Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) Announces The SMIA Summit 2024 08 Aug 2024
Free-to-attend digital conference programme and first round of speakers announced, with registrations now open
The Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) – the membership organisation and innovation agency which exists to strengthen, empower and unite Scotland’s music industry – today announces the SMIA Summit 2024; a two-day, free-to-attend digital conference which aims to shape the future of Scotland’s music industry, with speakers from across the sector including artists, management, labels and more.
Free tickets via smia.org.uk/summit
Taking place online across Thursday 5 and Friday 6 September, The SMIA Summit will foster connection, consultation and collaboration between SMIA members, key industry stakeholders and policy-makers. It will act as a vehicle to discuss and debate sector development priorities, providing a platform to begin co-designing both solutions and innovations.
Confirmed speakers include: Rod Jones (Idlewild; Post Electric), Carla J. Easton (Artist), Lori Anderson (Culture Counts), Mark Douglas (PPL), Halina Rifai (We Are Here Scotland; Podcart), Ian Smith (Last Night From Glasgow), Dr Robert Allan (Glasvegas; University of the West of Scotland), Caroline Sewell (Musicians’ Union), Lisa Whytock(Active Events; Showcase Scotland Expo; Showcase Scotland at Celtic Connections), Dr Diljeet Bhachu (Musicians’ Union), Matt Brennan (University of Glasgow), Iain Hamilton(Highlands & Islands Enterprise), Mobolaji Agoro (UP2STNDRD; Pitch Scotland; Forij), Caroline Parkinson (Edinburgh Futures Institute), Sanjeev Mann (Supermann on da beat; Hip Hop Scotland), Jen Hunter (Lived Experience Scotland; Scottish Music Industry Association), Dill Dowdall (Ponyboy), Ola Akisanya (Artist; Chef the Rapper) and Jenn Nimmo-Smith (Electric Shores Publicity; Night Time Industries Association), Rachel Alice Johnson (Artist; Kohla; Popgirlz Scotland), Josephine Sillars (Artist; Popgirlz Scotland), Olaf Furniss (Wide Events CIC; Music Tourist) with more speakers to be announced in due course.
Over two days, participants will engage in high-level discussions on key industry topics. The SMIA Summit 2024 opens with a deep dive into the value of Scotland’s music industry, setting the stage for discussions on economic impact and strategic investment. Subsequent sessions will explore the transformative role of technology, the potential for decentralising Scotland’s music industry beyond the central belt and innovative approaches to creating inclusive music spaces. It will also address critical topics such as achieving fair work standards, combating gender discrimination and developing a sustainable international music strategy. Through expert keynotes, dynamic panel discussions and interactive break-out sessions where attendees can contribute insights and propose solutions, The SMIA Summit 2024 aims to set the foundations for a unified sector vision.
Robert Kilpatrick, CEO and Creative Director of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), said: “The SMIA Summit is not just an event, but a move towards a more resilient, equitable and vibrant music industry in Scotland. By embracing co-design principles and amplifying diverse voices, we aim to create a platform where innovative solutions and strategic initiatives can be developed collectively.
“Bringing together industry leaders, stakeholders and music professionals from across the country, the SMIA Summit is a key milestone in the determination of a unified sector vision that elevates the economic, social and cultural value of Scotland’s music industry. It marks the start of a much larger piece of strategic work the SMIA is undertaking across the coming months, and I look forward to our community coming together to discuss how we can shape the future of Scottish music together.”
The SMIA Summit is exclusively open to SMIA members, with those working in – or aspiring to work in – music in Scotland able to join the SMIA for free. Attendees can register for individual sessions or the entire conference. For more information, and to join the SMIA/register for the Summit, please visit smia.org.uk/summit
The SMIA works to create and nurture an inclusive membership community which reflects the full spectrum of Scotland’s music industry. With a membership of over 4,700 industry professionals, the SMIA gives voice to Scotland’s music sector when speaking to Government, Parliament and development organisations, as well as both produces and supports projects and programmes that stimulate sustainability, domestic and international growth, development and innovation.
The SMIA’s services, projects and events are designed to strengthen and increase the value of Scotland’s music industry both at home and on the world stage; economically, socially and culturally. The organisation’s flagship project – the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award – recently launched for 2024, with The SAY Award Ceremony returning to Stirling’s Albert Halls for a third year on Thursday 24 October. The SMIA recently announced an inaugural Equalities, Diversity, Inclusion and Access (EDIA) Advisory Group who will develop an EDIA strategy for Scotland’s music industry, engaging members of the SMIA and the wider music industry to contribute.
For more information on the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), or to join as a member, please visit smia.org.uk
Keep up-to-date with the SMIA’s journey on Facebook @TheSMIA, Twitter @TheSMIA and Instagram @The_SMIA.
