Published: 06 Oct 2020
This year, acause o the COVID emergency, Hands Up For Trad an Creative Scotland will celebrate the Scots Leid Awards online wi a weekend dedicatit tae braw Scots music an cultur.
Mak ready for a musical eenin oan Friday 23rd October wi bonny sangster Iona Fyfe an her Trio. Seturday 24th, fae 11am tae 5pm sees ‘The Wee Gaitherin’, a series o collogues on the Scots leid. At nicht, stairtin at 8pm, the Scots Leid Awards ceremony itsel, wi a gaitherin o kenspeckle fowk fae the aa the airts an the annooncin o the winners.
The Awards gie richtfu recognition tae the mony dedicatit fowk wha in times lang syne an noo gie thir aa tae makin shair the guid Scots leid is keepit tae the fore in its cultur, music an wirds.
Hostin the ceremony an presentin the Awards is scriever an broadcaster Alistair Heather. The eleeven categories include: The Janet Paisley Services tae Scots- whilk this year is awardit tae bard, scriever an editor James Robertson.
Performers Gerda Stevenson, Gary Robertson, Shona Donaldson an Jim Malcolm wull be alang tae entertain us at the Awards ceremony.
Votin fae Monday 5th October at Hands Up For Trad’s Facebook page & YouTube channels at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/scotslanguageawards
The Award Categories & Nominees are:
1) Scots Writer o the Year, sponsored by Creative Scotland
2) Scots Media Person o the Year
3) Scots Bairns Book o the Year, sponsored by Scottish Government
4) Scots Speaker o the Year
5) Young Scots Writer sponsored by Education Scotland
Due to the nature of this Award, Winners & Runners Up will be announced during the event.
6) Scots Teacher o the Year, sponsored by the Scottish Qualifications Authority
7) Scots Schuil o the Year, sponsored by Itchy Coo and Black & White Publishing
8) Scots Project o the Year
9) Scots Business o the Year
10) Scots Performer o the Year sponsored by Tracs
11) Janet Paisley Lifetime Achievement Award
Awardit tae James Robertson
Simon Thoumire fae organisers Hands Up For Trad said: “It gies me a dirl tae see the calibre o this year’s unco fine nominees for the Scots Language Awards, whilk, in mony weys are reflective o the pivots camin oboot within cultur acause o lockdoon.”
Tae fin oot this year’s winners, jine us for the Awards Ceremony at 8pm Seturday 24th October, free online. Forby the Awards on Seturday nicht, in a new twist this year, fae 11am tae 5pm wir delichtit tae hae Laura Green o the Scottish Language Centre leadin a new free online programme o readins, fun and conversations caad ‘The Wee Gaitherin’. Jine in aa Hands Up For Trad’s weekend events oan thir Facebook page an on YouTube.
Organisin boady Hands Up for Trad is fundit bi the National Lottery throu Creative Scotland, an cam aboot in 2002 tae grow awaurness o Scottish traditional music an cultur makin it mair visible throu wittins, advocacie an eddication tae airtists, participants an audiences.
In 2019, The United Nations Year o Indigenous Language, Hands Up for Trad alang wi Creative Scotland brocht forrit The Scots Language Awards, a new annual award ceremony celebratin the verra best in Scotland’s strang cultural calendar an giein cognizance tae oor ain guid Scots leid. In a grand nicht at Glasgow’s Mitchell Library Theatre, the Award’s mony ither sponsors includin Education Scotland an Itchy Coo / Black & White Publishin gaithert thegither for a nicht o music an entertainmint tae celebrate an reward excellence in schuils, communities and airts.
Bruce Eunson of Education Scotland said: “Followin on fae the inaugural awards in 2019, it’s fantastic tae see sae mony inspirin projects, books an fowk gittin a chance tae share an celebrate thir wark. We at Education Scotland ir delighted tae be involved agayn, an wid lik tae gie a big thank you tae aa the schuils, teachers, wee weans an braw bairns wha hiv excelled in thir use o Scots language in classrooms aa across the country.”
Wi a speerit o optimism, Hands Up For Trad hae makit plans for Dundee’s bonny Marriat Ha, a pairt o the toon’s Caird Ha complex, tae host the 2021 Scots Language Awards. Anent the 2020 Awards takin place online, it’s aa aboot keepin the Scots leid an the braw fowk wirkin wi it in the public ee, keepin gaein forrit an makin the event happen.
