5 reasons you need to be at Xpo North 2017

IN LESS than 1 week over 2000 delegates will be road-tripping to Inverness to take in this year's XPO North.

The two day creative industries festival is set to bring together writers, musicians, film makers, business owners and everyone in between to have exciting conversations, explore ideas, and discover a range of new Scottish and international talent.

The SAMAs are delighted to be involved with the festival for the second year running, we will be hosting two days of live music at Blackfriars to celebrate our official re-launch for #SAMA2017.

To get you in the mood for the festival, we've whittled down 5 simple reasons why YOU should get involved in the festival!

Music. Over 100 artists are set to play this year including previous SAMAs performers Pronto Mama, Indigo Velvet, The Vegan Leather, Stillhound and TONNES more! To view the full music programme click here.
Film, Gaming, Animation and Craft. Lets face it, spending all day talking about music, and staying up 'til the wee hours watching your favourite artists can be exhausting and take its toll! The festival also offers insight to the games industry, the power of innovation, and experiences with VR headsets, discussions from the creators and more to immerse yourself in. The two-day festival also offers an insight to Scottish filmmakers with showcases from BFI (British Film Institute), Screen Academy, and various Q&As with the directors. View the film programme here.
Conversations. With over 2000 music industry members set to descend upon Inverness you will be guaranteed to meet some really interesting and inspiring people from the creative industries. The day-time seminars will produce an insight into various sectors of industry leaving you inspired, and engaged! Some familiar names feature on the conferences including BAFTA, PRS for music, SMIA, and BBC The Social. Take a look at the conference programme here.
The Highlands. Whether you spend some time on the banks of Inverness outside Eden Court, or take a short drive drive out to Dores with the beautiful backdrop of the loch you will be very impressed. When the sun shines this really is a beautiful part of the world, and we recommend taking some time to explore and chill out!
It's FREE! Yep, that’s right all you need to do is register and you’ll gain access to the day time conferences, evening showcases, film showcases and much more. A simple Megabus or train journey can get you directly to Inverness, no excuses!

Make sure to visit Blackfriars on 93 Academy Street where we will be hosting the SAMAs stage over the two days.

Live music lineup;

7th June

The Ninth Wave

Emme Woods

Wecamefromwolves

Rebel Westerns

8th June

Miracle Glass Company

Dancing On Tables

NIEVES

James Mackenzie