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…

We’re pleased to welcome five new Non-Executive Directors to the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) Company Board, following a public recruitment process earlier this year. These appointments represent a key step forward as we begin delivering our new 2025–2028 strategy. Our new Board members bring valuable experience across music, culture, technology and the wider creative…

UK Music has published its Hometown Glory report, which reveals that live music tourism generated record levels of economic activity across the UK in 2024. The report highlights the vital role that live music plays in supporting local economies, communities and employment, while also outlining the significant challenges that continue to impact the sector. Key…

 Our flagship project, The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award – has opened submissions for 2025’s £20,000 prize, with music fans, artists and labels now encouraged to submit eligible albums for free. Last week,we revealed that The SAY Award moves to its new host city, Dundee, for the first time ever, celebrating the cultural…

The SAY Award Design Commission Now Open For Creatives In Unesco City Of Design Scotland’s national music prize, the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award, has unveiled a new host city for the next three years, with the award ceremony moving to Dundee in November 2025, celebrating the cultural impact and contribution of outstanding…

The Scottish Government has published findings from its Culture Sector Support Needs Survey, which received 1,227 responses from across Scotland’s cultural community, including 737 individual practitioners and 490 organisations. The survey was conducted to inform a wider review of how the culture sector is supported in Scotland, including the independent review of Creative Scotland, chaired…

The Music Managers Forum (MMF) and YouTube Music are delighted to unveil another 18 talented independent music managers who will participate in the pioneering Accelerator Programme.  Accelerator’s goal is to help these creative entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses, and to ensure those at the forefront of talent development are best prepared to support a new generation…

BAPAM (British Association for Performing Arts Medicine) opens a free physiotherapy clinic in Glasgow for performing arts professionals and students. The BAPAM clinic provides expert, physiotherapist-led assessment and advice to meet specialist health support needs in the performing arts. Opened in October, the clinic provides free clinical assessments to the performing arts community in the…

The UK Government is consulting on proposed changes to copyright laws that could allow AI companies to use music creators’ work without permission or payment.  The consultation seeks feedback on 4 options: The Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) supports UK Music’s calls for creators and industry professionals to respond to the consultation and demand stronger…

Music Venue Trust (MVT), the charity supporting grassroots music venues (GMVs) across the UK, has announced six new patrons, including Robert Kilpatrick, our CEO and Creative Director of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA). Joining MVT’s existing list of patrons are acclaimed musician Kate Nash, MP for Brighton Pavilion Sian Berry, live music agent Summer Marshall,…

Yesterday, Creative Scotland announced the 251 organisations who have been successful in securing Multi-Year Funding. Thanks to an uplift in Grant-in-Aid funding from the Scottish Government – unlocking the largest budget Creative Scotland has ever had – more than £200m will be invested over the next three years. This marks the most extensive portfolio of…