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 a central part of Scotland’s economic and tourism strategy.
According to UK Music’s latest data, 2.3 million music tourists visited Scotland in 2024, generating £857 million in revenue and supporting 7,160 jobs. The figures highlight the sector’s ongoing cultural and economic contribution, with Scotland continuing to produce globally recognised artists including Biffy Clyro, Young Fathers, Simple Minds, KT Tunstall, Calvin Harris, Nicola Benedetti, Lewis Capaldi and many others.
The five key recommendations in UK Music’s Manifesto for Music Scotland are:
- Develop a Scottish Music Growth Plan
- Bring Down Barriers to Exporting Scottish Music
- Guarantee High Quality Music Education For All
- Ensure Artificial Intelligence Policy Supports Homegrown Creativity
- Use Music to Drive Scottish Tourism
Proposals include establishing a new Scottish Music Production Fund, addressing the challenges facing EU touring, protecting grassroots venues and infrastructure, strengthening export support, improving music education provision and safeguarding creators’ work in the context of AI.
UK Music Chief Executive Tom Kiehl said:
“Scotland has an incredible array of fantastic bands, performers, musicians, songwriters and music creators that bring in fans from across the world to its brilliant venues.
“Music is at the heart of a creative industry which helps drive the economy and create jobs. However, there are major challenges when it comes to protecting Scotland’s cherished music venues, tackling the costly barriers to touring at home and abroad, facing the threat posed by AI to music creators, and ensuring we nurture the next generation of musical talent.
“Our Manifesto for Music Scotland sets out the challenges and the solutions that we hope all the candidates for Holyrood can get behind and support in the next Scottish government to help create new jobs, economic growth and a new army of Scottish music fans.”
The manifesto references the importance of Scotland’s live ecosystem, including venues such as King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Barrowland Ballroom, Sneaky Pete’s, Usher Hall, Ceilidh Place and The Lemon Tree, alongside festivals including Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, Celtic Connections and Mendelssohn on Mull. It also highlights the role of live music within the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The manifesto includes case studies from Glasgow-based artist manager Hamish Fingland, founder of Bounse Management and The Touring Network, offering insight into the workings of the Scottish music industry across both urban and rural contexts.
Read the full Manifesto for Music – Scotland on the UK Music website.