If you’re aged 14 to 25 and make music in Scotland, we want to hear from you.  Apply to play Complete our Apply to Play form and tell us about yourself, your music and where you’re based. Tinderbox and participating venues and promoters will use these applications when programming SONAS gigs.   We encourage applications from anyone aged 14-25 and based in Scotland. Whether your sound is polished or still being figured out, whether you’ve released music or not, and whether this is your first or 100th gig. You don’t need a manager, record deal, huge following or perfect press photos. We want to discover artists at different stages, including people taking their first steps into live performance.   Put on your own SONAS event Already have a gig planned? Want to organise one in your town, school, youth centre or local space? You don’t have to wait for someone else to hand you a stage.  You can put on an event as part of SONAS. It can be big, tiny, loud, unplugged or somewhere in between. You could organise your own headline show, team up with other local artists or work with a venue or youth organisation. We’ll provide information on joining the programme and using the SONAS name and festival materials.  [Link to register an event form?]  Join an online workshop  Our free online artist development workshops will cover practical skills for building a career in music.  They’re a chance to pick up useful skills, hear from people working across the industry and connect with other young artists from around Scotland.   [Visit our workshops page]

Know how to pull a great line-up together? Come and build one with us and help create routes onto the stage for young musicians.  Promoters and venues can organise a gig or register existing events with young musicians under the SONAS umbrella. You can programme your own line-up or use the festival’s artist applications to discover new acts.   You can: Programme one or more SONAS gigs from19th to 28th February Consider artists who apply through the SONAS Apply to Play form Add an existing eligible event to the festival programme Book a young band or musician as a support act for another band. Partner with young artists or a local youth music organisation Offer your space for a young person or event organiser to run an event Help audiences discover new music in their area Mentor a young person who wants to learn about programming and putting on gigs  We are looking for different types of venues to get involved from across Scotland - from established music venues to pop-up venues and community spaces. You know your venue and your community best, so you can decide what kind of event works for you, while SONAS helps connect it to a bigger national celebration.   We’re particularly keen to hear from promoters creating opportunities outside the usual touring routes. We’re also particularly keen to hear from industry professionals who are willing to mentor or work alongside a young person who wants to learn about putting on gigs.  If you would like to register your event or venue with SONAS, please complete this form here.   To see a full list of venues who have registered with SONAS so far, click here.

You’re already helping young people make brilliant things. SONAS can give that work another platform. Organisations can take part in a way that fits their young people, programme and community. If you are a youth music group who works with young people under 14, they are welcomed to be involved in your SONAS event too.  You could: Organise a showcase or gig Spread the word to young artists and encourage them to apply to play Support a young person to create their own event Host a workshop, sharing session or creative activity Connect SONAS with artists, venues and audiences in your area Share opportunities through your networks Celebrate an existing youth music project as part of the festival  As a fellow youth music organisation, we would love to hear from you.  [Get in touch]

Not an artist, venue, promoter or youth music organisation? You can still be part of SONAS.  We’d love to hear from photographers, filmmakers, designers, sound engineers, educators, youth workers, community spaces, local media and anyone passionate about Scotland’s new music. Tell us what you do, where you’re based and how you’d like to get involved. If there’s a useful connection to make, we’ll help make it.

Age Range:  This festival is supporting bands and musicians aged 14-25*. If you are programming musicians aged 25 or under, the event can be registered with SONAS. For audiences, the age-range will be determined by the venue and event organiser. Some venues have licenses, policies and procedures for ages 14+, others will focus on those aged 18+, and some will be able to accommodate younger ages too. Each venue and event can manage this in line with their own requirements. If you are organising events for artists under 18 years of age, please see our Guidelines for Organising Events with Young Musicians * Note - if you are a youth music organisation who works with young people under 14 you are welcome to organise an event as part of SONAS.   Types of Event: An event could be a single performance or feature multiple acts. You could also book a young band or artist as a support act for a more established group. As long as the event platforms, celebrates and support young artists, it can be registered as part of SONAS.  Festival Agreement: To be included in the SONAS programme, we ask all event organisers to read our Festival Agreement, which is based on the Musician’s Union ‘Fair Play Guide’, and some safeguarding requirements and recommendations for working with young people. For more info about the Festival Agreement click here.