NEWS & PRESS
Dirty Hit extends successful distribution partnership with Universal Music UK
Independent record label Dirty Hit have announced the renewal of their UK physical distribution partnership with Universal Music UK for a further three years. Over a decade in length already, their collaborative partnership started in 2010. It has played an important...more
Too Young Ltd. announces Catalog, a first-of-its-kind sync marketplace set to revolutionise music licensing
Collaboration with 20 leading independent labels, including !K7, Beggars Group, City Slang, DFA, Erased Tapes, Hyperdub, Kompakt, Marathon, Ninja Tune and Partisan Records kicks off at AIM Connected 2024 Too Young Ltd., a globally recognised leader in music supervision and audio...more
Downtown Music Publishing signs global deal with PDU, the imprint from legendary Italian singer, Mina
Deal to include multiple Italian classic hits from Mina’s prestigious music catalog and 1998 best-selling album ‘Mina Celentano' Downtown Music Publishing (DMP) today announces a global music publishing deal with PDU, the record label and publishing company from iconic Italian singer...more
Wise Music Group signs pop publishing deal with Josepehine Stephenson
Campbell Connelly, part of Wise Music Group, has signed an exclusive songwriter agreement with Josephine Stephenson. The deal further cements Stephenson’s relationship with WMG as her concert repertoire is published by Leduc through our offices in Paris. Josephine is a...more
Independent Venue Community
INDEPENDENT VENUE COMMUNITY (IVC) NEW CHARITY AIMS TO UNLOCK THE DAYTIME POTENTIAL OF LIVE MUSIC VENUES & BUILD COMMUNITY COHESIVENESS From the Founder of Independent Venue Week, IVC will develop and champion a national programme of activities and events for communities to...more
Concord Music Publishing signs rising country artist Erin Kirby
Today, Concord Music Publishing announced the signing of Nashville-based breakthrough country artist Erin Kirby. The worldwide publishing deal, effective immediately, includes Kirby’s full catalog and all future works. This marks Kirby’s first publishing deal. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Erin Kirby began writing her own songs...more
National Album Day exclusive LP releases
Full list of National Album Day titles Available for pre-order on 12th September All Saints - All Saints Babyshambles - Shotter’s Nation Daughter - Music From Before the Storm Dodgy - Homegrown Embrace - Out Of Nothing Gomez - How We Operate Idlewild - Warnings/Promises Jeff Wayne - Jeff Wayne's Musical Version Of The War Of The Worlds: ULLAdubULLA...more
Warner Chappell Music UK and Defected Records announce new joint venture
Warner Chappell Music UK (WCM UK), the music publishing arm of Warner Music Group, has teamed up with award-winning British dance label Defected Records to launch an exciting new joint venture. WCM UK will now exclusively administer the publishing roster...more
BPI launches Episode 3 of Innovation Podcast series
Episode 3: The Get-Heard Generation: how brand partnerships went from selling out to buying in click here to listen to this and past episodes Building on its various innovation-led initiatives of the past 12 months, including its groundbreaking Grow Music partnership with London & Partners announced in July, the...more
International Music Summit announces the debut of IMS Dubai
A NEW SUMMIT FOCUSING ON THE INTERSECTION OF MUSIC, CULTURE, FINANCE & TECHNOLOGYFEATURING MENA-BASED SPEAKERS FROM YOUTUBE, WARNER MUSIC GROUP, ANGHAMI, BILLBOARD ARABIA, BELIEVE, FIVE HOSPITALITY, POP ARABIA, REED SMITH, SCENENOISE & THE PACHA GROUP.BUYERS & REGIONAL EVENT EXPERTS FROM SOHO GARDEN, GROOVE ON THE GRASS, OASIS FESTIVAL & FACTORY...more
beatBread names TikTok & Amazon executive as Head of Finance
beatBread (www.beatBread.com), the data-driven funding platform for music that enables artists and labels to access growth capital while maintaining ownership and control, has appointed Andrew Maddox as head of finance, as the company continues to scale and build out new...more
The Scottish Album of the Year Award announces 2024's longlist
20 OUTSTANDING ALBUMS – INCLUDING DEBUTS FROM ACROSS SCOTLAND, MERCURY PRIZE NOMINEES AND FORMER WINNERS – NOW IN THE RUNNING FOR £20,000 PRIZE Stream the Longlist at www.sayaward.com Scotland’s national music prize, The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award, today reveals the 20 outstanding...more
Music maestro PBN receives honorary 'Doctorate of Music'
The University of Wolverhampton has recognised the achievements and successes of South Asian music maestro, PBN. The world renowned music producer, singer and performer becomes the first ever UK Punjabi act to have been made a 'Doctor of Music'. PBN is a household...more
Warner Chappell Music France signs deal with Renaud
WCM France has signed a deal with legendary French rocker Renaud. It acquired the worldwide publishing rights to the catalog of the Couci Couca record label, which includes Renaud’s latest works, such as the Diamond Certified Renaud, Toujours Debout, and the...more
L-Acoustics Introduces HYRISS: One Space, Endless Experiences
Revolutionary Hyperreal Immersive Sound System brings sound to the centre of spaces designed for living and gathering L-Acoustics today unveils HYRISS (Hyperreal Immersive Sound Space), a groundbreaking audio solution set to redefine how we experience spaces through sound. HYRISS represents a...more
ESMAA and Anghami settle legal dispute and announce a licensing agreement
ESMAA, an Abu Dhabi-based rights management entity representing global music stakeholders in the Gulf and Middle East, and Anghami (NASDAQ: ANGH), the leading music and entertainment streaming platform in the Middle East and North Africa region, have announced a new...more
