2018 Awardee: Alexander Cowan

"The trustees' faith in my ability has not only increased my self-confidence but also my chances of success as a professional actor"

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 20
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://www.spotlight.com/0058-6720-4982
EMAIL:alexanderarrancowan@gmail.com
TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/AlexanderACowan

Biography

From a young age, Alexander Arran Cowan demonstrated talent and dedication to the performing arts in Scotland. His passion for acting started when he was just eight years old with Borders Youth Theatre, where he played many lead roles. He later joined promenade theatre company, Shakespeare-at-Traquair gaining experience of drama workshops and performances. By the age of 12 Alexander had appeared on the Smile TV show on CBBC and in a Scottish BAFTA nominated short film which toured festivals around the UK and Europe.

In addition to his love of theatre, Alexander became a keen filmmaker. He joined the highly-acclaimed youth film project, Voice Of My Own, and performed in dramas and sketch shows. His passion for acting led him to Performing Arts Studio Scotland at Edinburgh College, where he entertained audiences as Aegeus in the Greek classic Medea and as Detective Sergeant Emmanuel Prodd in David Kane’s farce Grave Plots.  He was awarded a Higher National Diploma and gained the chance to learn from leading industry professionals including Game of Thrones actor John Stahl.

As a young adult, Alexander gained an agent and was awarded professional work on projects for ITV, NHS and in commercial advertising.  In 2018, he was offered a highly coveted place with Project A at the Newcastle Theatre Royal. This full time, professional actor training programme selects only the most talented individuals who show the greatest potential. Through Project A, Alexander has gained the chance to work with Michael Corbidge (Royal Shakespeare Company), Ros Steen (former head of voice at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), and Newcastle-based dance company Ballet Lorent.

https://media.spotlight.com//metadata/videoforpublication?artistRef=M249496&pub=1&isIntro=false&artistName=%22ALEXANDER+ARRAN+COWAN%22

How the Award Helped

Alexander received an Award to support him in applying himself fully to his work with Project A.  He writes;

‘My Dewar Arts Award has helped me to completely focus on my studies and make the best use of this incredible opportunity. In addition to working with an amazing list of industry professionals, this award has enabled me to attend extracurricular theatre trips to increase my learning and understanding of professional performance. The trustees’ faith in my ability has not only increased my self-confidence but also my chances of success as a professional actor. I have been able to prioritise my learning, develop as an actor and stand a much greater chance of reaching my potential. Without this award I may not have been in a position to take up this opportunity. Therefore, I am incredibly grateful for this support and the opportunities it has given.’

Since the Award

Update June 2019:

‘The course has been in full swing for ten months now. I have had an incredible time, met amazing people, and learned so much in the process.

We have started rehearsals for our end of course performance. We are performing Bertolt Brecht’s ‘Fear and Misery of the Third Reich’. It takes place in pre-war Nazi Germany and follows the lives of different characters trying to find their place in an ever changing fascist state.

It has been an incredible process so far and I am getting the chance to put everything I have learned this year into practice.’

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"The trustees' faith in my ability has not only increased my self-confidence but also my chances of success as a professional actor"

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2018 Awardee: Conor McLeod

"The Award will support me in achieving my dream of attending Drama School"

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 25
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/cmpunksnotdead

Biography

Conor is an actor hailing from Glasgow.  During his time with the Kings Theatre’s Attic Collective, he took part in three productions on the Edinburgh King’s stage.  This included the World Premiere of Jo Clifford’s ‘War In America’, which became a published play with the original casts names.

Conor was part of Open Door Year One, which helped working class actors with audition fees and tutoring at drama school. Conor successfully auditioned for Guildhall to study a BA in Acting.

How the Award Helped

Conor’s Award supported his studies at Guildhall and enabled him to gain experience of theatre in London as an audience member.  His Award also enabled him to travel back home to Scotland, and to visit his mother who was diagnosed with breast cancer.

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"The Award will support me in achieving my dream of attending Drama School"

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2018 Awardee: Hannah Kelso

"This industry is highly competitive but I am now in the right place and equipped with the right tools for the future"

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 29
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Originally from the small town of Alloa in Clackmannanshire, Hannah moved to Glasgow to study Screen at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.  There, she wrote, developed and shot her own short films and developed a passion for screenwriting. She wrote and directed her graduation film ‘Crescent’,  and this became runner up at the ‘Sci-Fi Film Festival’ in Australia. She spent the next few years developing short films and writing a treatment for her first feature film.

