Entries are open for Sunderland Music City’s Christmas song writing competition, starting the hunt for Wearside’s next festive anthem.
The competition is open to musicians and bands of all ages and styles, and levels of
experience. As with last year’s competition, Sunderland Music City is looking for creativity in any form, with entries from upbeat and joyful to warm and reflective, or something completely different. You are welcome to re-enter any submissions from 2024’s competition.
This year’s competition is proudly sponsored by The Bunker, a legendary venue and one of the city’s most respected recording and rehearsal spaces, with the winner receiving a fully funded professional studio session to record their Christmas song.
To enter the competition, send your song via email or WeTransfer (as an mp3 file)
to [email protected]. Please include your name, age, address, and a short description of the song. The deadline to enter is noon on Monday 24th November 2025, with entries then being judged by a panel of industry experts.
Marty Longstaff, Music Officer at Sunderland Music City, said: “There’s nothing like a Christmas song to lift people’s spirits. We want to hear something fresh and original from the musicians in our city. “Music brings people together at Christmas. It creates shared moments, memories, and joy. This competition celebrates that connection, whilst raising awareness for an incredible cause that benefits people right here in Sunderland”
Kenny Sanger, Director at The Bunker CIC, said “Supporting Sunderland’s music
community is at the heart of what we do at The Bunker. “We’re proud to donate the studio time and work with Sunderland Music City on this,
giving a local songwriter the opportunity to bring their Christmas song to life.”
The competition is part of Music Against Child Poverty, Sunderland Music City’s
campaign to raise awareness of child poverty across the region. The initiative supports local children’s charity ‘Love, Amelia’, which provides essential items and support to families who need it most. The fundraising culminates in the sold-out ‘Music Against Child Poverty’ gig at The Fire Station on 7th December. This show will feature performances from the likes of Mickey Callisto, Kathryn Williams and Tom A. Smith.
Last year’s competition was won by 17-year-old Washington musician Callum O’Neil,
with his original track ‘This Christmas Time’. Callum impressed with his heartfelt song that explored how relationships shape our experience of the festive season.
Sunderland has a strong legacy of Christmas songwriting. The nativity classic Little
Donkey was written by Millfield’s Eric Boswell. Recent years have seen festive releases from Sunderland artists including The Futureheads, Frankie & The Heartstrings, and The Cornshed Sisters.
Sunderland Music City hopes that this year’s competition will help uncover the next
chapter in that musical tradition. Donations to the Music Against Child Poverty ‘Big Give’ campaign can be made via https://donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05WS000005k41qYAA from Tuesday 2nd December – Tuesday 9th December.
The formal recognition by the Music Cities Network places Sunderland among a global powerhouse of cities like Berlin, Manchester and Sydney, committed to harnessing music as a tool for social and economic transformation, and marks a bold new chapter in the city’s creative future.
Sunderland Music City’s Year of Music runs from June 2025 to June 2026. The
Sunderland Year of Music is supported using public funding by Arts Council England. The Sunderland Year of Music is supported by partners including the North East Combined Authority, Arts Council England, The Fire Station and The Holiday Inn Sunderland.