An Edinburgh music partnership has u-turned after facing backlash for offering free gig tickets in exchange for written work.
Forever Edinburgh is a city wide initiative with a number of partners, including Edinburgh Council, City Cabs and the University of Edinburgh.
The organisation was heavily criticised on social media after announcing their new 'Music Reviewer In Residence' competition, which appeared to offer free gig tickets in exchange for six written reviews for their website.
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Edinburgh musician Harry Harris, 32, was one of many to hit out at the competition.
After working in the arts industry for over ten years the songwriter is used to seeing exploitation disguised as opportunities in the industry.
He explained: "I was Initially excited when I first saw the competition, it's not something I'd apply for, but off the top of my head I can think of lots of people who'd be good at it.
"People who are all great Edinburgh based emerging music journalists, that feel embedded in the city's music culture.
"Then reading it I just felt depressed, basically. It just clearly isn't valuable to anyone bar, I assume, visit Scotland stakeholders."
The 32-year-old expanded, explaining the issue goes further than just being unpaid.
He said: "It's unpaid, for a start, but beyond that it doesn't seem to see this as a problem.
"Which means it doesn't value music journalism - and like, it talks about it as if it's journalism, but it won't be. It won't be critical or objective, because how can it be?
"It will only attract people who can afford to do that work unpaid, and also it creates a culture that allows unpaid writing to carry on uncriticised.
"Beyond that, it seems to view music writing as not part of the musical culture but separate from it, and it shouldn't be.
"Journos, artists, venues, etc all these people should work together to create a music city."
After receiving backlash on Twitter and Edinburgh Live contacting the partnership regarding the issues with the competition they are now paying £100 per article.
Updated music competition rules as follows:
- 8 pairs of tickets to 8 concerts or gigs in Edinburgh.
- We will work with the winner to choose suitable gigs of interest.
- A follow-up interview will be carried by Forever Edinburgh or Edinburgh Music Lovers with the winner, either in person or online, to capture their experience.
- The winner will be invited to write a review on each gig. In return, a nominal £100 fee will be made for each review that is published on Forever Edinburgh’s edinburgh.org website and Edinburgh Music Lovers.
Edinburgh Live contacted Edinburgh Council and the partnership over the campaign and they told us changes have since been made including payment for all reviews done.
A spokesperson for the campaign said: “The competition from Forever Edinburgh, in collaboration with the volunteer run non-for-profit music blog Edinburgh Music Lovers, was designed to publicise and support the city’s diverse music scene.
"We want to encourage people to get back out to enjoy live music as we emerge from the pandemic.
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“It’s an ideal opportunity for a local music fan with a passion for Edinburgh and writing to enjoy eight free gigs in city-wide venues.
"We’re really looking forward to working with the winner to choose gigs and concerts that are of most interest to them.
“Feedback has prompted us to look again at the criteria and we can confirm that the winner can choose to write reviews or just participate in an interview about their experience, and that payment will be made for each review that the winner writes that is published through our channels.”
