Cultural Programs Rules & Regulations

These rules have been created to ensure fairness and equal opportunity to everyone in our region's ever-growing Kerala community. Much thought and feedback have gone into the formulation of these rules by the present and past GCKA BOD members, and they have mostly remained consistent through recent years, with little edits or modifications.

We request you therefore to kindly keep these rules in mind when you register for the programs, to enable a smooth and efficient build-up to the grand event. Thank you in advance!

Program categories

All programs must belong to one of these categories and meet its criteria.

Priority when registrations exceed the time available

• If program registration exceeds the planned event timings, the GCKA BOD will give more priority to programs with the maximum number of participants. Programs with fewer participants will be contacted individually; the BOD will work with them and may suggest changes to accommodate all programs in the scheduled time.
• Preference is given in this order: (1) a greater number of participants, to ensure higher representation; (2) Christmas / New Year theme for the Christmas program, or Onam theme for the Onam program; (3) newly registered GCKA members / new participants.

Communication & confirmation

• Once registration is submitted, all communication with the GCKA Cultural Committee is by email. Direct all queries to culturals@gcka.com ONLY. It is the registrant's responsibility to monitor email and respond within 48 hours. GCKA is not responsible for missed communication, including emails that go to spam.
• Acknowledgement of your registration does not automatically confirm acceptance of your program. After verification, the Cultural Committee will send a separate email to confirm your program.

Membership

• Only active GCKA members can register and participate. Names of all participants and their GCKA Member IDs must be provided at registration. Participants without valid Member IDs are presumed to be non-members and the program will be disqualified. Any discrepancy in the participant list may lead to cancellation of the entire program, up to and including the day of the event.
• To become a member of GCKA, one needs to be of Kerala/Malayali origin living in NC. Children of parent(s) of Malayali/Kerala descent, and spouses of those of Malayali/Kerala descent, also qualify.

One participant – one program

• A GCKA member can only participate in a single program.
• The exception applies only to GCKA special sponsored programs such as the opening program, Malayalam Kalari program, grand finale and Youth program.
• Solo and duet performances will not be accepted at this time, unless there is not enough participation, in which case all members will be notified. Our community is growing by leaps and bounds, and GCKA encourages a more varied representation of our community on stage.

Program content

• The GCKA BOD will, at its discretion, determine how many programs of each category are approved to perform on the event day.
• Songs: the same song cannot be sung or danced in more than one program if used in its entirety. The group that registers first gets preference; the other group may pick an alternate. An exception may be given if the song is part of a medley.
• Theme / concept: the same theme cannot be used in more than one program. The first group to register with all details gets preference.
• Lighting: keep it simple. The Cultural Committee may reject requirements beyond the abilities of volunteers, technicians or the facility.
• The Cultural Committee may cancel any registration made with the intention of acting as a “filler” slot.

Deadlines & scheduling

• The registrant MUST hand over the program write-up and all stage requirements (lighting, audio, props, membership details of all participants etc.) by the specified dates. Provide good-quality audio tracks and presentations; GCKA is not responsible for the quality of sound or presentation materials. No stage requirements are entertained after the deadline. Presentation materials are subject to technical feasibility, and requirements cannot be updated once confirmed after the deadline.
• To be impartial and keep the event interesting, programs are scheduled at the discretion of the Cultural Committee. Requests for specific slots or changes will not be entertained.

Audio & video files

• Audio files should be in .mp4 format.
• File names follow the program ID. For example, if your program ID is 15: PGM_15_Props.xls · PGM_15_Video.mp4 · PGM_15_Karoake.mp4
• Duration: make sure your track fits within the time allocated for your category. Longer tracks must be cut down.
• Time limit compliance: do not include extra content — extended introductions, sponsor or business promotions, or unnecessary visuals. Entries that exceed the limit may be trimmed or rejected.
• Background videos must be relevant to your program's theme. Avoid ads, logos, branding, business promotions or unrelated content.

On the day

• If a performance exceeds its total allocated time, GCKA may close the curtains to keep the overall event on schedule.
• Participants must use the venue's facilities. Outside audio and video systems are not allowed.
• Stage tape is provided by the BOD; choreographers and performers may NOT bring their own.
• Each program must have a single point of contact for the Cultural Committee.
• The GCKA Cultural Committee has exclusive rights to amend these rules in the interest of the overall success of the cultural event.