Pictured: Constant Follower performing at the Tolbooth, courtesy of Stirling Council
The award-winning Tolbooth Stirling has been chosen to host a flagship music event that promotes Scottish music and artists across the globe.
Showcase Scotland Expo is an organisation that enhances the live opportunities in other countries for Scottish-based folk, trad, world and acoustic music artists.
Each year it organises ‘The Visit’, an event that gives a group of Scottish artists, chosen by music industry professionals, the chance to perform in front of promoters and agents from a selected country to secure bookings for concerts and festivals.
This year, it has invited music industry professionals from England to Stirling on 9 and 10 September to see some of the best Scottish live acts perform at the Tolbooth.
During their stay, the invitees will also soak up the rich history and culture of the city and the surrounding area and visit attractions such as Stirling Castle.
The opening reception will be held in another of Stirling’s much-loved venues, the Albert Halls, where Stirling Provost Elaine Watterson will welcome the delegation and other key individuals from the Scottish music and creative sectors.
The Provost said: “The Tolbooth has been chosen to host this major event for Scottish music due to its excellent reputation in the industry, the professionalism of its staff and the venue’s strong track record for offering a platform to new and established talent.
“The vibrancy, history and intimacy of this remarkable venue makes it the ideal stage for the best Scottish live acts to showcase their sound and energy to a key audience and take their careers to the next level.
“We’re excited to welcome all the delegates, artists and industry figures to Stirling for this important event which falls within our 900th anniversary celebrations, and I hope they enjoy everything we have to offer during their stay.”
The Visit, which receives funding from Creative Scotland and the PRS for Music Foundation, has proved transformative in developing Scottish artists’ careers, with independent evaluations showing a 349% return on investment.
Alan Morrison, Head of Music at Creative Scotland said: “Stirling is perfectly placed at the heart of Scotland to attract artistic talent from north, south, east and west. The Tolbooth and Albert Halls are ideal venues for The Visit, as the city and its surrounding area form a poignant historical backdrop for the best of our traditional music.
“Creative Scotland is proud to support The Visit and Showcase Scotland Expo through National Lottery funding, and to welcome music industry delegates from across the UK to Stirling and then to the event’s second base in Peebles – another part of the country that’s steeped in history and strong music traditions.”
Background
In 2023, 11 of the 21 of the showcased artists were offered live agency agreements in the US and Canada, the target countries that year.
Other countries and territories who have had delegations invited to the Visit since the first event in 2014 include France, Spain, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Sweden, Italy, Australia, New Zealand and China.
In December 2023, Tolbooth Stirling won the prestigious Venue of the Year accolade at the annual MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards.
The current Tolbooth building has been in existence since 1705. It was transformed into an award-winning music and arts venue in 2002 following a significant restoration and redesign.
Please note that ‘The Visit’ is not open to the public and no tickets are available.
For more info on the events taking place at the Tolbooth and Albert Halls and the wide range of opportunities to use the venues for events, visit: stirlingevents.org