility; 
  • AI disclosure requirements; 
  • technical submission requirements; and 
  • any other published criteria relevant to the applicable Awards cycle. 

Meridian reserves the right to determine whether a Submission satisfies the published eligibility requirements.

Where a Submission is entered into an inappropriate category, Meridian may, at its sole discretion:

  • transfer the Submission to a more appropriate category; 
  • request that the Entrant select an alternative category; 
  • accept the Submission as entered; or 
  • reject the Submission if no suitable category exists. 

Meridian is under no obligation to transfer incorrectly entered Submissions between categories.

A Submission may be entered into multiple categories where permitted by the applicable Category Rules and the relevant entry fees have been paid.

Meeting the published eligibility requirements does not guarantee that a Submission will be accepted, shortlisted or receive an Award.

4. Entry Process

Entries must be submitted through the Website or by any other submission method expressly authorised by Meridian.

A Submission will be considered complete only when:

  • all required information has been provided; 
  • all required supporting materials have been uploaded; 
  • all required declarations have been completed; 
  • any applicable entry fee has been successfully paid; and 
  • Meridian has received the Submission before the published submission deadline. 

Meridian may reject incomplete, inaccurate or late Submissions.

Following submission, Meridian may permit limited corrections or administrative amendments at its discretion. However, Meridian is under no obligation to allow changes once a Submission has been received.

Where additional information or supporting evidence is requested by Meridian, the Entrant must provide the requested information within the timeframe specified by Meridian. Failure to do so may result in the Submission being rejected or disqualified.

Meridian reserves the right to establish submission limits for individual Entrants, categories or Awards cycles where reasonably necessary for the effective administration of the Awards.

Submission deadlines are published on the Website. Meridian may extend, shorten or amend submission periods where reasonably necessary. Any such changes will be published on the Website.

Submission of an entry does not guarantee:

  • eligibility;  
  • acceptance into the Awards; 
  • progression to judging; 
  • nomination;  
  • finalist status; or 
  • receipt of an Award. 

5. Entry Fees and Payments

Applicable entry fees are published on the Website and may vary between categories, submission periods or Awards cycles.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, all fees are payable in advance and must be received before a Submission will be considered complete.

Entry fees are processed securely through Meridian's authorised third-party payment provider.

Meridian does not collect or store payment card details.

Unless required by applicable law, entry fees are non-refundable, including where:

  • an Entrant withdraws a Submission; 
  • a Submission is found to be ineligible; 
  • a Submission is disqualified; 
  • a Submission is entered into an incorrect category; 
  • an Entrant fails to provide requested information; 
  • an Entrant changes their mind after submission. 

Meridian is not responsible for:

  • currency conversion charges; 
  • bank charges; 
  • payment processing delays; 
  • declined transactions; 
  • third-party payment provider failures; or 
  • taxes, customs duties or similar charges imposed outside Meridian's control. 

It is the responsibility of each Entrant to ensure that payment has been successfully completed before the relevant submission deadline.

Where payment cannot be successfully verified, Meridian may reject or cancel the relevant Submission.

6. Authority to Submit

By submitting a Submission to the Awards, the Entrant represents and warrants that:

  • they have the legal authority to submit the Submission; 
  • they own, control or have obtained all rights, permissions and consents necessary to enter the Submission into the Awards; 
  • all contributors, performers, rights holders and other relevant parties have authorised the Submission, where such authorisation is required; 
  • all information provided to Meridian is accurate, complete and not misleading;  
  • the Submission complies with these Terms and all applicable Meridian policies. 

Where an Entrant submits a Submission on behalf of another individual, group, company or organisation, the Entrant confirms that they are authorised to act on behalf of that party.

The Entrant accepts full responsibility for any dispute arising from:

  • ownership or copyright claims; 
  • publishing or neighbouring rights; 
  • unauthorised submission; 
  • contributor permissions; 
  • contractual obligations with third parties; 
  • inaccurate credits or metadata; or 
  • any other rights relating to the Submission. 

Meridian accepts no responsibility for disputes between collaborators, performers, producers, labels, publishers, management companies, collecting societies or other rights holders.

7. Accuracy of Information

The Entrant is responsible for ensuring that all information submitted to Meridian is accurate, complete and truthful.

Meridian reserves the right to:

  • verify information provided by an Entrant; 
  • request additional information or supporting evidence; 
  • request proof of authorship, ownership or eligibility; 
  • request clarification regarding any aspect of a Submission; 
  • correct obvious administrative errors where appropriate. 

Providing false, misleading, manipulated or fraudulent information may result in one or more of the following actions:

  • rejection of a Submission; 
  • disqualification from the Awards; 
  • removal from finalist consideration; 
  • revocation of an Award or recognition; 
  • restriction from future Awards cycles. 

Where appropriate, Meridian may also notify relevant third parties or authorities where fraudulent or unlawful conduct is suspected.

