Music Tourism Seminar Announced

Born To Be Wide is set to celebrate its 11th anniversary at Edinburgh’s Electric Circus on Thursday 5 February, with an interview with Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC) Director of Live Entertainment, John Langford.

The Q&A will be followed by a seminar on Music Tourism, exploring how the music scene can act as a draw to tourism and the role visitors can play in sustaining local music businesses and artists.  Rose Norton, co-owner of the Coda Music record shop, will also take part in the panel, with additional speakers to be confirmed.
 
Following the discussions, speakers will be invited to DJ and socialise with the audience.

Visit Music Tourism Seminar event page & buy tickets

Born To Be Wide Founder Honoured at Creative Edinburgh Awards

Olaf Furniss receives award from Creative Edinburgh chairman, Mark Gorman. Photo by Eoin Carey

Born To Be Wide founder, Olaf Furniss, scooped Creative Edinburgh’s Anchor Award at a ceremony hosted in the capital last night. Given for an “outstanding contribution or activity from a professional individual,” the accolade was in recognition of Furniss' work organising music business events, as well as his coverage of emerging Scottish talent in The Scotsman.
 
The judges included the British Council’s Creative Economy Programme Manager, Lynsey Smith, Summerhall director Rupert Thomson and Leith Late organiser Morvern Cunningham. Over 100 nominations were received across the eight categories.  Other winners included Edinburgh UNESCO City Of Literature Trust, which picked up the City gong for promoting the capital, while White Light Media won the Commercial Award for its Hot Rum Cow magazine.
 
“Through Born To Be Wide, Wide Days and Off The Record, Olaf has helped countless musicians, promoters, record labels, managers and other music industry practitioners,” says Creative Edinburgh director, Janine Matheson, who relaunched the membership organisation in 2011, as a platform for the creative and technology sectors. “These events, as well as his writing, have shone a spotlight on the Scottish music scene and created links both internationally and throughout the rest of the UK.”
 
The Creative Edinburgh Awards were launched in 2012 to highlight outstanding work across the sector in capital. Past winners have included the Edinburgh International Fashion Festival, Song By Toad Records and Location Scotland.
 
In May, the Wide Days music business conference co-founded by Furniss, won theYearly Music Conference Award for Best Networking Event/Service.
 
Olaf Furniss launched Born To Be Wide in 2004, as a social evening for those involved in the music scene. In 2012 it was registered as a community interest company and is now Scotland’s leading music business event company. Furniss co-writes the Under The Radar column in The Scotsman, which focuses on emerging Scottish talent, is a member of the Scottish Tourist Guides Association and has done extensive research into music tourism. 

Additional Speakers Added to Music Journalism Seminar

Edinburgh Evening News entertainment editor, Liam Rudden, and STV online reporterJamie Brotherston are to take part in our music journalism discussion at this Thursday’s Born To Be Wide. 

Both regularly report on local artists and will join previously confirmed panelists Nicola Meighan [The List/Quietus], Alan Morrison [Herald Group arts editor] and veteran scribe Mark Ellen [Smash Hits, Q, Select, Word].
 
The night will provide a unique opportunity to meet key music journalists, and find out how they decide which acts to cover. Several speakers are also set to DJ.
 
Prior to the panel, Ellen will take part in an interview about his career, and will be signing his book, Rock Stars Stole My Life.

Blackwell’s will host a pop-up shop and anyone attending on the night gets a special discount if they reserve a copy in advance from from Ellie.Wixon@blackwell.co.uk [£15.99 instead of £18.99].
 
Signed books by former Born To Be Wide guests Simon Napier-Bell and Vic Gallowaywill also be on sale, and payment can be taken by card.