UK Music has unveiled a five-point plan in its Manifesto for Music Scotland to create thousands of jobs and boost economic growth ahead of key elections to Holyrood. The organisation is urging candidates to support proposals designed to boost homegrown music businesses, nurture emerging creators, remove barriers to touring and exporting, and position music as…

The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) has announced the latest intake of members to its Equity & Justice Advisory Group (EJAG), with our Equalities & Industry Development Officer, Vahishtai Ghosh, joining the board for a two-year term. Seven new members drawn from across the industry have been appointed to fill positions vacated by founding members who…

The LIVE Trust has announced the first distribution of funding from its voluntary £1 ticket levy on arena and stadium shows, marking an important moment for the UK’s grassroots music sector. A total of £500,000 has been awarded in Phase One of the Trust’s grant strategy, supporting programmes designed to address venue closures, rising touring…

More than 70 of Scotland’s leading artists, writers and cultural organisations have signed a new open letter urging all political parties to commit to delivering A Culture Act for Scotland in the next Scottish Parliamentary term. The artist and sector led letter, published on Burns Night (25 January 2026), calls on party leaders and culture…

More than 300 artists, writers and arts organisations have signed a new open letter calling on BBC Radio Scotland to pause planned changes to its late-night schedule and to undertake meaningful consultation with Scotland’s music sector and audiences. This artist-led open letter follows our own open letter to BBC Radio Scotland, published on 27 November…

Dear SMIA Members, As 2025 draws to a close, on behalf of the SMIA team and Company Board, I’d like to wish you all a restful festive break and all the best for the year ahead. We recognise that this can be a challenging time for many across our community. If you’re struggling, overwhelmed or…

Today we have published an open letter to BBC Radio Scotland on behalf of our +6,000 members, raising serious concerns about the decision to remove four longstanding late-night music programmes – The Iain Anderson Show, Roddy Hart, Billy Sloan, and Natasha Raskin Sharp. Together, these programmes have played a vital role in supporting Scottish artists,…

Kai Reesu’s ‘KOMPROMAT vol.i’ was announced last night as winner of The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award, as the country’s national music prize Ceremony took place in Dundee’s Caird Hall for the first time. Kai Reesu took home the £20,000 first prize, bespoke trophy and coveted title ahead of a Shortlist including Kathryn…

Scotland’s next generation of music professionals are set to benefit from a new partnership between the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) and the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA). Students on UWS’s BA (Hons) Commercial Music and MA Music programmes will gain access to a range of new opportunities through the three-year agreement, which will run until 2028. The…

Music fans, venue owners and musicians across Scotland are urging the public to take part in the Scottish Government’s consultation on planning laws, warning that the changes could put the country’s lives music venues and pubs at risk.  The proposed changes to the Permitted Development Rights (PDRs) aim to make it easier for developers to convert existing…

Today we the 10 Shortlisted albums now in the running for 2025’s title and £20,000 prize, as well as this year’s five Sound of Young Scotland finalists. Plus, KT Tunstall’s debut album ‘Eye to the Telescope’ is announced as this year’s Modern Scottish Classic Award winner, with the singer-songwriter set to celebrate the win with…

The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award, Scotland’s national music prize, has today revealed the 20 outstanding albums on 2025’s Longlist. Spanning a range of genres, and featuring two previous SAY Award winning artists, one 2025 Mercury Prize nominee and 10 debut albums, The SAY Award Longlist for 2025 in alphabetical order is:  Andrew Wasylyk…

We’re proud to announce the return and evolution of its annual conference with the SMIA Summit 2025 – a major two-day event taking place at The Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow on Thursday 4 and Friday 5 September. Building on last year’s digital pilot, this year’s in-person Summit – delivered in partnership with Creative Scotland, Glasgow Life,…

New cross-nation alliance to support artists, share knowledge and celebrate musical excellence across the UK The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award, the Welsh Music Prize and the Northern Ireland (NI) Music Prize have come together to form the National Music Prize Network (NMPN), a new collaborative initiative that will champion musical talent, promote…

Earlier this year, the announcement of Creative Scotland’s Multi-Year Funding portfolio for 2025-28 marked a major moment for Scotland’s cultural sector. Enabled by a £34m increase in culture sector investment from the Scottish Government for 2025-26, it’s allowed over 250 arts organisations to look ahead with greater confidence and stability, and it represents a vital…