The Finnish selection show for the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest will once again be called Uuden musiikin kilpailu (UMK) or Contest for new music, for the second year running. Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE has announced that the final will this time be held in the Barona Arena, an ice hockey arena in Tapiola. The Espoo garden cityof Tapiola is just west of Helsinki and was famous for its groundbreaking architecture in the 1960s. Barona Arena was one of the early bidders for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2007 under a different name. It holds normally just over 7000 spectators.  Tickets for the 2013 final will be on sale 8th October 2012.

YLE has also revealed that the main partner in organising the 2013 version is Live Nation Finland.

Demos for UMK 2013 can be submitted from the 3rd until the 16th September 2012. Foreign songwriters can also take part, provided that at least one of the songwriting team and the main artist(s) have a permanent residency in Finland. The rules of the contest can be downloaded in Finnish, Swedish and English on the UMK website here. 

 

UMK 2013 trailer