The SMIA Summit 2024: Achieving Fair Work in Scotland’s Music Industry

Briana Pegado FRSA is an award-winning social entrepreneur with a decade of experience in Scotland’s creative industries. She co-founded the University of Edinburgh’s first Black History Month and was EUSA’s first Black woman President in 2014. Briana founded the Edinburgh Student Arts Festival, which won the Inspiring Youth Enterprise Award in 2015. She has been recognised as one of Scotland’s Top 10 Social Innovators and named among Scotland’s 30 Under 30 Inspiring Young Women.

Briana holds an MA in Sustainable Development from the University of Edinburgh and studied for an MBA at Central Saint Martins. She has worked across several key cultural organisations, including the National Theatre of Scotland and Creative Edinburgh, where she became Chief Executive. Briana has also served as a data-driven innovation ambassador for the Edinburgh Futures Institute and co-directed We Are Here Scotland CIC, supporting Black and POC creatives.

She is a governance and anti-racism specialist, serving as chair of the Scottish Government’s Culture Fair Work Taskforce and working with various cultural institutions. Briana is also an author, with her book Make Good Trouble: A Guide to the Energetics of Disruption published in 2023. Her work is informed by her background in sustainable development and trauma-informed facilitation, focusing on health, wellness, and company culture.

Hailing from Glasgow, Caroline grew up with an immense and eclectic passion for music – both to listen to and to play having picked up piano, guitar and singing from an early age. She studied Music Industry Management at what was Stow College at the time and subsequently, Commercial Music at Paisley University (now UWS) taking every opportunity to pick up work at a variety of music industry events and was busy co-promoting a popular residency at the legendary Sub Club (Glasgow). Caroline spent some years working in various studios and learning the ropes in the recording and rehearsal studio side of operations and ran busy events services as part of these positions allowing her to cut her teeth in the live, logistics and touring side of the industry. Following this period, Caroline spent some years at Glasgow based company, No Half Measures; working with prominent artists such as Wet Wet Wet and Hue and Cry before taking on the role of Regional Officer at the Musicians’ Union (MU) in 2014 and in 2016 took on the role of Regional Organiser for Scotland and Northern Ireland, which she continues to undertake today. The Musicians’ Union represents over 35,000 working musicians in the UK who operate in all areas of the music industry from live performing, session work and composing to music teaching, playing in orchestras and everything in between. Representing what is a predominantly freelance workforce, where the work is precarious and low paid for the most part, Caroline is passionate about advocating for musicians ensuring their voices are heard and that they are able to thrive professionally, with dignity and free from harassment and exploitation.

Having been involved in the SMIA since 2014, Robert has spent over a decade building the organisation in a range of executive roles; delivering work to support and champion Scotland’s music industry.

With a proven track record in creative and strategic direction, project management, leadership and business development, Robert was appointed CEO and Creative Director in 2023. He leads the SMIA’s executive team, and he is responsible for designing, developing and implementing an effective company strategy; working with the SMIA board to fulfil the company’s mission.

Since 2017, Robert has led the development and delivery of the SMIA’s flagship project and Scotland’s national music prize; the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award. The SAY Award has grown year on year, and it has now distributed over £390,000 in prize money to Scottish artists since its inception in 2012.

Robert is part of the Scottish Government’s Culture Fair Work Taskforce, a member of the Glasgow Cultural Forum and a Patron of the Music Venue Trust.