The Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) has appointed Jason Edwards as executive director, effective January 2021.
Edwards will lead the SMIA’s executive team and work with the chair, vice-chair and company board to further realise the value of the music industry in Scotland. He will support artists, music and the diverse network of professionals across the industry’s ecosystem.
Edinburgh-born Edwards returns to Scotland after a decade south of the border where he worked for seven years as an agent before joining Dice as head of music in 2018.
As an agent with 13 Artists and Paradigm, Edwards represented a diverse roster of artists, including George Ezra, Years & Years, Grimes, Maggie Rogers, Blood Orange and Alessia Cara. At Dice, Edwards led business development across the music industry within the UK, and worked closely with the company’s launches in France, Spain, Italy and Australia.
Dougal Perman, chair of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), said: “We are delighted to welcome Jason Edwards as executive director of the SMIA. We are excited about the vision, energy and enthusiasm he will bring to the company as we develop it to support the music industry in Scotland.”
Jason Edwards said: “I’m thrilled to be joining the SMIA and to be investing my experience into the development of Scotland’s brilliantly diverse, world-class music organisations and talent.”
I’m thrilled to be joining the SMIA and to be investing my experience into the development of Scotland’s brilliantly diverse, world-class music organisations and talent
Jason Edwards
Edwards’ appointment follows the recent announcement of Sharon Mair becoming the SMIA’s vice-chair. Robert Kilpatrick, who was previously the SMIA’s GM, also takes on the new role of creative projects and communications director.
Sharon Mair said: “As newly appointed vice-chair I am really keen to refocus, re-energise and reconnect to make sure the SMIA truly represents the ambitions and concerns of all in the music industry in Scotland. I am looking forward to working with Jason to make this happen.”
The SMIA has worked to support its membership of over 3,500 music professionals – as well as Scotland’s wider music industry – throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. As part of Creative Scotland’s Regular Funding Network, the SMIA exists to represent and develop Scotland’s music industry across all sub-sectors and genres.
2020 saw the delivery of the ninth Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award, with the campaign culminating in Re-Up by Nova being announced as the winner. The virtual SAY Award 2020 Ceremony was broadcast as a YouTube Premiere.
The SMIA has worked closely with the recently established Scottish Commercial Music Industry Taskforce (SCMIT) to gather information and provide evidence to government and public agencies to ensure effective support of the music sector throughout recent months.
Research projects looking at both the impact and opportunities posed for Scotland’s music industry by Brexit, as well as a feasibility study on the establishment of a Scottish Music Export Office, are due for publication by the SMIA in early 2021.
* To make sure you can access Music Week wherever you are, subscribe to our digital issue by clicking here.
FOLLOW 
