4 August 2026

Exam results in Scotland: Navigating your next steps

Across Scotland, thousands of young people are opening their exam results and thinking about what comes next. If your ambitions lie in music, visual art, theatre, dance, or any other creative field, but you’re facing financial barriers to pursuing your passion, the Dewar Arts Awards is here to help.

Our awards were established to honour the memory of Donald Dewar, Scotland’s first First Minister, celebrating his deep love of the arts and his vision for the country’s cultural future. Over the last two decades, we have seen first-hand how timely support can transform an artist’s trajectory. Since 2001, the Donald Dewar Awards have provided over £6.7 million in funding to support more than 1,300 talented young Scottish artists in achieving their ambitions.

Building a career in the arts takes commitment, hard work and, often, financial support. Whether it’s paying for specialist training, buying equipment, or travelling for opportunities, the costs can quickly become a barrier for people from working class backgrounds. We believe that financial circumstances shouldn’t stand in the way of artistic talent.

Could we help you?

If you’re a young creative planning what comes next – whether you’ve just finished school, are leaving college, or are ready to develop your practice further – we’re here to help.

• Who can apply? Talented young people under 30 who live or work in Scotland.
• What can we fund? Training, education, equipment, travel, creative projects, and other costs that support your artistic development.
• When can you apply? Applications are open all year round, so you don’t have to wait for a specific funding window.

Find out more about who can apply, read stories from previous award recipients, or start your application at dewarawards.org/apply

1 July 2026

An Introduction to the Dewar Arts Awards

Our Chair, Jill Miller, introduces the Dewar Arts Awards – a Trust established in 2001 to celebrate the life and legacy of Donald Dewar by championing Scotland’s next generation of artists. Since 2001, the Trust has provided over £6.7 million of funding to support more than 1300 talented young people in achieving their ambitions.

Our Board of Trustees has been brought together for their cultural expertise and lived experience. That combination is key to ensuring decisions are made with fairness, depth, and a real understanding of the needs of the artistic community.

If you know an exceptional young artist who is ready to take their next step, please download our information pack and share this video with them. Any artist who is under the age of 30 and living or working in Scotland can be nominated, and applications are open all year round.

To find out more about the application process, visit: dewarawards.org/apply

11 May 2026

Eòlas-Charm: New Album from Ciorstaidh and Steaph Chaimbeul

Sgo (Steaph and Ciorstaidh Chaimbeul). Image credit: Jonny Ashworth / Chamber Music Scotland.

We are delighted to celebrate the recent achievements of the innovative musical duo Sgo, formed by sisters Steaph and Ciorstaidh Chaimbeul. The Skye-born duo have recently been named the Chamber Music Scotland Ensemble in Residence for 2025–26.

What makes this residency especially meaningful for the Trust is that both sisters are part of our alumni community, each having received support from the Dewar Arts Awards at different stages of their musical development.

Steaph received a Dewar Award in 2013 to support her harp studies at the prestigious Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in Manchester, studying under the tutorship of Eira Lynn-Jones. Reflecting on her award at the time, Steaph shared:

“I feel honoured to receive your invaluable support… and I am determined to make the most of my time at the RNCM with all the opportunities that this award has opened up for me.”

In 2024, Ciorstaidh received her own Dewar Award to support advanced accordion studies in Copenhagen under the guidance of renowned professors Geir Draugsvoll and Bjarke Mogensen. Reflecting on that pivotal period, Ciorstaidh said:

“The Dewar Award has given me the invaluable gift of time to dedicate myself to my musical development in an international context. Without the Dewar Arts Award, such an opportunity would have been beyond my financial means.”

These two separate paths of world-class training have now converged into Sgo. Their combined experiences have culminated in ‘Eòlas-Charm’, the duo’s spellbinding debut album released on 13 May 2026. Recorded in Copenhagen, the album blends the sisters’ Gaelic upbringing with contemporary chamber music and experimental sound design. Each of the ten compositions is named after a tree native to the Gaelic world, exploring the expressive limits of the harp, accordion, and voice.

To mark the release of Eòlas-Charm, Sgo are embarking on a five-date headline tour across Scotland this month. The tour marks a homecoming for the Skye-born sisters, bringing their Copenhagen-honed sound to audiences across the country.

As Sgo continue their residency through 2026, we look forward to following the next stage of their musical journey and seeing how their work continues to evolve.

