APPLICATIONS FOR THE SOUND OF YOUNG SCOTLAND AWARD OPEN TODAY, WITH ONE EMERGING ARTIST SET TO TAKE HOME A FUNDING PACKAGE WORTH UP TO £5,000 TO FACILITATE THE CREATION OF THEIR DEBUT ALBUM
INTRODUCED BY THE SCOTTISH ALBUM OF THE YEAR AWARD IN 2021, THE AWARD PROVIDES VALUABLE SUPPORT TO UP AND COMING SCOTTISH ARTISTS
THE SAY AWARD SETS NEW RECORD WITH JUST UNDER 400 ALBUM SUBMISSIONS FOR 2022
ARTISTS CAN APPLY VIA WWW.SAYAWARD.COM
FROM MONDAY 25TH JULY
Today, The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award announce the opening of applications for The Sound of Young Scotland Award, supported by Ticketmaster, theYouth Music Initiative (funded by the Scottish Government through Creative Scotland) and Youth Music. Emerging Scottish artists will now be able to apply to win a funding package worth up to £5,000 to support the creation of their debut album.
Artists can apply from Monday 25th July 2022 until midnight on Friday 19th August via www.sayaward.com.
Newly introduced last year as The SAY Award celebrated a decade of supporting Scotland’s thriving music scene, The Sound of Young Scotland Award exists to recognise an outstanding emerging Scottish artist annually. Not only will the winner receive a cash grant of £2,500 which can be used to cover additional costs in relation to recording, but as The SAY Award Ceremony moves to The Albert Halls in Stirling for the first time ever this year, 2022’s prize fund also includes in-kind funded studio time, mixing and mastering at The Tolbooth in Stirling, where the winner will create their debut record. With a state-of-the-art 22sq.m Live Room and an adjacent control room, the winning Sound of Young Scotland artist will have access to the fully soundproof recording facility which includes a high-end analogue recording console, boutique outboard equipment and a wide range of vintage and industry standard microphones and backline. The high-tech recording studio which is based in what used to be the Tolbooth’s Cellar can also be utilised for live band recordings, multi-tracked recordings, mixing, mastering, sound effects creation and much more.
The winner will also receive a bespoke art prize from The SAY Award Design Commission, along with a coveted showcase slot at The SAY Award Ceremony 2023, performing at one of the most exciting nights in Scotland’s musical calendar. A limited number of pre-sale tickets for this year’s ceremony are available now atwww.sayaward.com.
Following a challenging couple of years for the Scottish music industry, Scotland’s national music prize is committed to financially supporting the continued creation of outstanding Scottish albums, ensuring the country’s music scene continues to evolve and flourish by encouraging a new generation of exciting young artists to make their mark.
Last year LVRA aka Rachel Lu took home the winning title of Sound of Young Scotland and since then the producer and vocalist has released two EP’s and is set to perform at Connect Festival in Edinburgh next month. Speaking at The SAY Award Ceremony in 2021, LVRA said, “This is amazing! Thank you so much to everyone who’s been supporting my music, it’s so awesome to win this in my home town of Edinburgh!”
Robert Kilpatrick, Creative Director of the Scottish Music Industry Association / The SAY Award, said: “The Sound of Young Scotland Award is about enabling Scotland’s most exciting emerging talent to add to the strength of our national recorded output. Making your debut record is one of the most exciting and important steps in an artist’s journey, and this prize provides the means to do that along with driving engagement and appetite in the yet to be created body of work. With both the finalists and the winner chosen by a panel of previous SAY Nominees, the award truly encapsulates the peer-to-peer community spirit of Scotland’s ever-evolving music scene.”
To apply for The Sound of Young Scotland Award, artists must be 25 or under (in a band, 50% of core members must be 25 or under), not previously released an album and have made Scotland their creative base for the past 2 years. View full eligibility and prize information at www.sayaward.com.
Following the application deadline on Monday 15th August, a judging panel made up of 11 previous SAY Award Nominees will whittle all eligible applicants down to five finalists. The finalists will be announced on Thursday 6th October in conjunction with The SAY Award Shortlist – the Judging panel will then reconvene later in the year to decide on the winner; exclusively announced at The SAY Award Ceremony on Thursday 20th October at The Albert Halls.
The SAY Award has seen a record-breaking number of submissions for 2022, with 369 eligible albums now in the running for the coveted title of Scottish Album of the Year and £20,000 prize. Nominators will now rank the albums in order of preference, before the 20-strong Longlist is announced on Thursday 15th September. Listen to all 369 eligible albums here.
The Sound of Young Scotland Award is supported by Ticketmaster, the Youth Music Initiative (funded by the Scottish Government through Creative Scotland) and Youth Music. 2022 is a very significant year for Youth Music Initiative as the programme celebrates its 20th anniversary. Initially administered through Creative Scotland, Youth Music Initiative is a Scottish Government-backed programme which looks to eliminate barriers for children and young people in accessing music making opportunities across Scotland. Aiming to put music at the heart of young people’s lives and learning, the initiative will be marking the impressive milestone throughout the rest of 2022 in their #YMusicMatters campaign. To find out more about Youth Music Initiative’s 20th anniversary, visit creativescotland.com.
