Contest community insiders: We want to give you a head start. You can now record your entry for the 2026 Tiny Desk Contest!
Next year’s Contest will officially open for entries on Tuesday, Jan. 13, at 10 a.m. ET, but we recommend getting your video ready now. If you’re on the fence about submitting, now is a good time to dust off those drums, write that song and text your bandmates to see what it’ll take for that new entry idea to make it out of the group chat.
Here’s what to do:
Record a video of yourself recording one original song — behind a desk. (Including a desk in your entry is crucial.)
Upload your video to YouTube.
Take this quick eligibility quiz to make sure you’re ready to go when the Contest officially opens.
Between Tuesday, Jan.13, at 10 a.m. ET and Monday, Feb. 9, at 11:59 p.m. ET, submit your video at npr.org/tinydeskcontest.
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And a reminder for your entry: Record it how we record Tiny Desk concerts. That means no fancy production. No in-ear monitors. Keep it simple and show us who you are.
From the Desk,
NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest team
P.S. If you need more reason to record your video early, know that if you did, you’d be in good company with last year’s winner Ruby Ibarra.
Stream your local NPR station.
Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream.
What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: tinydeskcontest@npr.org
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