Apply now for the Sound of Young Scotland Award – a career-changing opportunity to create and release your debut album!

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Supported by Help Musicians, the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative through Creative Scotland and Youth Music, the Sound of Young Scotland Award exists to drive Scottish music of the future by giving an annual award to a young and emerging artist to facilitate the creation of their debut album.

The winner of the Sound of Young Scotland Award will receive a funding package worth up to £10,000 to support the recording and production of their debut album, with previous winners including No Windows, Berta Kennedy and LVRA.

2025’s funding package includes:

• Cash grants totalling £6,000 to cover studio hire costs, session musician fees, equipment rentals and more.
• A performance slot at 2026’s SAY Award ceremony, one of the biggest nights in Scotland’s musical calendar.
• A bespoke art prize from The SAY Award Design Commission.
• 6 hours of one-to-one business advice from industry experts arranged via Help Musicians
• Online meet-ups with other Help Musicians’ awardees and industry guests.
• Invites to online peer drop-in spaces with other musicians and access to a healthy practice session delivered by BAPAM.
• A run of up to 250 vinyl pressings of the album created via the prize; provided in-kind by Seabass Vinyl.
• A recording session with KNDRD (Scotty Anderson & Jack Cochrane)

Applying artists must be aged 18–25, be a Scottish Artist with an active career of at least 1 year, and not have previously released an album or have significant backing from a record label, publisher or private investor.

Applications close: midnight, Fri 22 August 2025.