8. Verification and Audit

To protect the integrity of the Awards, Meridian reserves the right to verify the eligibility, authenticity and accuracy of any Submission at any stage of the Awards process.

Meridian may request information or evidence including, but not limited to:

  • proof of release date; 
  • proof of authorship or ownership; 
  • contributor permissions; 
  • publishing or master ownership information; 
  • identity verification; 
  • AI disclosures or supporting evidence; 
  • eligibility documentation; 
  • any other information reasonably required to determine compliance with these Terms or the Eligibility Rules. 

The Entrant agrees to cooperate fully with any reasonable verification request made by Meridian.

Failure to provide requested information within the specified timeframe may result in:

  • rejection of the Submission; 
  • suspension of judging; 
  • disqualification from the Awards; or 
  • revocation of an Award or recognition. 

Meridian may undertake verification both before and after finalists or winners have been announced where new information comes to light.

9. Intellectual Property and Submission Licence

All copyright and other intellectual property rights in a Submission remain the property of the Entrant or the relevant rights holder.

Submission of an entry to the Awards does not transfer ownership of:

  • copyright;  
  • publishing rights; 
  • master recording rights; 
  • trade marks; 
  • performer rights; or 
  • any other intellectual property rights. 

By submitting a Submission, the Entrant grants Meridian the rights described in the separate Submission Licence Agreement.

The Submission Licence Agreement forms part of these Terms and governs the scope, duration and permitted use of licensed materials by Meridian.

Nothing in these Terms grants Meridian any ownership of a Submission beyond the rights expressly licensed under the Submission Licence Agreement.

10. AI Compliance

All Submissions must comply with Meridian's published AI Submission Policy.

Where required, the Entrant must accurately disclose the use of artificial intelligence or AI-assisted technologies during the creation of the Submission.

Meridian reserves the right to request additional information or evidence where reasonably necessary to verify compliance with the AI Submission Policy.

Failure to comply with the AI Submission Policy, including failure to make required disclosures or the provision of false or misleading information, may result in:

  • rejection of a Submission; 
  • disqualification from the Awards; 
  • removal from finalist consideration; 
  • revocation of an Award or recognition; or 
  • restriction from future Awards cycles. 

All decisions relating to AI eligibility and compliance shall be made in accordance with Meridian's AI Submission Policy.

11. Judging

All eligible Submissions will be assessed in accordance with Meridian's published Judging and Confidentiality Policy and any applicable Category Rules.

Judges are appointed by Meridian and are expected to assess Submissions independently, impartially and in accordance with Meridian's published judging procedures.

Meridian takes reasonable steps to identify, disclose where appropriate, and manage conflicts of interest in accordance with its Judging and Confidentiality Policy. Where a conflict of interest is identified, Meridian may take any action it reasonably considers appropriate to preserve the integrity of the judging process.

Judging decisions are based upon the independent assessment of the appointed Judges. Except as provided below, all judging decisions are final.

Meridian does not permit appeals based upon:

  • artistic disagreement; 
  • scoring dissatisfaction; 
  • category outcomes; 
  • finalist selection decisions; 
  • judging methodology; 
  • differences of professional opinion. 

An Entrant may request a procedural review only where they reasonably believe that:

  • an administrative error has occurred; 
  • a technical processing error has affected their Submission; or 
  • the published Eligibility Rules or Category Rules have been incorrectly applied. 

A request for procedural review must:

  • be submitted in writing; 
  • clearly identify the alleged error; and 
  • be received within the timeframe published by Meridian following the announcement of the relevant results. 

Submission of a procedural review request does not guarantee that a review will be undertaken. Meridian reserves the right to determine whether a request discloses sufficient grounds for investigation.

12. Awards, Recognition and Fulfilment

Finalists and winners will receive the forms of recognition published by Meridian for the relevant Awards cycle.

Unless otherwise stated, category winners will receive:

  • an official Meridian trophy or other published award; 
  • digital recognition materials; and 
  • any additional recognition announced by Meridian. 

Finalists may receive:

  • official finalist certification; 
  • digital recognition materials; and 
  • any additional recognition published for the relevant Awards cycle. 

Meridian reserves the right to alter the design, materials, presentation, format or method of fulfilment of any trophy, certificate or other award where reasonably necessary.

Where physical awards are distributed, Meridian will normally cover the standard cost of shipping to the recipient.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, the recipient remains responsible for:

  • customs duties; 
  • import taxes; 
  • local handling charges; and 
  • any other charges imposed by local authorities. 

Where a physical award is lost or materially damaged during shipment, Meridian may, at its discretion, arrange a replacement where the loss or damage can be reasonably verified.

Meridian is not responsible for delays caused by customs authorities, postal services, courier companies or circumstances beyond its reasonable control.

13. Disqualification and Revocation

Meridian reserves the right to reject, suspend, disqualify or remove any Submission, or to revoke any Award or recognition, where it reasonably believes that these Terms or any applicable Meridian policy have been breached.

