Chair: Professor Matt Brennan [University of Glasgow]
Speakers: Katie Duffy [Senior Projects & Programmes Manager - Glasgow Life], Olaf Furniss [Founder - Wide Days] & Nicola Muir [Marketing & Communications Business Partner for Destination - Glasgow Life]
Glasgow has long been recognised as a must-visit city for music fans, offering a rich cultural scene and a history of producing world-renowned artists. But what is it that truly makes Glasgow a magnetic destination for music lovers? This panel will explore the unique factors that draw fans from all over the world to experience the city’s vibrant live music scene. The panel will examine the barriers that prevent these groups from successfully informing tourists about live music events, and what can be done to overcome these challenges. Join us as we explore the city's potential and brainstorm solutions to amplify Glasgow’s presence on the global music stage and why Glasgow was presented as the UK’s first UNESCO city of music.
Speakers Information:
Olaf Furniss [Founder - Wide Days]
Olaf Furniss is the co-founder of Wide Events, which hosts the Wide Days international music convention (Edinburgh from 30 April - 2 May 2024), the Born To Be Wide seminar/social evenings and the Off The Record youth strand. The company is also spearheading Scotland’s music export initiatives and has a track record on pioneering gender equality and better access for artists, music professionals and audiences, with disabilities.
An expert in music tourism, Olaf organised the world’s first international conference to bring together the two sectors and has hosted numerous workshops and panels on the subject. In 2023 he launched the Music Tourist podcast and in 2019 partnered with Newcastle University on comprehensive study.
As a journalist Olaf has reported for the BBC, The Guardian, Billboard, Musik Woche and I-Q, and he co-writes the Under The Radar column in the Scotland on Sunday newspaper, which is exclusively focused on emerging Scottish talent.
Professor Matt Brennan [University of Glasgow]
Matt Brennan is Professor of Popular Music and Convenor of the MSc Music Industries at the University of Glasgow. He has served as Chair of the UK and Ireland branch of the International Association for the Study of Popular Music (IASPM), and has authored and edited several books in the field of popular music studies. His latest book, Kick It: A Social History of the Drum Kit (Oxford University Press) was named one of the "best music books of 2020" by the Financial Times, and his previous monograph, When Genres Collide (Bloomsbury), was named as one of Pitchfork’s “Favourite Music Books of 2017”. In 2018 he led the UK Live Music Census, the first nationwide census of its kind in the world. He is currently researching environmental sustainability strategies for music cities, using Glasgow as a case study.
Katie Duffy [Senior Projects & Programmes Manager - Glasgow Life]
Katie is Senior Projects and Programmes Manager in the Arts, Music and Cultural Venues team at Glasgow Life where her portfolio includes Glasgow's international festivals, citywide arts and music programming, and strategic development including Glasgow’s Culture Strategy. She is the focal point for Glasgow UNESCO City of Music and ambassador for Europe and Africa in the UNESCO Creative Cities of Music subcluster. Katie graduated with a Masters in Musicology from the University of Glasgow in 2022 and is a member of the British Council Scotland Advisory Committee.
Nicola Muir [Marketing & Communications Business Partner for Destination - Glasgow Life]
Nicola is the Marketing and Communications Business Partner for Destination at Glasgow Life, with a focus on domestic tourism marketing. With 15+ years of experience across arts, music and destination marketing, UNESCO City of Music remains a key priority for driving music tourism. Prior to joining the destination team at Glasgow Life, Nicola’s experience was predominantly in music, marketing festivals such as Celtic Connections, Southbank Centre’s Meltdown festival, as well as gigs at East London’s grassroots venue Rich Mix. Nicola has also worked with Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Hayward Gallery, BFI London Film Festival, Glasgow Film Festival, and YDance.
Glasgow City of Music
Glasgow was named the UK’s first UNESCO City of Music and only the third in the world in August 2008. In 2023, Glasgow is one of 59 UNESCO music cities and an active contributor to the international UNESCO Creative Cities Network and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The network places Glasgow’s music on a global stage and at the heart of international music discussion, advocacy and promotion. August 2024 marked 15 years since Glasgow received UNESCO designation.