The IBC has evolved into the nation's biggest and most respected showcase for Blues musicians ready to take their act to the national stage. The IBC is a judged "Battle of the Bands" in which competitors take the stage and play a short set for a panel of judges. The acts are judged based on an established set of criteria. The IBC represents an international search by The Blues Foundation and it's Affiliated Organizations (mostly blues societies) for the Blues Band and Solo/Duo Blues Act ready to perform on a national stage, but just need that extra break. Each Affiliate of The Blues Foundation has the right to send a band or solo/duo act to represent the organization at the IBC Semi-Finals on Beale Street in Memphis, TN.

We will stage a regional preliminary IBC competition, with the winner of that competition representing the Great Lakes Blues Society in the Memphis international competition. We will structure the process so a single band or solo/duo act is identified, as the best from our area. Since The Blues Foundation scoring criteria will determine the ultimate winner, we will be using the same system, as in Memphis.

We will require that you submit your music demo on a CD or DVD along with your Press Kit. Demo material must be received by May 29th.

Please submit your packages to:

The Great Lakes Blues Society,
C/O Ray Falconer
635 Chiddington Avenue
London, ON N6C 2W6

The dates for the 2011 International Blues Challenge will be February 1-5. It will begin the week with the FedEx International Showcase (Feb 1). IBC will move to a four day format. This new format will include 2 days of quarter finals (Feb 2-3), one day of semi-finals (Feb 4) and concluding with finals in the beautiful Orpheum Theater (Feb 5).

The 2011 International Blues Challenge will be the 27th year of Blues musicians from around the world competing for cash, prizes, and industry recognition. The Blues Foundation will present the 27th International Blues Challenge February 2-5, 2011 in Memphis, TN. The world's largest gathering of Blues acts represents an international search by The Blues Foundation and its Affiliated Organizations for the Blues Band and Solo/Duo Blues Act ready to take their act to the international stage. In 2010, 110 bands and 80 solo/duo acts entered, filling the clubs up and down Beale Street for the semi-finals on Thursday and Friday and the finals at the Orpheum Theater on Saturday. They will have at least that many in 2011.