Arodes teams with Armada Music on label, reveals first track 'Use Somebody'
Armada Music, the world's leading independent dance music label, is thrilled to announce a long-term partnership with DJ and producer Arodes, marking the next phase for his newly-founded label, Unreleased. This exciting collaboration kicks off with the release of Arodes'...more
Universal Music Sweden launches Def Jam Recordings Sweden under the leadership of Mattias Caliste
Launch coincides with iconic label, Def Jam Recordings' 40th anniversary, boasting a roster that includes both new and established artists Universal Music Sweden, a division of Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, today announced the launch of...more
Audoo announces appointment of senior music executives Steve Clark, Isabel Garvey and Sean O'Malley as board advisors
The appointments follow news of partnerships with PMY Group and IMRO. The execs add to existing Audoo Board Advisors Cliff Fluet and Alistair Macdonald. Global expansion continues, with Audoo Audio Meters™ active in 15 countries having processed over 75 million songs. Audoo—the music...more
Warner Chappell Music strengthens A&R presence in Europe
Warner Chappell Music (WCM), the music publishing arm of Warner Music Group, has announced several exciting changes in its European A&R team, with two promotions in its Nordics division, and a significant new appointment in Germany. In the Nordics, Marion Skogseth...more
IMPF appoints Nicole Schulze to new Secretary General role
Schulze was most recently IP Policy Lead for Europe at Meta. New Secretary General role ‘a response to huge growth’ at IMPF. A public policy professional with nearly 20 years’ experience in developing advocacy strategies and influencing legislative agendas, with a focus...more
Impala pushes ahead with strategic Central and Eastern European work
Impala pushes ahead with strategic Central and Eastern European work and sets out new priorities at its annual meeting in Bucharest hosted by Indiero, Mastering the Music Business conference Last Thursday at Mastering the Music Business international music business conference and showcase festival...more
IFPI Releases Inaugural Music In The EU Report
New report highlights that the European market is at a pivotal moment Policymakers have chance to bolster European music’s future amidst rising global competition Download the full report here IFPI, the organisation representing record companies worldwide, has today released Music in the EU: A Global...more
Universal Music Group expands partnership with Tuned Global in new licensing agreement
Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment and Tuned Global, the leading B2B music and streaming technology provider, today announced a global licensing agreement for UMG’s catalogue of recorded music. This expansion of their existing partnership will...more
First wave of speakers for ESNS Conference announced
Sumit Bothra (SB3 Artist Management), Seth Dodson (Pitchfork), Jess Iszatt (BBC), Katie Melua (artist), and Victoria Oakley (IFPI) are the first featured speakers announced for ESNS25. Other confirmed speakers include tastemakers from Dekmantel, EMMA, Wasserman Music, and many more. Delegate...more
New Artist Accelerator platform MXTR launches
New Artist Accelerator platform MXTR launches, committed to championing and funding emerging artists with a sustainable ecosystem that puts creative control and ownership first.• MXTR will offer artists funding, majority share deals, master ownership and full creative control.• MXTR is powered by...more
Audiomack partners with Mogul to get artists what they're owed
Audiomack, the leading music streaming service in 17 African countries with artists across the globe, is partnering with Mogul, the industry’s most effective top layer for tracking royalties. More than 30 million monthly users across the globe can now track...more
Amuse Introduces New Sync Department to Develop Licensed Music
Headed by Daniel Copleston, previously at [PIAS] and Cooking Vinyl Records. Sync placements can be career-makers for artists—opening an avenue for new fans to discover their music, offering new revenue streams, and creating a launchpad for future releases. Adding in-house Sync...more
MMF Manager Summit & AGM 2024: DATA, DEALS & INNOVATION
Tickets available here - 50% discount for MMF members and MMF Associates On Tuesday 17th September (11am - 4.30pm), the Music Managers Forum (MMF) will host a full day Manager Summit at London's 21Soho. Through a series of expert panel discussions and...more
Call for proposals for New Music Biennial 2025
Festival weekends to take place in Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and at London's Southbank Centre Organisations can apply to work with exciting music creators to commission a new work or present exceptional works from the last 4 years PRS...more
THE HEADLINES
Spotify looks to pay video creators to put shows on platform; launches interview series (see Digital)
Can Labour revitalise the UK’s creative industries? (see Comment)
IFPI releases inaugural Music In The EU report (see Reports)
WME's Lucy Dickins interviewed (see Features)
SoundCloud CEO Eliah Seton interviewed (see Features)
Industry presses government to solve post-Brexit limits on touring (see News)
Revealed: the touts offering Oasis tickets (see Features)
English Teacher win Mercury prize (see News, Features)
Oasis attempts to distance itself from dynamic pricing after backlash (see News, Comment)
EU rules out loosening post-Brexit curbs on UK touring musicians (see News)
What we can learn from the success of the UK's high-performing indie labels (see Comment)
CMA calls for “more protections” for consumers buying tickets (see News)
Is the era of larger-than-life, huge-voiced, huge-haired female singers ending? (see Features)