RULES FOR THE 2025 SANTOÑA MURGAS COMPETITION
PROLOGUE
The Honorable City Council of Santoña, hereinafter referred to as the organization, is the governing body of the Murgas competition, responsible for establishing its rules and regulations.
The Spanish Royal Academy (RAE) defines a "murga" as follows: “A group of street musicians who perform satirical songs during carnivals as their main form of expression.”
CHAPTER I: GROUPS
ARTICLE 1 - REGISTRATION
Only those groups that register on time and correctly may participate.
The Registration Form, provided by the Department of Festivities or their delegate, must be fully completed and signed by the Legal Representative, their alternate, and all members of the group. The form must include clear and precise acknowledgment of the rules, presupposing prior understanding.
If there is a title or costume overlap between two or more groups, the Department of Festivities will accept the first registered. Within seven days of registration, the Department will notify the Legal Representatives of overlapping groups, requesting a design sketch to determine if sufficient differences allow both groups to participate with their costumes.
The registration period for the Murga competition is twenty calendar days, starting the day after the announcement is published in the Official Bulletin of Cantabria.
A copy of these rules will be provided to the Legal Representative or their alternate upon collection of the registration form.
ARTICLE 2 - MURGAS
2.1 Groups must have a minimum of four vocalists.
2.2 Percussion can be shared with other groups.
The minimum age to participate in the adult category is 14 years as of the competition date (if a group has members younger than 14, written authorization from the Department of Festivities is required).
Minors under 18 must additionally provide parental or guardian consent to participate.
2.3 All types of percussion, wind, and string instruments are permitted, including acoustic, electric, and/or electronic instruments. The latter two may only be used in two musical pieces with their natural sounds. Traditional use of the "turuta" as a typical murga instrument is encouraged. Exceeding the allowed number of pieces results in a 1.5-point penalty.
2.4 Music or sound recordings may be used for up to 2 minutes throughout the performance. Exceeding this time results in a 1.5-point penalty.
2.5 Any plagiarism, whether of another group’s musical sequence or lyrics, is prohibited. The Jury President will disqualify any group committing such an offense.
Musical sequence: Defined as a medley; copying three or more consecutive songs from another group is not allowed.
Typology: Refers to the clear copying of another group’s staging or costume design.
2.6 Members sanctioned by the Department of Festivities are not allowed to participate. Violations will be considered SERIOUS OFFENSES, resulting in DISQUALIFICATION.
2.7 The repertoire will be performed on a stage designated by the Department of Festivities. Preliminary and semifinal phases may take place at the Casino Liceo Theater or the Plaza de San Antonio tent, while the final round will always be under the Plaza tent.
2.8 The repertoire includes an introductory song, one or two songs emphasizing lyrics (traditionally Pasodobles), and one or two songs focusing on humor, intelligent jokes, and double entendre (traditionally Cuplés and Popurrí).
Cuplés may be sung consecutively with refrains linking them.
2.9 Songs that are highly offensive, invade privacy, or violate personal dignity, honor, or image are prohibited. Offenders risk point deductions or DISQUALIFICATION, based on the severity. Penalties will be decided by a specially convened Festivities Committee.
2.10 Groups changing their name but retaining 70% of members will maintain their prior ranking for draws.
ARTICLE 3 - NAME AND COSTUME
This includes the title or name of the group, costume, and accessories, theme, and how these relate to the repertoire, including Introduction, Refrains, and Popurrí, if applicable.
ARTICLE 4 - SUPPORTING ROLES AND COLLABORATORS
Supporting roles refer to non-registered persons appearing on stage as part of the “props” of the murga.
Collaborators are those actively participating but only in specific parts of the repertoire. They may register up to five minutes before the performance by notifying the Jury President in writing.
ARTICLE 5 - LEGAL REPRESENTATIVE AND ALTERNATE
They are the official liaisons with the Department of Festivities or their delegate.
Responsibilities:
5.1 Complete the official registration forms provided by the Department of Festivities, submitting them within deadlines. Forms must be fully completed and signed by the Legal Representative and alternate, listing names, addresses, contact information, and ID numbers. This includes a clear and precise acknowledgment of the rules.
5.2 Submit texts within deadlines to the Jury President for review.
5.3 Submit any claims to the Department of Festivities and, once the competition begins, to the Jury President in writing and with proper identification.
