Expats in the central Vietnamese city of Da Nang are being encouraged to sign up for the first-ever “Expat Got Talent” contest to be held later this month.

The event, which will carry a ‘New Year’ theme, will be held on December 17 and 18 as part of Festival Season 2017-18, the Da Nang Department of Culture and Sports said in an announcement on November 28.

“The event is an artistic and cultural exchange that will contribute to strengthening solidarity and connection between expat communities in Da Nang and local people,” the document, written in English, reads.

The contest is open to any foreign economic, political or social groups, non-governmental organizations or international businesses that have an office in Da Nang, and to any expats who presently live, work or study in the city.

Participants must have legal residence in Da Nang or neighboring areas, according to the department.

The organizer is calling for participation from all members of Da Nang’s expat community whether they are individual or group performances.

Participants can perform either international or Vietnamese music, including folk or traditional songs of any kind, and are encouraged to dance, do magic, a circus performance or even perform modern art.

“The performances should represent the cultural characteristics of the participants’ home country and nationality but must not contain any offensive content including nudity or violence, or violate Vietnamese laws and regulations,” the organizer noted.

An individual can sign up for one performance with a maximum duration of seven minutes, while an organization or group can register to perform more than once, with the number of participants unlimited.

Winners of the group category will receive a first prize of VND10 million (US$440), and the runner-up a second prize worth VND8 million ($350).

First prize for the individual category is VND5 million ($220), with the runner-up receiving VND3 million ($130).

In addition to cash prizes, all winning organizations and individuals will also receive gifts from the contest’s sponsors, while the performance deemed most outstanding will be nominated to perform at upcoming cultural and art events in Da Nang.

Registration is open until December 14, and interested expats can sign up via one of the following methods.

Register at the link: http://goo.gl/DYdTCm.

Download the registration form  and send it back to the organizer via post at Da Nang Events and Festival Center – 23 Tran Phu Street, Hai Chau District, or email at tttcsklh@danang.gov.vn.

The center’s representative, Ms. Uyen Pham, is available for contact by phone on 02363888, mobile 0935103020, or by email uyenptt@danang.gov.vn.