Entries open as Scottish Album of the Year Award returns to Dundee
- Andrew Batchelor
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Scotland's national music prize is returning to Dundee for a second consecutive year, with entries now officially open for the 2026 Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award.
Celebrating its 15th anniversary, the prestigious awards will once again culminate at Caird Hall on Thursday 5 November, with artists from across Scotland competing for the coveted title of Scottish Album of the Year and a top prize of £20,000.
Produced by the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA), the awards invite artists, record labels, industry professionals and music fans to submit eligible albums free of charge until 30 July. Albums released between 1 June 2025 and 31 May 2026 are eligible for consideration.
The announcement follows the successful debut of the awards in Dundee last year, when Kai Reesu claimed the top prize. The artist will return to perform at this year's ceremony alongside 2025 Sound of Young Scotland winner Alice Faye.
Alongside opening album submissions, organisers have also launched the 2026 SAY Award Design Commission, inviting Dundee-based designers and makers to create the bespoke trophies that will be presented to nominees and winners.
The commission offers a £3,000 fee and continues the partnership between the awards and Dundee's internationally recognised design sector, with the finished pieces set to be displayed at V&A Dundee following the ceremony.
As well as the main award, the event will once again celebrate the Modern Scottish Classic Award and the Sound of Young Scotland Award, supporting emerging musicians with funding towards their debut album.
Since launching in 2012, the SAY Award has distributed more than £425,000 in prize money to Scottish artists, with previous winners including Young Fathers, Mogwai, Anna Meredith, Fergus McCreadie, Kathryn Joseph, rEDOLENT and Kai Reesu.
Robert Kilpatrick, CEO and Creative Director of the Scottish Music Industry Association, said the organisation was proud to be celebrating fifteen years of recognising outstanding Scottish music and was delighted to be returning to Dundee for another landmark ceremony.
Anna Day, Head of Culture and Libraries at Leisure & Culture Dundee, said last year's event quickly became one of the standout nights at Caird Hall and encouraged people to come together once again to celebrate Scotland's thriving music scene.
Early-bird tickets for the 2026 ceremony are now on sale, while submissions for eligible albums and expressions of interest for the Design Commission remain open until 30 July.