5.4 They are jointly responsible, along with the group, for the content and lyrics of the Murgas.
CHAPTER II: DRAW
ARTICLE 6 - RULES
The Department of Festivities or their delegate will determine the performance order and convene Legal Representatives for the draw.
The groups will be divided into a maximum of four groups, with two top-seed groups based on the previous year’s results. Additional groups will be assigned through preliminary, semifinal, and final draws, the latter for finalists only.
In cases of absence during any phase, subsequent groups will advance to complete the performance schedule.
No changes to the draw order are allowed unless justified by a force majeure event, subject to verification by the Department of Festivities.
Violence or abuse towards any Commission member can lead to one to five years of disqualification.
The six finalists will be announced following the semifinals, with the final order drawn transparently.
CHAPTER III: THE JURY
ARTICLE 7 - COMPOSITION
The Jury comprises a President and an odd number of voting members (between 7 and 11), plus an alternate if necessary.
The Jury must be fully assembled at least seven days before the competition. If a voting member is absent, their scores for that phase will be voided. An alternate may replace any absent member for an entire phase.
ARTICLE 8 - PRESIDENT
The Jury President will be the Department of Festivities’ representative or their delegate.
Duties include enforcing the rules, convening and leading Jury meetings, ensuring performances adhere to pre-submitted lyrics, timing groups, collecting and submitting scoring sheets, processing complaints, and securing all competition documentation.
ARTICLE 9 - VOTING MEMBERS
The Jury members, numbering between 7 and 11, evaluate the general quality of each group with scores from 0 to 10 (in increments of 0.5). Special awards are scored separately, also from 1 to 10. Members must remain objective and maintain confidentiality.
ARTICLE 10 - JURY PROCEEDINGS
The Jury will officially convene with the presence of the President and all voting members or their alternate. Discussions will remain confidential, and scores will be cumulative throughout the phases.
ARTICLE 11 - JURY INCOMPATIBILITIES
Individuals with the following conflicts may not serve on the Jury:
- Legal Representative, author, or member of a competing group.
- Immediate family of any competitor.
- Anyone who participated in the competition the previous year.
Complaints regarding conflicts of interest should be submitted to the City Council, who will resolve them before the competition starts. The Department of Festivities will reject any proposed Jury member with a conflict of interest.
CHAPTER IV: THE CONTEST
ARTICLE 12 – CONTEST PHASES
The Santoña Murga Contest will consist of three phases: Preliminaries, Semifinals, and Finals.
12.1 Lyrics submission for the murgas in the preliminary phase must be made at the Santoña City Hall entry registry or, alternatively, at the Secretary's office of the Festivities Informative Commission by 2:00 p.m. on the Tuesday before the start of the performance. In the semifinal phase, lyrics should be submitted to the same location and by the same time on the Tuesday prior to the performance. Failure to meet these deadlines will result in a 3-point penalty.
12.2 For the finalist murgas, lyrics should be submitted to the Santoña City Hall entry registry or, alternatively, to the Secretary of the Festivities Informative Commission by 12:00 p.m. on the Wednesday before the final, with the same penalty applied for late submissions.
12.3 In exceptional cases, lyrics may be delivered to the President of the Jury up to ten minutes before the performance.
12.4 Lyrics should be submitted in a sealed envelope to the Festivities office, preferably to the Secretary, who will register it, or to the Councilmember or a delegate if the Secretary is unavailable.
ARTICLE 13 – GENERAL REHEARSALS
The Festivities Council or a delegate will determine the dates, times, and order for sound rehearsals, as well as the dates for stage set-up.
The City Council will not provide materials for stage decor; each group is responsible for its own equipment.
Groups must remove all materials from the stage. The City Council will not be responsible for any damage or loss of these items.
Violation of this article will result in a 3-point penalty, with the City Council responsible for enforcing this rule and notifying the Jury President accordingly.
ARTICLE 14 – PRELIMINARIES
14.1 All legally registered groups will participate according to the order established by the draw.
14.2 In this phase, each group will perform once, on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, with the last three days being prioritized over the first.
14.3 The fifteen groups with the highest scores in this phase, or all non-disqualified groups if they are equal to or fewer than fifteen, will be eligible for a participation award.
