UK Music has unveiled a plan aimed at creating “new jobs, economic growth and a new army of music fans” in Scotland.
Released ahead of the upcoming Scottish Parliament elections on May 7, UK Music’s Manifesto For Music Scotland contains five key recommendations, detailed below:
1 - Develop a Scottish Music Growth Plan
2 - Bring Down Barriers to Exporting Scottish Music
3 - Guarantee High Quality Music Education For All
4 - Ensure Artificial Intelligence Policy Supports Homegrown Creativity
5 - Use Music to Drive Scottish Tourism
UK Music CEO Tom Kiehl is urging all candidates to back the manifesto, which includes case studies from Glasgow-based artist manager Hamish Fingland, who founded Bounse Management and manages Jacob Alon, and The Touring Network (Highlands & Islands).
“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,” Kiehl said.
“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.”
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
Tom Kiehl, UK Music
Kiehl said UK Music’s 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”.
According to UK Music figures, music lured 2.3 million visitors to Scotland in 2024, generated £857 million in revenue and supported 7,160 jobs.
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