The Gaelic New Writers Awards, delivered in partnership with Scottish Book Trust, is an annual scheme which offers two new Gaelic writers the opportunity to participate in a mentoring programme to develop their creative skills.
The Awards are open to Gaelic writers of various genres – fiction, prose, poetry, and so on. Under the scheme, two writers will each receive a grant of £2,000 to allow them to spend time focussing on their writing. Over the course of a year they will receive a tailored package that can include mentoring, professional development training or manuscript appraisal, and there will also be an opportunity for Awardees to attend a week-long retreat and to read their work at a showcase event.
The Gaelic New Writers Awards are currently closed to applications but will reopen in 2022.
Previous Awardees
2010: Niall O’Gallagher (poetry) & Ishi MacLean (children’s fiction)
2011: Sandy NicDhòmhnaill Jones (poetry) & Maureen Macleod (travel writing)
2012: Christine Stone (prose & children’s fiction) & Seonaidh Charity (fiction)
2013: John Urquhart (fiction) & Seonaid Macdonald (fiction)
2014: Calum L. MacLeod (fiction) & Steven Ritchie (fiction)
2015: Greg Thomson (fiction) & Morag Ann MacNeil (children’s fiction)
2016: Eoghan Stewart (poetry) & Jane MacLeod (fiction)
2017: Mòrag Law (fiction) & Marion F. Morrison (poetry)
2018: Alistair Paul (fiction) & Calum MacKinnon (fiction)
2019: June Graham (children’s fiction) & Liam Alastair Crouse (poetry)
2020: Mary Ann Kennedy (narrative non-fiction) & Andreas Wolff (narrative non-fiction)
2021: Beth Frieden (poetry) & Roddy Neithercut (narrative non-fiction)
With support from Scottish Book Trust.