In 2018, Hannah gained a place to study on the prestigious National Film & Television School MA Screenwriting course. This enabled her to develop and write her first TV pilot, as well as animations and her first feature film.

Hannah gained an interview at Warner Brothers. She was given the opportunity to represent them as a Creative Talent Scholar for 2019, offering huge benefits for her future as a screenwriter.

How the Award Helped

Hannah’s Award supported her studies at the NFTS. She writes;

“Without this award, it is unlikely I could have afforded the living costs needed to stay in close proximity to the NFTS and complete my course. The Dewar Award has alleviated the financial pressure I was struggling with and I can truly focus my mind on my art. As a writer, this is a wonderful and rare gift to be entrusted with. This industry is highly competitive but I am now in the right place and equipped with the right tools for the future.”

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"This industry is highly competitive but I am now in the right place and equipped with the right tools for the future"

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2018 Awardee: Hugo Eedle

"Being supported by the Dewar Arts Awards has been invaluable towards my journey as a musician...it has enabled me to study abroad with a teacher who inspires me"

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 20
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Hailing from Dumfries, Hugo began playing cello aged 11. At 14, he successfully auditioned to Chetham’s School of Music, where he studied with Nicholas Jones.

Hugo went on to study with Thomas Carroll at the Royal College of Music, and at the Hochschule fur Musik und Tanz in Cologne, with Thomas Carroll. His studies have been supported by the Dewar Arts Awards and by the Holywood Trust.

Hugo has taken part in masterclasses with Karine Georgian, Guy Johnson, Robert Cohen, and Francis Gouten. He has performed with Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra at venues such as the Royal Festival Hall, Bridgewater Hall, Milton Court, and Dukes Hall. He has performed many solo concerts as well as with his quartet, who won the Dewhust Torevell competition.

Hugo’s ambitions are to study a masters degree in Germany, and then perform as a soloist and chamber musician in and around Europe.

How the Award Helped

Hugo received support from the Dewar Arts Awards for his studies, enabling him to further his ambitions to become a professional musician.

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"Being supported by the Dewar Arts Awards has been invaluable towards my journey as a musician...it has enabled me to study abroad with a teacher who inspires me"

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2018 Awardee: Joseph Stevenson

"With the help of an extremely generous Dewar Arts Award I was able to afford the tuition fees...I would have really struggled without the financial assistance I received"

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 22
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
 

Biography

Joseph grew up in the small town of Moffat in Dumfriesshire, where he taught himself guitar from a young age. He began playing in bands and then went on to write and record his own music.

Having released his first original progressive rock EP in 2013, Joseph was accepted to study at the University of Edinburgh the following year. During his time at university, he wrote and recorded three more albums ranging from rock to traditional music.  As his skills progressed, Joseph began to focus on a career in music for film, TV and video games.

Joseph applied to the highly competitive Composing for Film and TV course at the National Film and Television School in London, and was one of only eight people accepted to start in 2019.

Joseph has shown himself to be an ambitious and innovative composer, who demonstrates originality, passion and profound talent.

How the Award Helped

Joseph’s Dewar Arts Award supported his studies at the NFTS.

Since the Award

In 2021, Joseph’s compositions appeared on the NFTS film Night of the Living Dread.  The film was nominated as a finalist for a BAFTA Los Angeles Best Student Film Award.

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"With the help of an extremely generous Dewar Arts Award I was able to afford the tuition fees...I would have really struggled without the financial assistance I received"

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2018 Awardee: Laura Wilson

"I feel extremely grateful to be supported by the Dewar Arts Awards...it has given me a further boost of motivation and determination to develop as a musician and therapist."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 26
ARTFORMS: , ,
 
 
 

Biography

Laura began her musical journey aged five, learning piano with her grandmother. She soon began immersing herself in the classical world further, studying the viola and flute. This led her to continue her education at St. Mary’s Music School.

Laura was awarded a scholarship to study at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester (RNCM). Here, she performed and learned with some of the world’s leading musicians, including the resident orchestra for the Montepulciano Arts Festival in 2012 and 2013.

Afrer graduating, Laura worked as a freelance viola player across the UK and Europe, playing with a number of different ensembles. She became engaged in international charitable work, providing musical respite for vulnerable individuals.  This inspired her to share her music with a range of audiences, and so she travelled around the world busking with her viola.

