Mayflower 400 Community Sparks project – Plymouth 1620 – is running a competition for all those who want to try their skills at writing a sea shanty.
The project is looking for entries that represent something that was happening in Plymouth at the time the Mayflower set sail.
Entries could relate to boat builders, fish gutters, fishmongers, buccaneering and more. Examples of shanties are available on the Plymouth 1620 Facebook page (facebook. com/plymouth1620) and elsewhere online for inspiration.
The shanty must resemble a traditional shanty. Most shanties come in 4/4 time, an easy beat to keep track of, or a more typically Irish-Scottish folk song time of 6/8. It should be possible to sing it acappella (without instrumental accompaniment). Most shanties are normally regarded as sea shanties but entries do not have to be, as long as it relates to 1620 and Plymouth.
To have a chance of winning it must be about the entrant’s area of Plymouth, relate to 1620, contain original words to original music and be no more than two minutes long
The prizes available are a £200 voucher for new words to new music, and two £100 vouchers for runners-up. The organisers plan to arrange for all entries which meet the criteria to be shared or performed online.
To enter complete an entry form together with the shanty as an MP4 file and email it to plymouth1620ppe@gmail.com by midnight on March 12.