To find out more about applying to the Dewar Arts Awards, visit: dewarawards.org/apply

24 April 2026

Awardee Blog: Laura Penman

Receiving a Dewar Award has kickstarted my musical career. It has given me the opportunity to purchase my electro harp, which has in turn allowed me to perform at various events across Scotland as both a soloist and with others, from Belladrum to Celtic Connections. My composition skills have improved, and I have been in the studio recording a debut album with my band Dàna. Recently, I was extremely grateful to receive additional support from the Ruth Wishart award. I’ll put this towards purchasing pedals to use alongside my electro harp and publish my own tune book.

I was utterly surprised and honoured to receive an invite to a Burns Night Reception at 10 Downing Street as a Dewar Award Recipient. It was a whirlwind of a week, from receiving the invite to organising a trip to London.

Upon arrival, we were greeted by a bagpiper and three highland dancers. Once inside, there was a clarsach and fiddle duo, and we were treated to a rendition of two Burns poems. I met so many wonderful and inspirational people connected to Scotland, including a radio host based in Aberdeen Hospital and the Chief Executive of ScotsCare, a charity for Scottish people in London.

I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to attend this event at 10 Downing Street as a Dewar awardee. The support I received from the Dewar award has been significant to my early music career, and I look forward to where it takes me in future.

To find out more about applying to the Dewar Arts Awards, visit: dewarawards.org/apply

30 March 2026

New Writers Award success for David Ross Linklater

We are thrilled to congratulate David Ross Linklater on being named a recipient of the prestigious Scottish Book Trust 2026 New Writers Award.

Originally from Easter Ross, David received a Dewar Award in 2015 to support his masters studies in Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow. Since graduating, he has earned significant acclaim for a poetic voice that draws inspiration from rural life, exploring the intricate relationships between people, place and tradition.

David’s work has appeared in Poetry Ireland Review and The Dark Horse, and he is the author of five pamphlets. His most recent collection, Affection is the Broadcast, was published by Pinhole Poetry Press in 2025. His list of accolades include winning the 10th Ó Bhéal International Writing Competition and being shortlisted for the Edwin Morgan Award.

This latest recognition from the Scottish Book Trust provides David with a £2,500 grant, professional mentorship, and a retreat to further develop his craft. Reflecting on the news, David shared:

“Getting the call about this was such a surreal experience. Coming into the new year with a feeling of momentum, I’m excited to really focus and dig into my writing. ”

We have watched David’s career go from strength to strength since his initial award, and look forward to seeing the impact of this new chapter on his work.

16 March 2026

Ruth Wishart Award 2025: Laura Penman

Laura Penman pictured performing at BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2025. Image credit: Alan Peebles.

The Ruth Wishart Award was established to recognise the dedication and expertise of the Dewar Arts Awards founding Chair, Dr Ruth Wishart. A respected broadcaster and journalist, Ruth was instrumental in shaping the Awards’ mission to ensure that no young person in Scotland is prevented from realising their creative and artistic talent because of financial barriers.

The Ruth Wishart Award is distinctive in being awarded retrospectively, rather than through application and is a cash award of £1,000. Each year, the Dewar Trustees review the final reports of Dewar Arts Awardees who have completed their funded projects and, having done so, select a winner. For the 2025 Prize, a shortlist of four was drawn up for Ruth’s final consideration. Ruth then selected the overall recipient. We are delighted that the 2025 Award goes to Laura Penman.

About Laura Penman

Laura Penman is a clarsach player, pianist, and composer whose musical roots began in Gaelic Medium Education in Edinburgh and continued through the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) Juniors.  She went on to study on the BMus Traditional Music course at the Royal Conservatoire, graduating in 2024. 

That same year, Laura received a Dewar Award, which enabled her to purchase an electro-harp: 

“Receiving a Dewar Award has kickstarted my musical career after graduating,” Laura said. “It has given me the opportunity to purchase my electro harp, which has in turn allowed me to perform at events across Scotland. I have worked hard to develop my skills, and I’m now reaching a point where I feel confident to create and perform new music using it.”

Since receiving her Dewar Award, Laura’s career has developed rapidly. She has performed at high-profile festivals, including Belladrum and the Edinburgh International Harp Festival, and was named a finalist for the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award in 2025. While at the RCS, Laura also formed, with fellow students, an all-female band called Dàna. The group has performed at a range of events and festivals, including Piping Live! and Under Canvas, and is currently recording its debut album. 

As Laura continues to build her career in the Scottish traditional music scene, the Dewar Awards Trustees are delighted to recognise her progress with The Ruth Wishart Award and look forward to applauding her successes in the future.