The Scots leid hae lang bin yaised bi scrievers, spikken in oor weel kent films an camin mair an mair tae the fore ilka year whan communities jine wi ilk ither, the media, fowk o influence an the lik bi wey o social media.
Stey abreist oan:
Twitter @handsupfortrad
Instagram @handsupfortrad
Tak tent o us oan Facebook https://www.facebook.com/handsupfortrad
an yaise hashtag #ScotsLeid2020 & #HUFTOnline
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/scotslanguageawards
With public voting open from Monday 5th October, get set to celebrate Scots culture and language online with an evening music concert on Friday 23rd October by the Iona Fyffe Trio, plus a Wee Gaitherin from 11am to 5pm and the 2020 Scots Language Awards at 8pm both on Saturday 24th October.
The Awards recognises the heroic efforts and work of the people and organisations who all champion Scots’ unique culture, music and words. Writer & Broadcaster Alistair Heather will host the inspiring evening presenting 11 Awards, including the Janet Paisley Lifetime Achievement Award which this year goes to James Robertson, and performing will be Gerda Stevenson, Gary Robertson, Shona Donaldson and Jim Malcolm.
Taking place on organiser’s Hands Up For Trad’s Facebook & YouTube channels, voting is open Monday 5th October at www.scotslanguageawards.com
The 11 Award Categories & Nominees are:
2) Scots Media Person o the Year
3) Scots Bairns Book o the Year, sponsored by Scottish Government
4) Scots Speaker o the Year
5) Young Scots Writer sponsored by Education Scotland
Due to the nature of this Award, Winners & Runners Up will be announced during the event.
6) Scots Teacher o the Year, sponsored by the Scottish Qualifications Authority
7) Scots Schuil o the Year, sponsored by Itchy Coo and Black & White Publishing
8) Scots Project o the Year
9) Scots Business o the Year
10) Scots Performer o the Year sponsored by Traditional Arts & Culture Scotland (TRACS)
11) Janet Paisley Lifetime Achievement Award
Winner: James Robertson
Simon Thoumire of organisers Hands Up For Trad said: “I’m so thrilled at the calibre of this year’s incredible nominees for 2020’s Scots Language Awards, which in all ways are reflective of the pivots taking place within culture due to lockdown.”
Join us for that at 8pm free online, and in a new twist this year from 11am to 5pm on Saturday 24th October Laura Green of the Scottish Language Centre will lead a new free online programme of readings, fun and conversations called the Wee Gaitherin’ through Hands Up For Trad’s Facebook and YouTube.”
Organising body, Hands Up for Trad funded by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland, was formed in 2002 and exists to increase the profile and visibility of traditional Scottish music and culture through information, advocacy and education to artists, participants and audiences.
In 2019, The United Nations Year of Indigenous Language, Hands Up for Trad launched this new annual award ceremony for Scotland’s vibrant cultural calendar, celebrating the best in the Scots Language, in association with Creative Scotland. In a prestigious ceremony at Glasgow’s Mitchell Library Theatre, the Award’s many other sponsors including Education Scotland and Itchy Coo / Black & White Publishing gathered together for an evening of music and entertainment in the country’s national language spoken by over 30% of the population, particularly in the central and borders regions, rewarding excellence in schools, communities and arts.
Bruce Eunson of Education Scotland said: “Followin on fae the inaugural awards in 2019, it’s fantastic tae see sae mony inspirin projects, books an fowk gittin a chance tae share an celebrate thir wark. We at Education Scotland ir delighted tae be involved agayn, an wid lik tae gie a big thank you tae aa the schuils, teachers, wee weans an braw bairns wha hiv excelled in thir use o Scots language in classrooms aa across the country.”
In 2021 the Awards are booked to take place in Dundee’s beautiful Marryat Hall, within the city’s Caird Hall, but for 2020 it’s all about making things happen to keep going forward whilst also celebrating and recognising those who work with the Scots language, and the event will take place online.
Scots Language has long been used by authors, spoken in our top films, and is experiencing a contemporary year on year resurgence via social media as communities connect led by the public, influencers and media alike.
Find out more:
Twitter @handsupfortrad
Instagram @handsupfortrad
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/handsupfortrad
And use the hashtag #ScotsLeid2020 & #HUFTOnline
