Dundee Hosts First Scottish Album of the Year Award Ceremony: A Celebration of Scottish Music in the City of Creativity
The Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award ceremony is making its debut in Dundee this year, marking the first time in its 13-year history that the event will be hosted in the city. The Caird Hall in Dundee will be the venue for the next three years, following a two-year run in Stirling. The £20,000 prize was won last year by Edinburgh band Redolent, who will also open this year's show. Around 1,500 people are expected to attend the award ceremony on 6 November, which has previously been hosted in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Paisley. Previous winners of the SAY Award include Kathryn Joseph, Mogwai, Anna Meredith, Fergus McCreadie, and Young Fathers - the only band to have won the award three times. Nine runners-up will each receive £1,000. Eligible albums for the award must have been released between 1 June 2024 and 31 May this year. Music fans, artists, and labels can submit eligible albums for free via the SAY website between 1 and 31 July. The SAY Award has also opened expressions of interest for its Design Commission, calling on local creators to design prizes for this year's nominees and winners. Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) chief executive Robert Kilpatrick said Dundee was a place where "creativity, innovation, and collaboration are deeply embedded." He added: "We introduced our host city model in 2016 to broaden the SAY Award's reach, deepen place-based impact, and ensure nation-wide cultural benefit. Since then, we've worked in three-year cycles to move the ceremony across the country. Dundee has long been a city we've aspired to bring SAY to, and now feels like the perfect time to do so." The image accompanying this article is a photograph of a vibrant and lively music event in Dundee, with a diverse group of people enjoying the music and atmosphere. The picture perfectly captures the spirit of the Scottish Album of the Year Award and its mission to bring together the best of Scottish music in one place.