ARTICLE 15 – SEMIFINALS
All groups that comply with the rules will proceed to this phase, unless they commit an infraction resulting in disqualification.
15.1 In this phase, each group will perform once on a weekend (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday).
ARTICLE 16 – FINAL PHASE
The six groups with the highest combined scores from the preliminary and semifinal rounds will advance to the finals.
ARTICLE 17 – MURGA RULES DURING PERFORMANCES
The minimum performance time is fifteen minutes. Groups that do not reach this minimum will not receive a score.
The maximum duration is 22 minutes, counted from the start of vocals or sound, provided this begins within 15 seconds of the curtain fully opening. Failure to meet this requirement will result in a 2.5-point penalty.
At 23 minutes, the curtain will automatically close, microphones will be turned off, and the group will receive a 4-point penalty.
Each group must leave the stage and its entrances in perfect condition after their performance.
Only previously submitted lyrics may be sung, including introductory lyrics, pasodobles, cuplés, popurrí, and finales. Improvised dialogue, sketches, or interactions between songs are allowed but will only count toward time. Not all lyrics must be sung. Failure to comply will result in a 2.5-point penalty.
After performing, group members may re-enter the venue ONLY through the main door, not through the stage side doors. This must be done respectfully without disrupting ongoing performances. Violations are considered serious, and offenders may be expelled from the contest.
ARTICLE 18 – TIE-BREAKING
In the case of a tie, jury members will conduct a new secret vote, indicating which group should rank above the others.
ARTICLE 19 – JURY DECISION
The decisions of the Jury members must be duly respected, without prejudice to the right to appeal as provided in Article 22 of these rules. Any physical or verbal attack (such as insults, slander, threats, or aggression) against Jury members by murga members can lead to disqualification for 1 to 5 years, subject to an investigation by the Festivities Council.
ARTICLE 20 – PRIZES
The following prizes, subject to applicable deductions, are established:
- First Prize: Carnival Trophy and €2,000
- Second Prize: €500
- Third Prize: €200
- Fourth Prize: €50
- Fifth Prize: €900
- Sixth Prize: €700
- Participation award for other groups (up to 15): €500
Special Awards:
- Best Lyrics and Criticism (Sponsor) – €300
- Best Staging/Interpretation (Sponsor) – €300
- Best Humor (Sponsor) – €300
- "Momentazo" Award: Trophy
- Best Original Music (Sponsor) – €300
CHAPTER V: SCORING
ARTICLE 21° - SCORING
ADULT MURGAS:
The jury members will complete the scoring sheets according to the following criteria:
- Overall Score: From 0 to 10, with the option of using decimals (only half points).
- Original Music: From 0 to 10, with the option of using decimals (only half points).
- Staging and Performance: From 0 to 10, with the option of using decimals (only half points).
- Humor: From 0 to 10, with the option of using decimals (only half points).
- Lyrics and Critique: From 0 to 10, with the option of using decimals (only half points).
Overall scores will be added in each round, with the two highest and two lowest scores from the jury members discarded. The champion of the Murga competition will be the group with the highest total score across the three competition phases.
For the final scoring of special awards, the same number of highest and lowest scores will also be discarded, and an average will then be taken across all rounds. The exact average will be used, without rounding up or down, to the nearest thousandth.
The scores from the jury members will be kept confidential until the end of the competition.
Each scoring sheet will include an original and a copy, one for the President of the Jury and another for the City Council.
On the Monday following the semifinals, scores for groups that did not advance to the final phase will be posted on the City Council's bulletin board and website.
On the Monday following the final, scores for ALL groups that participated in the competition will be posted on the City Council’s bulletin board and website.
ARTICLE 22° - COMPLAINTS
Complaints regarding any alleged infraction may be filed by the Legal Representatives or jury members, in verifiable form, until 2:00 p.m. on the Tuesday following the phase in question. The Jury will convene, at the President’s request, to study and issue a decision on such complaints.
ARTICLE 23° - SANCTIONS
Sanctions will be communicated in writing by the President of the Jury to the Legal Representative of the group committing the offense, within 24 hours of the infringing action. This will also be made public within the same timeframe.
23.1 The Department of Festivities, or its delegate, will ensure compliance with these competition rules. Serious, unjustified breaches of the Competition Regulations by any involved party may result in the following penalties:
- 23.1.1 Immediate disqualification of the individual responsible if their actions significantly disrupt the competition.