Laura believes that music speaks to everybody. She continues to expand her musical boundaries by pushing herself out of her comfort zone as often as possible. She performs in a range of settings – from nursing homes, community centres, bars and cafes, exploring ways to engage audiences outside of the classical spectrum.  She also records samples for music producers and DJs.

Laura’s work volunteering for charities led her to become a music therapist. She has since seen the benefits of her work in Romania and Bulgaria. She is driven to help people through a therapeutic relationship with music, and aims to share her knowledge with people who are vulnerable in society.  She aims to work in settings such as prisons, with refugees, and in countries that have suffered as a result of war.

Having chosen to undertake formal qualifications in music therapy, Laura aims to use her skills in creative and imaginative ways. She feels confident that she has embarked on the right path, and that Music Therapy will continue to direct her passion, energy and focus.

How the Award Helped

Laura’s Award supported her in studing an MA in Music Therapy at the University of the West of England.

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"I feel extremely grateful to be supported by the Dewar Arts Awards...it has given me a further boost of motivation and determination to develop as a musician and therapist."

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2018 Awardee: Ruth Gilmour

"The Dewar Arts Award has provided me with great creative freedom and an ability to experiment with material thoroughly. I am honored to be represented by an organisation admired for supporting the development of young Scottish artists."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 27
ARTFORMS:
WEBSITE:https://www.ruthelviragilmour.com/
EMAIL:hello@ruthelviragilmour.com
 

Biography

Ruth is a cross-disciplinary artist from Glasgow who works with material alongside a deeply embedded mode of research to challenge conceptions of the body and its sense of place.

After graduating with a first class Honors degree from Glasgow School of Art in 2017 with her project ‘Nothing is Solid’, Ruth was represented at a number of different graduate showcases in the UK and exhibited at North Lands Creative and Ruthin Craft Centre.

Ruth was invited to undertake a 9 month residency at DSKD in Denmark, where she made ‘Material Bodies’, a project that was exhibited at DSKD and later at New Glasgow Society.

In 2018, Ruth was accepted for a Master of Fine Arts in Sweden. She went on to be selected to represent the Academy at The Stockholm Design Week and invited to Milan Design Week to exhibit with Svensk Form.

How the Award Helped

Ruth was nominated for her Award by Jonathan Boyd – her tutor at Glasgow School of Art and a previous Dewar Arts Award recipient. The Award supported Ruth’s studies at the presitigious HDK in Gothenburg, Sweden.

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"The Dewar Arts Award has provided me with great creative freedom and an ability to experiment with material thoroughly. I am honored to be represented by an organisation admired for supporting the development of young Scottish artists."

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2018 Awardee: Aidan Teplitzky

"I cannot describe how grateful and appreciative I am to receive such support from the Dewar Arts Awards. Without their incredible generosity, I would not have been able to continue my studies...it means the world to me that they saw value in my work and were willing to support me and my artistic development. I cannot thank them enough"

YEAR OF AWARD: 2018
AGE AT AWARD: 22
ARTFORMS: ,
 
 
TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/aidan_teplitzky

Biography

Aidan was born in Australia and was raised in his parents’ restaurant in Sydney before moving to Scotland at age 4. He began learning music on his ‘fluorescent green recorder’ at age 6, and went on to learn the saxophone, piano and double bass, all of which he performed on as a student at the Junior Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. It was here that he came to find an interest in composition under the tutelage of Audrey McPherson and Gareth Williams, which he then pursued by studying at the RCS under Dr Gordon McPherson.

Aidan has worked with organisations including the BBC SSO, the SCO, RCS MusicLab, the Glasgow New Music Expedition, the Glasgow Barons Orchestra, the Brodick Quartet and has worked with world-renowned performers Sinae Lee, Pascal Gallois, and traditional singer/songwriter Ainsley Hamill. Aidan is also an associate member of the LSO’s Soundhub and is the artistic director for the new music ensemble, The Hadit Collective.

Current projects include writing “Moving On”, a new work for Sinfonietta as part of winning the Craig Armstrong Prize in Composition from the RCS, planning a number of new concerts for The Hadit Collective, and working as the composer for the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s production of A Midsummer Nights Dream directed by Ali De Souza.

Aidan is interested in drag, identity and pop culture.

