“Noo it’s ower tae the public tae hae their say. ” – Simon Thounire, Hands Up For Trad.

An Orkney language project is among the 49 nominees across 10 categories in the 2026  Scots Language Awards with the public able to vote for their winners until Friday 11 September.

The Stronsay Heritage Audio Project is nominated for Community Project o the Year, for its work championing Orcadian voices.

Local people were recorded sharing memories, stories and knowledge linked to items in the heritage collection, giving visitors the chance to hear more about where they came from, how they were used and what they meant to island life.  

The project was the brainchild of Young Islanders Network Representative for Heritage, Language and Culture who worked closely with the Stronsay Heritage Group to bring it to life.

The work brought generations together and has ensured the stories behind Stronsay’s collection are heard in their mother tongue, as well as seen.

The eighth edition of the awards will take place at Dundee’s Discovery Point on Saturday 19 September and celebrate the importance of one of Scotland’s indigenous languages to Scottish cultural life.

Simon Thounire fae award organisers Hands Up For Trad said:

“Whit a shortlist we hae this year! It’s fantastic tae see the range o talent, creativity and commitment tae Scots shinin through, wi nominees comin frae communities richt across the country.

“Scots is a livin, vibrant language that belongs in every pairt o life, and this year’s nominees show jist that. They’re findin new weys tae share it, enjoy it and bring it tae new audiences, while makin sure it remains a proud and important pairt o Scotland’s culture.

“Noo it’s ower tae the public tae hae their say. We hope folk will get behind their favourites and vote, afore we bring everybody thegither in Dundee for a richt guid celebration.”

The full list of 2026 nominees are:

Scots Writer o the Year, sponsored by National Library of Scotland

• Craig Aitchison
• William Letford
• Ely Percy
• Lucy Beth
• Michael Mullen

Scots Community Project o the Year

• St. Andrew’s Heritage Museum – Hamewith: Celebrating the Scots Language
• Lingo Flamingo and the Open University – Scots Leid an Culture Coorse fir Scottish Care Hames
• Doric Bootcamp, Portsoy
• Stronsay Heritage Centre / Young Islanders Network – Orcadian Audio Project
• Blether, Dundee

Scots Bairns’ Book o the Year, sponsored by Scottish Government

• The Moggie Thit Meowed Too Much by Emma Grae (Luath Press)
• Awa Doon e Toon by Julia Lynch (Doric Books)
• The Tale o Jennie Dubbie-Deuk by Susan Rennie

Scots in Business

• Twinkl Scotland
• Tippermuir Books
• Doric Books
• Scottish Storytelling Centre
• Movement Physiotherapy
• Define Bonnie, Dunfermline

Scots Teacher o the Year, sponsored by Qualifications Scotland

• Antonia Cant, Peterhead Academy
• Stewart Clelland, Banff Academy
• Jane Veitch, Monymusk Primary School, Inverurie 
• Amy Nicoll, EduBuzzKids
• David Scott, Maisondieu Primary School, Angus
• Nicola Daniel, Broughton High School

Scots Schuil o the Year

• Banff Academy
• Peterhead Academy
• Perth High School
• Airdrie Academy
• Our Lady of Peace Primary School, Linwood

Scots Stage Production o the Year

• Hame. Teeth. Club. (Iona Bremner)
• Common Tongue (Fraser Scott)
• Through the Shortbread Tin (National Theatre of Scotland)
• Long Water Soft Shadows (Jim Mackintosh)

Scots Book o the Year

• Ayont the Thistle: A Gallimaufry of Poetry and Prose to mark the centenary of Hugh MacDiarmid’s A Drunk Man Looks at the Thistle (Tippermuir Books)
• Flitcher by Craig Aitchison (Stewed Rhubarb, Tapsalteerie)
• With My Own Hand: The Secret Life of Marie Maitland, Scotland’s Sixteenth-Century Sappho by Ashley Douglas (Headline Press)
• Square Baw by Hamish MacDonald (Scotland Street Press)
• Wirds o Banff: A Doric Glossary o the Wild (Doric Books)
• A Meid athin da Twalmont by Yvonne Tait

Scots Performer o the Year, sponsored by TRACS

• Lucy Beth
• Taylor Dyson
• Olivia Caw
• Shannon Lynch

Scots Language in the Media, sponsored by Corrie Campbell Communications

• Ally Heather (@historic_ally)
• Claire White, Shetland Media Services
• The Carrying Stream Podcast
• Millie Graham (@whatshername1.0)
• Steph Wemyss (@bluetoongal)

The prestigious Scots Champion, sponsored by Rubric Foundation, Janet Paisley Services to Scots Award, sponsored by Creative Scotland, and the Young Scots Writer o the Year award, sponsored by Education Scotland, are decided by a panel of judges and will be presented on the day.

Hosted by Scots ambassadors Lynne Campbell and Taylor Dyson, the ceremony will also feature performances from acclaimed Scots artists including award-winning singer Iona Fyfe, Shetland writer Yvonne Tait, traditional singer Scott Gardiner and poet Hugh Macmillan.

Celebrations will continue with a  ticketed afterparty at Blether in Dundee, bringing together music, poetry and stories all celebrating Scots to round off the night.

The Scots Language Awards are run by cultural advocacy organisation Hands Up for Trad, who are responsible for the likes of the BBC Traditional Musician of the Year competition, the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards and World Gaelic Week.

The event’s partners and sponsors include the Scottish Government, National Library of Scotland, Education Scotland, Qualifications Scotland, Scottish Book Trust and TRACS.

The Scots Language Awards 2026 will take place at Discovery Point, Dundee on 19 September. Voting closes on 11 September. Visit www.scotslanguageawards.com.