SCOTLAND’s national music prize, The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award, has opened applications for The Sound of Young Scotland Award.
Artists can apply for The Sound of Young Scotland Award for FREE via www.sayaward.com until midnight on Friday 22nd August.
The next generation of Scottish talent can apply to win a funding package worth up to £10,000 to support the creation of their debut album, as well as gain the coveted title of the Sound of Young Scotland at this year’s SAY Award Ceremony in Dundee. Produced by the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), the award is supported by Help Musicians, the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative through Creative Scotland and Youth Music, with the aim of stimulating and supporting the future of Scottish music.
The package includes; cash grants totalling £6,000 to cover studio and production costs, one-to-one business advice from industry experts via Help Musicians, a performance slot at 2026’s SAY Award Ceremony, up to 250 vinyl pressings of their debut album from Seabass Vinyl, a bespoke art prize from The SAY Award Design Commission, and more.
The Sound of Young Scotland Award is now in its fifth year, having supported and championed some of the country’s brightest emerging talent. Previous winners include Dillon Barrie (2024), No Windows (2023), Berta Kennedy (2022) and LVRA (2021). To be eligible for the award, artists must be: 18 – 25, have never released an album and be a ‘Scottish’ artist (born in Scotland, 50% of core members born in Scotland, or have made Scotland their creative base for the past two years). View full eligibility criteria and prize fund conditions at www.sayaward.com
