Eurovision: Australia Decides returns to the Gold Coast in 2022

Eurovision: Australia Decides will return to the Gold Coast in February 2022.

After a two year absence, due to COVID-19 impacting in 2020, SBS and Blink TV will return to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 February.

The Live TV event, hosted by Joel Creasey and Myf Warhurst, allows Australians to help choose who will represent the nation at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Italy.

An SBS portal is now open for song submissions from any composer until September 26.

SBS Director of Television and Online Content, Marshall Heald said: “Australia is home to so many talented artists and songwriters, and SBS is proud to provide this international platform for our nation’s incredibly diverse music community. Eurovision: Australia Decides is a unique opportunity for established and undiscovered songwriters to show us what they’ve got and for a suite of Australian artists to bring these songs to life on stage in February. It’s over to you Australia – let’s give Europe our best!”

Creative Director of Eurovision: Australia Decides, Paul Clarke said: “We’ve had a year on the bench due to COVID, now we’re going to produce an event that blows people’s minds and touches their hearts. We want to get the passion going for Eurovision and our incredible musicians. So huge props to SBS, the Queensland Government and Major Events Gold Coast for backing #AusDecides again. We’ve got some very exciting artists to announce shortly, but first we need songs! It’s an opportunity for all our songwriters to showcase their best and boldest – please send your songs to the SBS song portal. Before you know it, you could be in the next announcement, when we reveal some very exciting artists and songwriters!”

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said: “Hosting Eurovision: Australia Decides on the Gold Coast is a wonderful opportunity to show Australia and the world our world-class event hosting capabilities in one of our most spectacular tourism destinations. We’ve previously seen avid Eurovision fans flock to the Gold Coast for this event and we look forward to welcoming them again in February 2022.”

Screen Queensland CEO, Kylie Munnich said: “Eurovision is one of the biggest television events in the world and to be part of this live, nation-wide production under the prestigious Eurovision banner is an immense career-building opportunity for Queensland screen practitioners. Eurovision is a celebration of international unity, raising the volume of diverse voices – a true exhibition of the power of screen to create a positive global impact and a much- needed sense of global community.”

Gold Coast Mayor, Tom Tate said: “If there is one event that shouts ‘Gold Coast’ it is Eurovision: Australia Decides. Like Eurovision, we are bold, unapologetic and famous for fun. I am delighted that Eurovision: Australia Decides is back and look forward to the best musical talent taking to the stage at our exhibition centre. My message is: go big!”

From pop to hip hop, opera to electro and everything in between, SBS is calling on a range of songs and songwriters to submit an original composition as part of the national selection process via sbs.com.au/eurovision. The song portal, supported by APRA AMCOS, which represents over 100,000 Australasian songwriters, composers and music publishers, is now open for submissions until 26 September 2021. There are no restrictions on the number of songs composers and songwriters, both published and unpublished can submit.

Songs will be shortlisted and announced later this year, along with the ten Australian artists set to compete for their shot to represent Australia on the world’s biggest stage. Then it’s up to the Australian public and a Jury to decide who will take the stage at the 66th Eurovision Song Contest to compete for Eurovision glory.

Broadcast times Live across Australia:

Saturday 26 February on SBS
NSW/VIC/TAS/ACT 8:30pm – 11:00pm AEDT
QLD 7:30pm – 10:00pm AEST
SA 8:00pm – 10:30pm ACDT
WA 5:30pm – 8:00pm AWST
NT 7:00pm – 9:30pm ACST