The TMF aims to develop, sustain, support and maximise the potential of traditional music in Scotland

The Traditional Music Forum is a key resource on traditional music for agencies and decision makers.

The TMF is a key participant in the Scottish Parliament Cross Party Group on Music, the Music Education Partnership Group, Culture Counts and Heads of Instrumental Teaching Scotland (HITS), the European Folk Network to name a few.

Agencies we work with include Education Scotland, Museums and Galleries Scotland, National Library of Scotland and the Social Enterprise Network.

Knowledge and Understanding

Their report Working as a Traditional Musician in Scotland looked at the economic realities of life for musicians at all career stages.

Skills Development

The TMF’s TradMentor scheme works with teaching musicians across Scotland.

Supporting Scottish Music

Scotland Online: A Directory of Musicians is the only comprehensive online resource, promoting traditional musicians working and recording in Scotland.

The website provides a directory profile to Scottish performers, which signposts where their music is available to buy and listen to, whilst helping users to navigate and find artists’ websites, Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music pages. It is an ever-expanding resource which allows people to browse, enjoy and discover new music along the way.

Enabling networking & learning across membership

At their annual Trad Talk, members come together to discuss issues and take forward new ideas. Working with members, the TMF have produced a Quality Framework and Code of Practice for organisations and musicians working in non-formal education.

A communications hub for traditional music

Through their website, newsletter and social media channels, TMF continually showcase the activities of their members and share news, events, and information. The support of the members enables the small staff team to do that effectively.