Talented young Scots awarded creative talent funding

Published: 23 Feb 2018

Twenty-two young Scots have been awarded funding for a range of creative projects that showcase their passions and talents. From a fashion designer from Stirling to a singer and song writer from the Isle of Lewis, the funding has been awarded to young people across Scotland to develop their creativity and enable them to peruse their passions.

The Nurturing Talent Fund was set up by Creative Scotland and Young Scot to help young creatives reach their artistic ambitions. The funding is administered by young people for young people, by the National Youth Arts Advisory Group for Scotland (NYAAG), a group of 34 young Scots aged 14-23 from across Scotland who are working towards shaping the future of culture and creativity in Scotland.

The recipients of the latest round of funding are:

• Karenza Williams, 15, from Aberdeenshire, will use the funding to travel to Belgium with Aberdeenshire Youth Orchestra to play in exciting venues as part of the touring orchestra
• Rosie Sullivan, 16, from the Isle of Lewis, will use the funding to record an EP and perform at live concerts
• Ellie Thomson, 20, from East Lothian, will use the funding to develop her fashion line to showcase at Graduate Fashion Week in London, where she will promote her collection to industry professionals
• Evie Weddell, 20, from Stirling, lives with a hearing disability and will use the funding to purchase a new harp that can be fed into an earpiece, allowing Evie to hear the music she is playing and help develop her studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
• Zara Rose Stone, 18, from Lanarkshire, will use the funding to undertake music exams in order to progress a career as a music teacher
• North Lanarkshire Year of Young People Ambassadors, ages 15-21, will use the funding to host a battle of the bands event for young people across their authority, giving them the opportunity to showcase their talents and musical abilities

The Nurturing Talent Fund enables young people aged 14-20 to take part in creative projects. Previously the funding has supported a wide range of creative ideas, including publishing works of poetry, recording demos and hosting concerts.  

The National Youth Arts Advisory Group will award a total of £40,000 to help support young Scots to progress their talents through the arts and creativity. This is the fourth round of funding and young people can still apply for funding between £60-£600.

As part of the Scottish Government’s Time to Shine youth arts strategy, the Nurturing Talent Fund seeks to create a mechanism for financial support to ensure talented young artists can achieve, regardless of financial status.

Cahal Menzies, National Youth Arts Advisory Group Member said: “It’s amazing to get the opportunity to support Scotland’s young creatives. The Nurturing Talent Fund is a fantastic opportunity for us to award our talented peers and allow them to work towards their career aspirations or develop their creative passions.”

Colin Bradie, Time To Shine Manager at Creative Scotland said: “It is fantastic to see the Nurturing Talent continue to support young artists from across Scotland. We are proud to be delivering this fund in partnership with Young Scot and the National Youth Arts Advisory Group, helping young people to achieve their creative ambitions regardless of their background, location or personal challenges”.

Louise Macdonald, Chief Executive of Young Scot, said: “Young people across Scotland are producing fantastic creative works through their passions and hobbies and it’s incredibly important for us to continue to support and encourage young people to pursue their creative aspirations. The Nurturing Talent Fund has supported so many talented young people and I have no doubt that this round of funding will help to produce even more exciting and creative works.”

To apply for the next round of funding from the Nurturing Talent Fund, young people should apply before 8 March.

Get in contact

For more information please contact the Young Scot Communications team on 0131 561 8628 or youngscot@stripecommunications.com

About Young Scot

Young Scot is the national youth information and citizenship agency for Scotland, and currently has a membership of over 670,000 young people across Scotland.

Young Scot provides all young people in Scotland aged 11-26 with information, ideas and incentives to enable them to make informed decisions and choices, turn their ideas into action and take advantage of opportunities available throughout Scotland and Europe.

young.scot – The national youth information portal for Scotland; youngscot.net - Young Scot’s corporate website

About Time to Shine

Published on 8 November 2013, Scotland's first national youth arts strategy, Time to Shine – which is centred around the three key themes of creating and sustaining engagement; nurturing potential and talent; and developing infrastructure and support - sets out a vision and key recommendations to enable Scotland’s children and young people to flourish and achieve, in and through the arts and creativity. Follow the latest from Time To Shine @TTSYoutharts.

About the Nurturing Talent Fund

The Nurturing Talent Fund will provide a total of £40,000. Further funding rounds will be announced in due course. A full list of previous recipients is available on request from Young Scot.