We are utterly devastated by the sad and deeply worrying news that The Skinny is no more. Our thoughts are with every member of their incredible staff and the many freelancers and contributors affected at this exceptionally tough time.
It’s hard to articulate or comprehend what this loss means for Scottish music and culture. For over two decades, The Skinny has been an essential part of our industry’s infrastructure – platforming artists, developing audiences and broadening tastes so that the strength and diversity of Scottish music could move closer to receiving the recognition and engagement it deserves.
The Skinny was an instrumental part of the cultural ecosystem it documented and championed. It gave emerging artists meaningful early coverage, helped audiences discover music and experiences beyond the mainstream, created opportunities for writers and photographers, supported venues and festivals and passionately captured Scotland’s ever-evolving cultural identity.
The team has done an incredible amount of heavy lifting in a landscape where far too little wider support exists to champion Scottish music. The loss of The Skinny represents yet another erosion of our cultural infrastructure and is a stark reminder of just how fragile and interdependent our cultural ecosystem is.
A healthy music industry depends not only on outstanding music being made, but on the people, platforms and institutions that connect that music with audiences. When one of those routes to discovery disappears, the impact is not limited to that one organisation – it’s felt by artists trying to reach listeners, venues and promoters working to build audiences, music businesses seeking to grow and communities across Scotland whose stories deserve to be heard.
The circumstances outlined by The Skinny in their statement – “funding pressures across the sector, rising costs and the ongoing cost-of-living crisis” – will be painfully familiar to organisations and individuals working across Scotland’s creative industries. At a time when the platforms that provide meaningful coverage, support discovery and connect artists with audiences are more vital than ever, the loss of The Skinny leaves a significant gap in Scotland’s cultural infrastructure.
Scotland’s artists, music businesses and cultural organisations need meaningful access to investment, development support and opportunities which reflect the distinctive circumstances in which our sector operates. Without that, we risk losing further essential parts of our cultural fabric, and with them, the connections, opportunities and communities they sustain. We will keep working to secure the support and structural change Scotland’s music and wider cultural sector urgently needs.
As long-term partners of the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award, The Skinny’s dedication and support has been invaluable in helping us celebrate and champion the cultural impact of outstanding Scottish records. Their passion and commitment has meant a huge amount to us and to the artists whose work they have supported.
On behalf of the SMIA, I want to say a massive and sincere thanks to everyone who made The Skinny what it is. You’ve created an extraordinary legacy and made a fundamental contribution to Scottish music and culture. You’ll be sorely missed.
Robert Kilpatrick
CEO and Creative Director
Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA)