Kofi Stone and Jawnino among 100 names announced for PITCH Scotland 2026
100 artists and speakers announced for PITCH Scotland’s biggest edition yet, with Bloody Shield, Kadiata and Tony Bontana also joining the three-day Glasgow programme.
PITCH Scotland has unveiled 100 artists and speakers for its biggest edition to date, bringing an ambitious international programme of live music, industry exchange and artist development to Glasgow from2-4 September 2026.
Now entering its fifth year, PITCH will span Drygate Brewery, McChuills Music Bar, MOXY Merchant City, and BLOC+. The three-day event combines an international showcase festival, music-industry conference and three-day songwriting camp, placing Scottish hip hop and music communities in direct conversation with artists and industry leaders from across the UK and beyond.
More than 30 emerging acts from Scotland, the wider UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Spain and Canada will perform alongside headline appearances from Kofi Stone, Jawnino, Bloody Shield, Kadiata and Tony Bontana (pictured below).
The 2026 live programme is led by a heavyweight line up of UK headline artists. Birmingham rapper Kofi Stone is one of the UK's most respected voices in hip hop, celebrated for his reflective storytelling, soulful production and acclaimed latest project All The Flowers Have Bloomed. Joining him is the enigmatic Jawnino, a London rapper whose vivid storytelling blends grime, jungle and UK rap with the gritty, restless energy of the city. Emerging with the 2019 underground hit “It’s Cold Out”, he has since collaborated with artists including MIKE, Kibo and James Massiah. Acclaimed artist and producer Kadiata is renowned for his innovative fusion of hip hop, soul, jazz and electronic music, underpinned by thoughtful songwriting and genre defying production. Experimental rapper, producer and multi instrumentalist Tony Bontana is renowned for his signature "Splayed" sound, blending manipulated samples, unconventional rhythms and introspective lyricism that has made him a leading figure in the UK's underground music scene. Completing the headline bill is Glasgow's own Bloody Shield, returning home after building momentum across the UK and North America with his powerful performances and latest release, Colourz.
Conference programme
The 2026 conference will examine some of the most important questions facing artists and the wider music industry today, from representation, organisational change and long-term artist development to revenue, international opportunities and music for film, television and other media.
Eunice Obianagha, Head of Diversity at UK Music,
Eunice Obianagha, Head of Diversity at UK Music, will present findings from Black Music Means Business: Driving Economic Growth in the UK. Published by UK Music in March 2026, the landmark report brings together 30 years of market data, interviews and research to examine Black music’s impact across culture, commerce and community.
Panels will explore the conditions artists need to build sustainable careers and how modern music organisations are rethinking artist development. Contributors will include representatives from Generator in Newcastle and Gateshead, Liverpool’s BLK SCL!, 677 Media Management in Glasgow and Croydon based independent record and management label Finesse Foreva.
The business and money of music will form another major strand of the programme, led by Kenny Barber of PRS for Music and Ben Wynter of Unstoppable Music Group. Sessions will give artists practical insight into building sustainable careers, understanding the value of their work and navigating an evolving music economy.
PITCH will also welcome festival organisers from FOCUS Wales, Iceland Airwaves, Nuremberg Pop Festival and Spain’s Pro Weekend Fest. Their participation will give showcasing artists direct access to international programmers while opening conversations about festival bookings, and routes into new markets.
New for 2026, Syncstate brings together five leading music supervisors and sync specialists from Wracket Music Supervision, Pirate Sound, HOOK & Co, CLK Creative Works and Brooklyn Music Experience. Through live briefs, expert insight and direct networking with decision makers, the session will reveal what music supervisors are looking for, how sync briefs are developed, and what it takes to secure placements across film, television, advertising, gaming and other media.
Another new addition to PITCH is an exclusive fireside chat with music manager, entrepreneur and Grammy-nominated producer Cory Litwin. The founder of 2wenty 2wenty Music Group, Litwin spent more than a decade helping to build Murda Beatz’s career, co-produced Drake’s diamond-certified hit “Nice for What” and now works closely in management with hip-hop icon Busta Rhymes.
The wider conference programme will bring together live performances, Workshops, Open Mic, A&R Listening Sessions, Speed Networking and Industry mixers.
Other organisations and music platforms represented across the conference include Mixtape Madness (UK), Notting Hill Music (UK), The Remix Project (Canada), BACKSPIN Magazine (Germany), Artistic Palace (France) and more.
The programme places Scotland’s independent music infrastructure at its heart. Representatives from Be United, Brightest Light, Eden Festival, Hip Hop Scotland, Off The Record, Wide Days, Raven Afrikulture, the SMIA and Kin-Tu will participate alongside Paul Copeland and Jurnalist of SAY Award-winning group Kai Reesu.
The Scottish artists appearing across the live programme span hip hop, jazz, alternative and electronic music, and include Aleena, Begho, Kimono L Riot, Kozyeli, LikkLe bVnti, LOLA!, Lupo ZenAku, RED KING, Sonedo and Steg G & The Housing Scheme Orchestra. They will perform alongside international artists including Fred Gata, Frizzy P & Mr Cole, J Morris, LI$ON, Omar Jatta, raychi and Simora.
A dedicated songwriting camp, hosted at Up2Stndrd, will extend that spirit of exchange into the studio, bringing 10 artists and producers together to collaborate, develop new material and establish creative relationships across borders.
Richy Muirhead (Co-Founder and Festival Director of PITCH Scotland) said:
“Five years into PITCH, this is our biggest and most ambitious programme yet. With around 100 artists and speakers joining us across three days, PITCH 2026 will bring together an extraordinary mix of Scottish, UK and international talent - creating opportunities for new connections, business and creative collaboration, while shining an international spotlight on the artists and communities driving Scotland’s music culture forward.”
Mobo Agoro (Programme Coordinator and Booker of PITCH Scotland) said:
“PITCH has always been about more than putting artists on stage. It’s about building an ecosystem where creativity can thrive. By bringing together communities, industry leaders and international partners, we’re creating pathways for collaboration, knowledge exchange and sustainable business opportunities that extend far beyond the festival itself."
Alan Morrison, Head of Music at Creative Scotland said:
“PITCH is the flagship event in Creative Scotland’s ongoing development work for the hip hop sector. Since the pandemic, Scottish hip hop has blossomed as artists and organisations have received support to record, tour and showcase their music at home and abroad. This year, with support through the Scottish Government’s Expanded Festivals Fund, PITCH stakes its claim as a truly international event, with a conference programme that addresses key issues head-on, a live performance line-up that will raise the roof, and opportunities for all to make vital connections with the music industry. Scottish hip hop is thriving, and PITCH is the pathway to the next level.”
Across its first four editions, PITCH has welcomed speakers and contributors including Tiffany Calver, Jamz Supernova, Darren McGarvey, NoLay, LuckyMe Records, High Focus Records, Zino Vinci, Namesbliss, Pan Amsterdam, and JayaHadADream. Beyond the annual conference, PITCH has curated showcase stages at leading music events including FOCUS Wales and SXSW London in the UK, New Skool Rules (Netherlands), SHIP (Croatia) and Pro Weekend Fest (Spain), as well as Cranium Festival in Canada. Closer to home, the team recently curated live music programmes for Glasgow 2026 and the Merchant City Festival, reaffirming its commitment to Glasgow's vibrant music community.
PITCH Scotland 2026 takes place from Wednesday 2 to Friday 4 September at Drygate Brewery, McChuills, MOXY Glasgow Merchant City, and BLOC+. Tickets are on sale now, with three day PITCH Pro passes from £40, day passes from £25 and single gig tickets from just £12, plus booking fees. For tickets visit Eventbrite.
PITCH Scotland 2026 is supported by the Scottish Government’s Expanded Festivals Fund through Creative Scotland, Glasgow Convention Bureau and produced by SAMA Events Ltd.
