SHOWCASES

Artists or music creators developing a profile in Scotland and looking for support to take you to the next level and to become export-ready.

You should be attracting audiences and local media support, getting some interest to take your first-steps outside Scotland, and looking to start building a team.

Before applying, please read the full details of what’s included and what’s expected of you below…

The Wide Days talent development programme is designed to help accelerate the international careers of four emerging artists from Scotland. 

Selected participants will receive:

• 2x in-person artist mentoring days + 1 online mentoring session.

• Pre-Wide Days showcase production briefing.

• High-quality, multi-camera filmed showcase video from WD26.

• Professional live photographs.

• Bespoke 1-2-1 meeting programme with international delegates at Wide Days 2026.

• Free Wide Days 2026+27 delegate passes (for all performers + 1 team member).

• Invitation to artist brunch for all performers at WD26

• ‘Becoming Sync Ready’ online workshop ahead of Wide Days.

• High-quality backline + professional sound and light engineers at your showcase.

• Artist catering at your Wide Days showcase.

• Artist grants of £500-1000 for participation in the programme (paid in three instalments upon fulfilment of the programme).

• Catering at all in-person mentoring days.

• Additional access costs + support for those who require it.

• Two follow-up development meetings with the Wide Days team, plus a programme of meet-ups with the core artists (online).

• Mentoring with an industry figure based on your priorities.

Each place on the programme is valued at over £5,000 so we require all members of the selected acts, to fully commit to the all the mentoring sessions and other activities. Our experience has shown that the artists who engage the most are the ones who will benefit the most.

Criteria:

• All performers must be currently based in Scotland.

• All featured band members must participate in 100% of the programme.

• You consider yourself ready to showcase and/or participate in international opportunities.

• You are serious about building a career in music and are in a position to take up opportunities such as touring, festival dates, writing camps etc.

• You will fill a free guestlist allocation. This will be agreed on an artist-by artist basis, but is likely to be approximately 60-80 people (duos/bands), 40-60 people (solo acts) based on previous years.

• You are members of PRS (songwriters) and PPL (performers) or equivalent Performance Rights Organisation (PRO), or are willing to join if accepted. We are happy to help get you registered.

• You will promote your Wide Days showcase and will engage with the organisers to get the most from the opportunity.

• You will make yourself available for media interviews and appearances.

• You should not play any Edinburgh/Glasgow shows for three weeks either side of Wide Days without prior agreement. If you have another offer you’d like to discuss prior to the outcome of your Wide Days application, please drop us an email at hello@widedays.com.

• All featured performers will attend artist mentoring sessions (all day) on the following dates:

• Fri 30 Jan 26 (in-person, Edinburgh)

• Fri 27 Feb 26 (online)

• Fri 26 Jun 26 (in-person, Edinburgh)

• Principal songwriter(s) will participate in one 4-hour online evening event ahead of Wide Days (all band members are also encouraged to attend):

• Wed 25 Mar 26: Preparing for Sync (workshop)

• All featured performers will attend an online debrief meeting on either 10/11/12 Jun 2026.

• All featured performers will attend the entirety of the Wide Days 29 April - 1 May 2026.