Following the success of last year’s HANG (Hip-Hop Aimed Networking with Grime) – Scotland’s first ever hip hop conference – at Glasgow’s SWG3 in July 2021, Pitch Scotland will host events at live music venue Saint Luke’s, community arts venue The Space and Many Studios, a hub for over 60 artists and practitioners. Pitch Scotland’s neighbourhood is close to Glasgow’s historic Barras Market and the legendary Barrowlands Ballroom.
The event will aim to forge new networks across genres and disciplines, celebrate the culture and diversity of voices reflecting contemporary Scotland and empower members of the hip hop and underground communities to exchange knowledge and skills as they progress their careers. Aiming to inspire and encourage all from age 16 and above, Pitch Scotland will feature representatives from across the music industry, skills workshops, panel discussions, speed-meeting sessions and performances, including DJ sets, spoken word artists and a live showcase.
Pitch Scotland is presented by the country’s new music champions the Scottish Alternative Music Awards (SAMA) in partnership with Creative Scotland, acclaimed new music festival FOCUS Wales and the Netherlands’ New Skool Rules, the largest international urban music conference outside the United States.
Amongst the industry figures and artists taking part will be New Skool Rules co-founder Henca Maduro , as well as Martyn Flyn of LuckyMe, the world-renowned record label and arts collective he co-founded in Glasgow two decades ago, and producer-engineer Marrik Shearer (Nines, MoStack, Maverick Sabre, Wretch 32), founder of Tottenham’s Front Room Studio.
Richy Muirhead, SAMA producer said: ‘Being the first ever conference for artists and others in the hip hop and grime communities in Scotland made HANG a landmark event. It was one of the first opportunities for artists across backgrounds and genres to share a space, reflect on the past and celebrate the present. As the music scene recovers from the pandemic, Pitch will build on that foundation of individual and collective empowerment to show the world the strength and vibrancy of hip hop and grime in Scotland.‘
The conference programme and showcase line will be announced in June.
