Please read on for application deadlines for Folk Alliance, Global Music Match, The Visit 2023 and performance opportunities at Baltoppen Live in Copenhagen May 2023. Also included are how to book a Trade Stand at this year’s Showcase Scotland and information on band travel insurance that might be useful to you or your band during the flurry of flight cancellations facing us all right now.
Global Music Match – It’s great to be back gigging and the days of everything being online are hopefully behind us. The pandemic did however see the emergence of Global Music Match – a digital collaboration and social media programme involving 19 different nations and over 90 artists in each edition. This year Global Music Match returns. In addition to each of you being put into teams of 6 with artists from around the world, the team coaches are festival organisers from around the globe and include Vancouver Island Music Festival, New Orleans Jazz Festival, Manchester Folk Festival, Knockengorroch Festival and many more. In addition each successful artist will receive 2 hours of a social media overhaul from Michael Pellegrotti who works with the likes of Tide Lines, Elephant Sessions and many more. There are also training sessions in video editing, managing mailing lists as well more social media tips. Previous artists have gone on to release singles together, tour together and be booked by several of the Festival Director ‘coaches’.
This year we are keen to support developing artists, so those of you who are starting out, releasing your first album or those of you who have not yet undertaken a lot of touring in certain places and are keen to do more. The deadline for applications is July 29 and you can find more information and the application form HERE and you can find out more on the website HERE.
Folk Alliance International is back in 2023 and the dates are the 1 – 5 of February. The deadline for applications is stated as the 18 of July, but I understand there will be an extension until the 25th, for those of you keen to build a presence in the US and Canada this is the place to be. You can applyHERE. and find more information HERE.
Denmark – Showcase Scotland at Baltoppen Live 2023. Part of our Scotland across Europe programme in 2022 saw the first festival of Scottish Music take place in Copenhagen in May of this year. The Tønder Festival in Denmark is this summer presenting a Spotlight on Scotland featuring 11 Scottish artists. We are delighted to say that Baltoppen Live, who were looking at a bi-annual festival, have after attending the Visit at the end of May this year, opted to make the festival annual. It will take place on the 11th and 12th of May 2023 and artists are invited to apply HERE. The deadline for applications is midnight onWednesday August the 10th.
The Visit 2023 – Taking place in Perth, Peebles and Edinburgh the next edition of the Visit will run between the 26 and 29th of April 2023 (inclusive), some performances will be open to the public and some closed to delegates only. The visitors are all from North America and Canada and will comprise festivals, venues, agents and promoters as well as some press agents. Several artists have gone on to secure fantastic tours of both nations as a result of previous editions and we expect this to be the same this year. Open to export ready artists the deadline for applications is the same as the above (allowing you to cut and paste your applications!) at midnight on Wednesday the 10th of August. The application form is HERE.
Travel insurance
Most of you will have travel insurance, but many of you may have this as an individual, if you are part of a band then it might make sense to read on.
It is shaping up to be an interesting summer for bands travelling around the world. We have already seen flights cancelled and an illness for one band member may mean the entire band have to cancel an appearance. Whilst you may have individual travel insurance, that does not cover you as a band if you have to cancel a festival because you can’t get there. It also doesn’t cover the band if one person can’t travel for whatever reason. Given that you are often travelling from different points this is essential.
HERE is a link to band travel insurance. the insurance we recommend. Their basic package for “New Artists & Bands” is very reasonable but you may choose to add some additional cover on to that. They are used to dealing with artists so it’s worth just giving them a call.
In other news
Showcase Scotland at Celtic Connections will take place between the 25 and 29 of January next year and we have opened registration for Trade Stands at our Trade Fair. After two years of delivering this event online, we can’t wait to meet up again in person. Registrations amongst delegates are flying in and we are set to have some great delegates attending. The Trade Fair is an opportunity for artists to have a booth and meet the delegates face to face. It runs on Friday the 27th of January from 9.30am until 1.30pm. The cost is £175 plus vat for a stand. Up to 3 artists can share a stand in order to spread the cost. Physical presence at a stand is limited to 3 people at any one time (due to space). Stands are limited in number as we are limited by the space available in Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. They are allocated on a first come first serve basis and you can book a stand HERE.
Germany – as you know Germany is the largest market in Europe for artists and yet several bands struggle to perform there due to a lack of opportunities. We are working with the Scottish Government Berlin and various promoters and venues to open opportunities for artists and as well as hosting a mini spotlight on Scotland at this year’s Rudolstadt Festival we are launching Ceolas – Scottish Music Nights across Germany in 2023 and 2024, so again keep an eye out for the application forms which will be coming soon.
That’s it for now, all the best for the summer and we hope to see you somewhere along the way.
The Showcase Scotland Expo team.