Scotland’s Music Convention, Wide Days is set to return to the USA’s leading music industry conference South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, hosting an official showcase of Scottish talent, supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland.
Taking place on Wednesday 13 March, the lineup will present some of the most exciting emerging talent the country has to offer, encompassing folk, electronic, indie, rock, post-hardcore, experimental jazz and industrial techno-punk.
Iona Zajac, Humour, Mama Terra, Neon Waltz, Rory James, Spyres and VLURE will play the ‘Scotland at SXSW’ showcase at The Creek and The Cave (indoors) on Wednesday 13 March from 20.00-02.00 CST.
Discover the full details of the full 2024 Scottish lineup.
The evening before the showcase, a new feature documentary following legendary Glaswegian band MOGWAI from their inception to the present day will have its world premiere at SXSW on 12 March as part of the Film & TV Festival. MOGWAI - ‘If The Stars Had A Sound’ is filmed and directed by Antony Crook and produced by Kyrie MacTavish (Super Special, Anna and the Apocalypse), along with Naysun Alae-Carew for Blazing Griffin, Marco Colombo and Mattia Della Puppa for Adler Entertainment. The film is produced with funding from The National Lottery through Screen Scotland. The film is Executive Produced by Antony Crook, Ray Black, Mark Thomas, Lauren Lamarr and Orian Williams.
Discover more about the film and premier visit.
Scotland at SXSW forms part of a wider programme of international export work being delivered by Wide Days, designed to provide developmental and promotional support to a broad range of artists and music industry representatives. These activities include receptions, showcases and trade missions at leading events such as ESNS (Netherlands), Future Echoes (Sweden), FOCUS Wales and The Great Escape (UK, England).
Closer to home, the 15th edition of Scotland’s Music Convention Wide Days is due to take place in Edinburgh from 1 to 3 May. The event will see music industry delegates from across the world taking part in a forward-thinking conference programme, plus a broad range of emerging artist showcases over three evenings.
Wide Days Director Michael Lambert said: “Showcasing internationally can be massively beneficial for emerging artists, opening doors to new opportunities and helping to build audiences in different parts of the world. SXSW is one of the world’s most prominent global music industry events, and it’s with great pleasure that we’ll be back in Austin presenting an eclectic lineup of Scottish talent, while helping the artists to make the most of the opportunity.”
Music Officer at Creative Scotland, Jamie Houston said: “SXSW is one of the world’s most important global creative industry events and it is vital for Scottish artists to be supported whilst in the USA, to help them navigate an event of its scale and make the most of this valuable opportunity. Our crucial partnerships with PRS Foundation’s International Showcase Fund and Wide Days’ ‘Scotland at SXSW’ showcase support artists to take the next step in their international development and demonstrate what Scotland has to offer.”
Background
About Wide Events
Wide Events hosts the award-winning Wide Days convention in Edinburgh each Spring. It also runs a range of music export activities which support artists performing at key music industry gatherings including ESNS, SXSW, The Great Escape and Future Echoes, as well as hosting receptions and presentations.
The company has its origins in the Born To Be Wide evenings which were launched in 2004 as a social night for people in the Scottish music scene and which still take place today. It also runs the Off The Record youth initiative and a talent development programme in partnership with PRS Foundation.
About Creative Scotland
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Further information at creativescotland.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Learn more about the value of art and creativity in Scotland and join in at www.ourcreativevoice.scot
About SXSW
Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of tech, film and television, music, education, and culture. An essential destination for global professionals, the annual March event features sessions, music, and comedy showcases, film and television screenings, exhibitions, professional development, and a variety of networking opportunities. SXSW proves that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and people come together. SXSW 2024 will take place March 8-16 in Austin. Learn more at sxsw.com. To register for the event, please visit sxsw.com/attend.
Media contacts
Contact: Michael Lambert | [email protected]