Announcement – New international touring fund to support Scottish music

— 24 March 2026 —

Today marks a significant moment for the Scottish music sector, with the  Scottish Government announcing a new international touring fund to support Scottish music.

Showcase Scotland Expo has been working towards this for several years, consistently making the case that international touring is not an optional extra for Scottish artists, but a vital part of sustaining careers, building audiences and growing the reach of Scottish music worldwide. We have twice given evidence to the Scottish Government Culture Committee on the need for a dedicated fund, alongside continuing to press the case in meetings and across the wider sector.

It is especially important to acknowledge that this has been a shared effort, with many people and organisations helping reinforce the case for establishing an international tourism fund. Most recently, following discussions at the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) summit, Showcase Scotland Expo worked with partners including Wide Days and the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) to take the proposal forward directly with government. This joint approach mattered, and without partners working together in this way, it is unlikely we would have reached this point.

The new fund has been announced as a pilot for 2026–27, with an initial allocation of £300,000 to support international touring activity.

It is a very welcome and hard-won first step, and we would like to thank Culture Secretary Angus Robertson for his work to deliver the fund.

It is also important that the fund is fully utilised.

Doing so will help clearly demonstrate the level of need across the sector — which we already know is there — and strengthen the case for this to become a permanent fund with increased investment from April 2027 onwards.

So once it’s opened, make sure you apply!

We would also like to recognise the wider backing that helped at a crucial stage, including powerful support from international festivals and partners such as Tønder Festival, Woodford Folk Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival, SPOT Groningen, Schots Weekend and others, whose voices helped underline just how valued Scottish artists are internationally.

Further information on how to apply for support will be available from Creative Scotland in due course.

You can read the full Scottish Government announcement here.