- 23.1.2 Ineligibility to participate in the competition for one to five years, based on the severity, or indefinite disqualification. This decision will be made by the Festivities Committee, considering proportionality, recurrence, and severity of the offense.
23.2 The Department of Festivities, or its delegate, will handle any complaints of regulatory violations, with the Festivities Committee convened as necessary to issue a decision.
23.3 Use of pre-recorded music or sound beyond two minutes during a performance will result in a 1.5-point deduction, as noted in section 2.4.
The use of electric or electronic instruments in more than two musical pieces will incur a 1.5-point penalty.
23.4 Any form of plagiarism, whether musical arrangements or lyrics from other existing murgas, will result in automatic DISQUALIFICATION, as noted in section 2.5.
23.5 Allowing any sanctioned member to join a group will be considered a VERY SERIOUS OFFENSE and will lead to DISQUALIFICATION, as noted in section 2.6.
23.6 Performances with lyrics that are especially offensive, violate personal dignity, or attack honor, privacy, or personal image may result in point deductions or DISQUALIFICATION, based on the severity, as noted in section 2.9.
23.7 Non-compliance with Article 13 regarding General Rehearsals will result in a 3-point deduction.
23.8 Exceeding the permitted performance time will incur a penalty of 2.5 or 4 points, respectively, as indicated in Article 17.
23.9 Performing lyrics that were not previously submitted will result in a 2.5-point deduction.
23.10 After a murga’s performance, if members of any group enter the venue and disrupt the performance of the group currently on stage, this will be considered a serious infraction, and offending members may be disqualified from the competition, as outlined in Article 17.
23.11 Failure to submit lyrics by the deadlines established in Article 12 will result in a 3-point penalty.
CHAPTER VI: CITY COUNCIL AND DEPARTMENT OF FESTIVITIES
ARTICLE 24° - POWERS AND DUTIES
The City Council and/or Department of Festivities will have the following responsibilities:
24.1 Register participating groups.
24.2 Recognize the Legal Representative of each group or designated individual.
24.3 Ensure no repeated “Titles and Costumes” in registrations.
24.4 Establish and publish the official schedule in this order:
- 24.4.1 Prizes to be awarded.
- 24.4.2 Opening and closing of the Official Group Registration.
- 24.4.3 Date of the Group Draw.
- 24.4.4 Start and end dates of General Rehearsals.
24.5 Hold no responsibility for texts presented or performed by the Murgas during the competition, as these remain the groups' responsibility at all times.
24.6 Meet at least twice a year (once after the Competition and again before registration opens) with Murga representatives.
CHAPTER VII: CHILDREN'S COMPETITION
ARTICLE 25° - REGULATIONS
The Children’s Exhibition will consist of two rounds, with the final held on Carnival Friday.
The awards will be:
- Costume: 500 €
- Lyrics and Critique: 500 €
- Singing: 500 €
- Humor and Charm: 500 €
- Staging and Performance: 500 €
All Children’s Groups will receive recognition.
The maximum age for participation is 18 years, except for members playing instruments or percussion, who cannot sing under any circumstances.
The Legal Representative of children's groups will have the same powers as their counterpart in the adult competition.
The draw for both the first and second rounds will take place on the same day, coinciding with the Preliminary and Semifinal Draws for the Adult Competition.
The Children’s Murga Jury will consist of a President and up to seven members, who may be the same as those for the Adult Murga Competition or different.
Jury members will uphold the confidentiality required by their roles.
The Jury will score each of the following elements from one to ten:
- Costume
- Lyrics and Critique
- Singing
- Humor and Charm
- Staging and Performance
The maximum performance time is twenty minutes from the moment the curtain is fully open, after which it will close automatically.
Each group will have ten minutes to set up and ten minutes to clear the stage.
REPEAL PROVISION
This Regulation supersedes all previous ones and will take effect the day after its publication in the BOC, following its prior approval by the Festivities Committee and the Plenary of the Santoña City Council.
FINAL PROVISION
The Santoña City Council reserves the right to partially or fully modify this Regulation at any time, following the procedure that served as its basis, and will inform all interested parties in advance. It is also authorized to resolve any unforeseen issues within this Regulation.
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