Now in its eleventh year, previous winners of The SAY Award include Mogwai ‘As The Love Continues‘ (2021), Nova ‘Re-Up’ (2020), Auntie Flo ‘Radio Highlife’ (2019), Young Fathers ‘Cocoa Sugar’ (2018), Sacred Paws ‘Strike A Match’ (2017), Anna Meredith ‘Varmints’ (2016), Kathryn Joseph ‘Bones You Have Thrown Me And Blood I’ve Spilled’ (2015), Young Fathers ‘Tape Two’ (2014), RM Hubbert ‘Thirteen Lost & Found’ (2013) and the inaugural winner Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat ‘Everything’s Getting Older’ (2012).
To keep up with The SAY Award 2022 journey, make sure you follow the award on Twitter @SAYaward, Instagram @sayaward and Facebook @SAYaward
SCOTTISH MUSIC INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION (SMIA)
The Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) is a not-for-profit trade body and membership organisation which exists to strengthen, empower and unite Scotland’s music industry.
As a Creative Scotland Regularly Funded Organisation (RFO), we work to create and nurture an inclusive membership community which reflects the full spectrum of Scotland’s music industry. We give voice to our membership when speaking to Government, Parliament and development organisations, and we both produce and support projects and programmes that stimulate sustainability, domestic and international growth, development and innovation in Scotland’s music sector. Our services, projects and events are designed to strengthen and increase the value of Scotland’s music industry on the world stage: economically, socially and culturally.
For further information on the SMIA and its services, projects and events please visit www.smia.org.uk.
Keep up to date with the SMIA across our social media channels:
Twitter: twitter.com/TheSMIA |Facebook: facebook.com/TheSMIA | Instagram: instagram.com/the_smia
CREATIVE SCOTLAND
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland distributing funding provided by the Scottish Government and The National Lottery. Further information at creativescotland.com.
Follow Creative Scotland on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Learn more about the value of art and creativity in Scotland and join in at www.ourcreativevoice.scot.
STIRLING COUNCIL
Rooted in the heart of Scotland, Stirling’s blossoming urban city centre is surrounded by diverse rural communities.
The nation’s most cherished landmarks are found here, making Stirling alive with history, while a growing modern arts scene nurtures new cultural talent.
With a similarly diverse business sector, cultivated by new infrastructure and investment, Stirling aims to be a place where everyone can thrive.
TICKETMASTER
Ticketmaster is the global and local market leader in live event ticketing, digital marketing, and mobile fan engagement tools that drive over 500 million tickets to fans in 32 countries. Working closely with their Scottish clients and venues, Ticketmaster delivers the best of live entertainment throughout Scotland’s music scene.
PPL
Founded in 1934, PPL is the UK music industry’s collective management organisation (CMO) for performers and record companies. We license recorded music in the UK when it is played in public (shops, bars, nightclubs, offices etc.) or broadcast (BBC, commercial radio, commercial TV etc.) and ensure that revenue flows back to our members. These include both independent and major record companies, together with performers ranging from emerging grassroots artists through to established session musicians and globally renowned artists. PPL’s public performance licensing is carried out on PPL’s behalf by PPL PRS Ltd, the joint venture between PPL and PRS for Music.
We also collect performance rights internationally when music is played overseas in public and used on TV, radio and some online streaming services, as well as for private copying. International royalties are an increasingly important revenue stream for performers and recording rightsholders.
In 2021, in total, we collected £252.8 million across all of our revenue streams, while also distributing money to 147,000 performers and recording rightsholders.
YOUTH MUSIC INITIATIVE
The Youth Music Initiative is a music education programme with a vision to put music at the heart of young people’s lives and learning funded by the Scottish Government through Creative Scotland. Since its establishment in 2007 the programme has distributed over £140 million, transforming music learning facilities for children and young people across the country.
You can find out more about the programme on the Creative Scotland website.
YOUTH MUSIC
We believe that every young person should have the chance to change their life through music.
Yet our research shows that many can’t because of who they are, where they’re from or what they’re going through.
Our insights, influence and investment in grassroots organisations and to young people themselves means that more 0–25-year-olds can make, learn and earn in music.
Youth Music is a national charity funded thanks to the National Lottery via Arts Council England, players of People’s Postcode Lottery and support from partners, fundraisers and donors.
MUSIC DECLARES EMERGENCY
Launched in July 2019, Music Declares Emergency acts to encourage the music industry to drive forward public understanding of the climate emergency and pressure governments to take immediate action on climate and biodiversity loss.
Formed by a group of UK based artists and music industry professionals, Music Declares Emergency has now blossomed into a wide reaching movement with chapters across Europe and into South America, Canada and the US with supporters across the globe.
‘No Music On A Dead Planet’, the slogan that spearheads our work, has been seen on screens and stages across the world by millions.
Our declaration of a Climate and Ecological Emergency has over 6000 signatures from leading artists and businesses within the global music industry, joining us in calling for net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and pledging industry action on environmental sustainability.
www.musicdeclares.net | @musicdeclares
CHARITY PARTNER
TINY CHANGES
Tiny Changes was set up in memory of artist and Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchison. Through his music and art Scott made tiny changes that had a big impact. His honesty and openness about his own mental health inspired people from all walks of life. Tiny Changes is Scott’s legacy; Scotland’s very first national children and young people’s mental health charity funding projects and ideas that help young minds feel better.
Tiny Changes has funded over 50 innovative projects chosen and led by and for young people with mental health issues or illness in Scotland. Several Tiny Changes projects combine jam sessions, sound engineering, writing or recording music with mental health conversations, therapy and support for marginalised groups of young people and those who’ve been through CAMHS.
Tiny Changes is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SC049112).
Tiny Changes Website | Tiny Changes Facebook | Tiny Changes Instagram | Tiny Changes Twitter |
