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.