Here we go again: looking for a musician to compose the 2026 Olympics song for free

It is called MiCo Song and it is the name of the contest with which the Milano Cortina Foundation intends to select the musician who will compose the musical piece that will accompany the Italian Road to the Games at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. The problem is that, as unfortunately often happens on these occasions, for those who will win the contest there is no remuneration provided. In fact, the call for entries provides for free participation for all participants, and does not award any prize or financial recognition to the winner. Of course, the winner could boast of the glory of having composed the Olympics song, but there is more: the winner will in fact have to give all rights to the Foundation free of charge.

The song must be unpublished, composed of lyrics and music or music alone, must be no longer than three minutes, must be in Italian and must be inspired by the values of the Milano Cortina Foundation: economic, environmental and social sustainability of the event, respect for the Olympic creed, determination, inner energy and so on. The composer will have to emerge from the network of Italian conservatories and civilian and military bands (the contest in fact, the announcement reads, is “reserved for higher institutes of musical studies, including music conservatories, institutions authorized to grant degrees in high artistic and musical and choreographic training in the music sector or the musical realities of the AFAM circuit of the Ministry of University and Research, as well as autonomous civilian and military bands. In particular, civilian music bands can demonstrate membership in Federations and Associations of national or regional importance, recognized as interlocutors of the Ministry of Culture.”

Musicians wishing to participate must be at least fourteen years of age and may avail themselves of the collaboration of an internal or external composer or lyricist (in fact, officially, the conservatories will participate, as they will internally identify the authors of the songs and may decide whether to make use of the external support mentioned earlier). Choosing the piece will be a committee formed and appointed by the Foundation, chosen from individuals of proven ability and experience ne isectors related to the project. At the end of the process, the two best pieces will be presented “in the context of a major musical event of international importance” (cois the announcement) and may also be modified or reinterpreted by the Foundation or by third parties commissioned by the Foundation. Deciding the final winner will be “a popular vote by telematic means.”

All rights (to music and lyrics) to the winning MiCo Song, the announcement reads, “are understood to be transferred to the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation, by the author(s) of the song.” “All patrimonial copyrights on the MiCoSong musical piece are understood to be assigned free of charge,” the notice specifies, “that is, specifically - among others - the right to publication, reproduction, transcription, performance, public performance or recitation, communication to the public, elaboration and modification of the work, rental and lending, and synchronization as defined in current Italian copyright law. For the sake of clarity, the author(s) of the MiCoSong song assigns to the Foundation, among others, the right to use the piece of music as part of the activities carried out for the lead-up to the Games in all countries of the world, with the right to edit, reproduce and transmit the same in any media and medium (by way of example, website, social media, radio, television, etc.) and at any event, and this also for the broadest promotional purposes of the Foundation and/or its successors, including the rights due in common practice to the music publisher and the phonographic producer, with the right of assignment to third parties (including the IOC and IPC).”

Very harshly, the association Mi Riconosci, which defends the rights of cultural workers, wrote on its Facebook page, “Could the MilanoCortina2026 Foundation have paid an artist to write the anthem of the Olympics? Obviously not, and here the Ministry of Culture today issues a notice in which the winner will not only not be paid, but will lose ALL RIGHTS to the work that will become the official soundtrack of the event. But what do you want? Musicians or slaves?”

Here we go again: looking for a musician to compose the 2026 Olympics song for free

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