The 2025 winner will receive a funding and support package worth up to £10,000 to support the recording and production of their debut album. Image credit: Shutterstock.
Applications are now open for the Sound of Young Scotland Award 2025. Open to young and emerging Scottish artists and bands, the award offers funding and support to create and release a debut album.
Supported by Help Musicians, the Scottish Government’s Youth Music Initiative through Creative Scotland and Youth Music, plus manufacturing support from Seabass Vinyl, this Award is designed to support the next generation of Scottish talent to take the next step in their career.
The winner will receive a funding and support package worth up to £10,000
The 2025 winner will receive a funding and support package worth up to £10,000 to support the recording and production of their debut album, as well as a bespoke art prize from The SAY Award Design Commission.
The full funding package includes:
- Cash grants totaling £6,000 for activities such as studio hire costs, session musician fees, equipment rentals and more
- A performance slot at 2026’s SAY Award ceremony
- 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, arranged via Help Musicians
- Invites to online peer drop-in spaces with other musicians, arranged via Help Musicians
- Access to a healthy practice session delivered by BAPAM, arranged via Help Musicians
- A run of up to 250 vinyl pressings of the album created via the prize; provided in-kind by Seabass Vinyl, Scotland’s first vinyl pressing plant
- A recording session with KNDRD (Scotty Anderson & Jack Cochrane)
Eligibility criteria and how to apply
To be eligible for the Sound of Young Scotland Award, an artist must be aged 18-25, or in the case of a band the primary songwriter(s) must be aged 25 or under and all members should be under 30 years olf.
Applicants must also have been born in Scotland, have at least 50% of the band’s core members born in Scotland, or have built their creative base in Scotland for the past 2 years. For a full list of eligibility criteria and application details visit the opportunity’s page.
Applications close at midnight on Friday 22 August 2025.
Apply now