Words by Jude Anderson, CEO Live Music Now Scotland
‘As I start my new journey as CEO of this small-but-mighty arts charity, one of the most joyful discoveries has been getting to know the musicians and audiences with whom we work. Across the country, we can see musicians connecting with people of all ages and backgrounds; travelling to where they live and performing in spaces where they feel safe, respected, and free to be themselves. There’s something electric in the air when audiences take ownership of their space; inviting the musicians to join them where their lives unfold. I want to take this moment to restate that we at LMNS remain committed to making our musical programmes inclusive, welcoming, meaningful and reflective of society.
With the fresh eyes of being new to this organisation, I can see the evidence that for over 40 years, Live Music Now Scotland has been a welcoming and nurturing environment for musicians to be themselves as they explore their creative practice. To our musicians: I want to make sure you hear me say that our commitment to celebrating your diversity and amplifying your voices remains a core priority and indicator of success for us as a national arts charity and as part of Scotland’s thriving music sector.
As we head into June, we are looking forward to celebrating with our LGBTQIA+ artists, audiences, participants, partners, LMNS team and allies. Community is Community. Family is Family. Love is Love.’
”Live Music Now is all about inclusion and I think it helps us get an even better understanding of what that means‘….. ‘We can look at what we have now, feel gratitude for everything that has been done to get us here, and fight not only to keep it, but of course to make it even better, even more inclusive, understanding and respectful.’ – Giulia Drummond, LMNS musician.
Pride month events calendar (Non-LMNS events. Will be updated continuously throughout June/July)
12th June: Josie Duncan, LMNS singer/songwriter, is performing at Queer Folks’ Tales, Edinburgh.
13th June: Josie Duncan also has a concert at Birnam Arts, as part of their Pride series.
14th June: Our CEO Jude Anderson is playing in her local community with the Carlops Jazz Band.
20th June: LMNS musicians Moteh Parrott and Giulia Drummond join Broomhouse Primary School’s Pride parade.
21st June: Giulia Drummond is also hosting the 2pm-4pm session at an all-day event organised by queer musicians and allies at the Captains Bar, Edinburgh.
21st June: LMNS team member Katie Rush is performing with Horse McDonald at Paisley Arts Centre.
27th June: Laura Hundert, LMNS musician and project manager at Paragon, recommends the Summer Groovin’ Showcase at the Boardwalk Theatre, Glasgow.
Introducing the LMNS Pride logo
As part of our ongoing commitment to inclusion and solidarity, Live Music Now Scotland has introduced a refreshed version of our logo for the Pride months—featuring the Progress Pride flag colours as a quiet but clear symbol of support for the LGBTQ+ community. This adapted logo will appear across our social media channels throughout the summer, accompanying our usual updates and announcements. It’s a small visual change, but one that reflects a wider intention: to continue fostering a culture of diversity, respect and belonging—both in the communities we work with and within our own organisation.