How the Award Helped

Aidan’s Dewar Arts Award supported his postgraduate studies – an MMus in Composition – at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He writes:

“As an artist I want to make work that expresses my identity and can make people feel that they are not alone. Within my time studying at the RCS, I have come to understand my personal artistic voice and have begun intensively exploring the reasons why I write, the nature of my compositional language and how I can enable this greater sense of depth within my artistry.”

Since the Award

Update 2020:

Aidan continued to flourish at the RCS, and also took on the role of vice-president of the RCS Student’s Union.

Update 2024:

Aidan is currently completing an AHRC funded PhD at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire exploring working-class identity and experience in new interdisciplinary compositions.

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"I cannot describe how grateful and appreciative I am to receive such support from the Dewar Arts Awards. Without their incredible generosity, I would not have been able to continue my studies...it means the world to me that they saw value in my work and were willing to support me and my artistic development. I cannot thank them enough"

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2017 Awardee: Zayn Grieve

"It's honestly so kind as well as encouraging - I always felt that I was on the right path, that music and art was my thing - this just confirms it for me. Thank you. I think it's important to believe in yourself but most importantly to believe in one another."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2017
AGE AT AWARD: 24
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://www.dewarawards.org/instagram.com/swvnofficial
 
TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/swvnofficial

Biography

Zayn Grieve, widely known as SWVN “swan“ is a South African born rapper and artist based in South Glasgow. Heavily renowned as one of Scotland’s most versatile creatives and genre defying lyricists, SWVN resonates amongst this new exciting breed.

From a background of UKrap and grime, new up and coming artists are now spearheading the next generation in shaping Britain’s hip hop art culture and music scene.  They have their own authentic sound and style, fueled by honest emotion. Zayn Grieve is a shining example.

Driven and self-motivated, Zayn has overcome adversity to achieve a steady evolution in his progression as an artist. From humble beginnings and years of hard work, he self-funded rehearsal and recording sessions by selling his art, and collaborated with venues to gain a platform. He hosted his own events and delivered outreach to showcase local talent and create positive change, and in turn found the limelight. Perserverence and positivity are his strengths, and have ensured his success as an artist and a champion for new music.

https://www.dewarawards.org/facebook.com/SWVNofficial

How the Award Helped

Zayn’s Award supported him in his development as an artist, providing support and equipment to help him take his talents to the next level.

SWVN official music video for ‘Stay Up’ – Wavvy Music.

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"It's honestly so kind as well as encouraging - I always felt that I was on the right path, that music and art was my thing - this just confirms it for me. Thank you. I think it's important to believe in yourself but most importantly to believe in one another."

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2017 Awardee: Tom Joyes

"The Dewar Arts Award gave me the opportunity to deepen my research practice by participating in a focussed migratory design programme in the Netherlands. I'd like to extend my thanks to the trustees for their amazing support of this."

YEAR OF AWARD: 2017
AGE AT AWARD: 22
ARTFORMS: ,
WEBSITE:https://www.tomjoyes.com/
EMAIL:info@tomjoyes.com
 

Biography

Tom is a Glaswegian designer and graduate of Communication Design at the Glasgow School of Art. Working with graphic design, writing and film, his research-driven practice is critically engaged with politics, aesthetics and technology.

In 2016, Tom was nominated for The Glasgow School of Art’s prestigious Newberry Medal and was selected by design magazine It’s Nice That as part of their shortlist of the most influential young design graduates in the UK.

Since then, Tom has spoken and exhibited in Glasgow, London and the Netherlands, notably writing a text about space junk and image archeology for London-based publisher Books From the Future.

In 2017, Tom was offered the opportunity to participate in a pilot MA programme Checkpoints and Chokepoints at ArtEZ Arnhem, Netherlands, exploring the topic of migration in Europe under the tuition of Vinca Kruk (Metahaven). For this, he produced the comic book FUZZY LOGiC Vol.83, described as a ‘technodrama’ about bodies, borders and surveillance set between the layers of global infrastructure.

https://www.instagram.com/born_slippery

How the Award Helped

Tom’s Award supported him in undertaking the experimental, newly-minted post-BA programme ‘Checkpoints and Chokepoints’ at ArtEZ University of The Arts (Arnhem, Netherlands).

FUZZY LOGiC Vol.83

Tom’s portrait by Adam Counihan

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"The Dewar Arts Award gave me the opportunity to deepen my research practice by participating in a focussed migratory design programme in the Netherlands. I'd like to extend my thanks to the trustees for their amazing support of this."

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