16 March 2026
Ruth Wishart Award 2025: Laura Penman
The Dewar Arts Awards is proud to announce Laura Penman as the recipient of the 2025 Ruth Wishart Award.
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.