Wide Days, the annual networking & music conference, has announced its lineup of talk, panels and showcases for its 2023 edition.

The main event is an in-conversation with Simon Williams, founder of Fierce Panda Records, who will also be signing copies of his autobiography, Pandamonium – How Not To Run A Record Label. This label was responsible for early releases by Coldplay, Green Day, Keane, Placebo and Death Cab For Cutie, as well as Idlewild.

In addition Regular Music’s Moira McKenzie will be interviewed by Bruce Findlay in this year’s Local Hero slot.

Taking place across four venues in central Edinburgh from 13-15 April, the event, first launched in 2010, will be centred around the city’s Assembly Rooms.

Supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund, this conference element will include presentations on a renewable energy system that generates electricity from the body heat of audiences, music in advertising, Glasgow’s innovative musical instrument library and a new guide to funding in Europe. And, a cross section of music industry professionals will take part in a panel titled Reimagining Live, focusing on what the sector could look like in a perfect world.

Organisers will offer bursary passes in partnership with digital music distribution service EmuBands, as well as childcare grants for parents facing financial challenges. In addition, presentations on neurodiversity and accessible design will form part of the programme introduced by Attitude is Everything, the UK charity championing better access for disabled musicians, industry professionals and audiences.

As part of its ongoing work to facilitate music export connections, Wide Days 2023 will present a special opportunity for artists, labels and publishers to receive feedback from a panel of music supervisors and sync agents, specialising in a range of different fields, including film, tv, games and advertising.

They include Pam Lewis-Rudden (Plutonic Group, UK), Josh Rabinowitz (Brooklyn Music Experience, USA) and Leyla Flores (Loud MB, Mexico).To ensure that delegates are prepared to capitalise fully on interest, an advance seminar will be hosted online by Patricia Carrera (Control Freaks, Mexico).

“Sync can create an invaluable source of income for artists, labels and publishers,” says Wide Days founder, Olaf Furniss. “The addition of the online workshop and the Sync or Swim feedback season aims to help artists be better placed to take advantage of the opportunities.”

Other confirmed conference speakers include Ana Rodrguez (Head of the International Music Managers Forum, Mexico), Jen O’Brian (Music Broth), Jess Partridge (Sounds & Strategy), Umong Shah (Fortitude Music/Future Echoes), David Walls (TownRock Energy) and Alesha Duncan (V&A Dundee).

The final day of the event will offer a range of networking activities including music and record shop tours, a brunch and both exotic soft drink and whisky tastings. This will be followed by the Festival Takeover, with M For Montreal and FOCUS Wales each guest programming a venue.

Another key feature of Wide Days is its showcase programme which features two nights of emerging Scottish talent and finishes with M For Montreal and FOCUS Wales providing snapshots of their festivals.

These live shows take place across three Edinburgh venues from 13-15 April and the first features four acts: The Big Day, Quiet Houses, Russell Stewart and Silvi, who will also participate in a 12-month mentoring programme.

The lineup for the Friday ‘New From Scotland’ showcase is Becky Sikasa, Goodnight Louisa, Midnight Ambulance, SLIX, and Lewis McLaughlin, while Glasgow punks Humour, multi-instrumentalist poet Iona Zajac, indie folk singer-songwriter Tommy Ashby and alt.rock four piece Uninvited have also been added to the Friday roster.

The final night sees Wide Days partner with FOCUS Wales and M For Montreal, for the Festival Takeover, who will each guest-programme a venue. The Canadian event has already confirmed two acts – Laurence-Anne and Choses Sauvages – and is set to host a delegate reception at the conference.

Full details on tickets for showcases and the conference itself can be found at www.widedays.com.