Grounds for disqualification or revocation may include, without limitation:

  • plagiarism;  
  • copyright infringement; 
  • fraudulent or misleading submissions; 
  • false eligibility claims; 
  • failure to disclose required AI usage; 
  • manipulated or falsified supporting materials; 
  • unauthorised submissions; 
  • failure to comply with verification requests; 
  • non-payment of applicable entry fees; 
  • serious or repeated breaches of Meridian policies. 

Meridian additionally reserves the right to take appropriate action where an Entrant engages in conduct that Meridian reasonably considers materially incompatible with the integrity, reputation or values of the Awards.

Such conduct may include, without limitation:

  • hate speech; 
  • extremist activity; 
  • unlawful conduct; 
  • abusive or threatening behaviour; 
  • harassment;  
  • conduct likely to bring the Awards into serious disrepute. 

Where appropriate, Meridian may investigate information received both before and after the announcement of finalists or winners.

Following such an investigation, Meridian may take any action reasonably necessary to protect the integrity of the Awards, including revoking previously awarded recognition.

14. Administrative Rights

To ensure the effective operation of the Awards, Meridian reserves the right to make reasonable administrative decisions provided that such decisions are consistent with these Terms and the published governance documents applicable to the relevant Awards cycle.

This may include:

  • introducing, merging, renaming or discontinuing categories; 
  • updating judging criteria; 
  • revising Eligibility Rules or Category Rules; 
  • amending submission procedures; 
  • extending or shortening submission deadlines; 
  • postponing announcements or ceremonies; 
  • introducing additional verification procedures; 
  • updating supporting policies and documentation. 

Where reasonably practicable, significant changes affecting current Entrants will be published on the Website.

Meridian will not normally apply material rule changes retrospectively to completed Submissions, unless required by law or where necessary to protect the integrity, fairness or security of the Awards.

15. Force Majeure

Meridian shall not be liable for any delay, interruption, suspension or cancellation of the Awards arising from events beyond its reasonable control.

Such events may include, without limitation:

  • natural disasters; 
  • fire or flood; 
  • war, terrorism or civil unrest; 
  • epidemic or pandemic; 
  • government action or legal restrictions; 
  • industrial disputes; 
  • failure of telecommunications or internet services; 
  • cyber incidents; 
  • failures affecting third-party service providers; 
  • other events that could not reasonably have been foreseen or prevented. 

Where a Force Majeure event occurs, Meridian may take any reasonable action necessary to continue or protect the operation of the Awards, including:

  • postponing submission deadlines; 
  • postponing judging; 
  • altering event formats; 
  • conducting ceremonies remotely; 
  • modifying fulfilment arrangements; or 
  • cancelling or suspending part or all of an Awards cycle where no reasonable alternative exists. 

Meridian will make reasonable efforts to minimise disruption and, where practicable, communicate significant changes to Entrants through the Website or other appropriate communication channels.

16. Privacy

Meridian processes Personal Data in accordance with its Privacy Policy.

By submitting a Submission, the Entrant acknowledges that Meridian may process Personal Data where reasonably necessary to administer the Awards, fulfil its contractual obligations, comply with legal requirements and operate its services.

Further information regarding the collection, use, storage, sharing and protection of Personal Data is available in Meridian's Privacy Policy.

17. Limitation of Liability

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits Meridian's liability where such exclusion or limitation would be unlawful, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence or for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.

Subject to the above, and to the fullest extent permitted by law, Meridian shall not be liable for any indirect, consequential or economic loss arising from participation in the Awards, including loss of profits, business opportunities, goodwill or reputation.

Subject to applicable law, Meridian's total liability arising from or in connection with a Submission shall not exceed the amount of the applicable entry fee paid by the Entrant.

18. Changes to These Terms

Meridian may amend these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, technology, operational requirements or the continued development of the Awards.

The most recent version will always be published on the Website, together with its version number and effective date.

Continued participation in, or Submission to, the Awards following publication of updated Terms constitutes acceptance of those revised Terms.

19. No Waiver

A failure or delay by Meridian to exercise any right or remedy under these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that right or remedy, nor shall it prevent Meridian from exercising that right or remedy at a later time.

20. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.

Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms or participation in the Awards shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

21. Contact Us

If you have any questions regarding these Awards Entry Terms and Conditions, please contact:

The Meridian Awards Ltd

71 to 75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ, United Kingdom

Email: support@themeridianawards.com 

Meridian exists to recognise artistic excellence through fair, independent and transparent evaluation. These Terms are intended to protect the integrity of the Awards, ensure the consistent treatment of every Entrant, and preserve confidence in the value and credibility of every recognition bestowed by Meridian.

Document Information

Document: Awards Entry Terms and Conditions

Version: 1.3

Effective Date: 1 July 2026

Last Updated: 1 July 2026

Document Owner: The Meridian Awards Ltd