NOMINATIONS have been announced for the Scots Language Awards 2023, with over 60 nominees in the running across 12 categories at the annual awards ceremony.
The awards, which were first started in 2019, celebrate the importance of the Scots language within arts and culture but also in daily life, education, and business.
This year, the event will take place at Johnstone Town Hall, in partnership with Renfrewshire Council, on Saturday, September 16.
Voting for this year’s Scots Language Awards will be open from Monday, August 28 to Sunday, September 10. You can vote here.
The categories include Scots Writer o the Year, Scots Media Person o the Year, Scots Bairns Book o the Year, Scots Speaker o the Year, Scots Teacher o the Year, Scots School o the Year, Scots Project o the Year, Scots Book o the Year, and Scots Performer o the Year.
The highly-regarded Janet Paisley Services to Scots Award will be presented by Alistair Heather (below) and Taylor Dyson and the Young Scots Writer o the Year award will be presented on the night.
Entertainment on the night will include a recital from Renfrewshire’s poet laureate Shaun Moore, who was appointed as the region’s Tannahill Makar last year, as well as talks from Scottish writers Cat Cochrane and Shane Strachan, and musical performances from celebrated brother duo Euan and Lewis McLaughlin, and folk singer Iona Fyfe.
Scotland’s traditional culture, music and arts organisation Hands Up For Trad organise the annual event, and organiser Simon Thoumire said: “We ur delichtit tae let ye ken the number o nominees fir the Scots Leid Awards submitit ower aa the sindrie categories haes bin jist grand!
"An its bin wunnerfu tae lairn aboot aa the fowk, some names we already kent, ithers new tae us, ettlin tae mak shuir oor braw Scots leid steys in guid hert.
"It haes nivver been mair importint tae acknowledge the fowk whaes wirk is keeping the leid tae the fore baith in thir daily lives an in its cultur, music an wirds. Sae mony nominations tae mak ye prood, an submitit as weel fae aa pairts o Scotland and beyond.
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“Aince votin stairts, its ower tae the public tae mak thir chuisins. The winners wull be anooncit at a ceremony in Johnstone Toon Ha’ Johnstone Renfrewshire oan Seturday 16th September. It wull be a haurd joab tae chuise fae sae mony amazin nominees. Sae mak shuir ye get yer votes in!”
Renfrewshire’s provost Lorraine Cameron said: “The Scots Language Awards is a fantastic celebration of Scots heritage and culture and I’m looking forward to welcoming the event to Johnstone Town Hall in September.
“It’s especially exciting to see some of our local performers and schools listed among the nominees. This shows how much interest in our Scots heritage has grown and by hosting events like this and celebrating Scots culture that interest will surely grow.”
Tickets for the Scots Language Awards are available here, and you can see the full list of nominees here.
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