Paisley will host the 2026 MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, with public nominations now open and the line-up of performers announced.
The awards will take place at Paisley Arena on Saturday, 5th December 2026. The town last hosted the event in 2017.
Members of the public can nominate musicians, singers, venues, festivals, organisations and teachers from across Scotland until Sunday, 18th October.
Categories include Album of the Year, Musician of the Year, Venue of the Year and Festival of the Year.
Young people from Renfrewshire’s Fèis Phàislig, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, will perform at the event.
They will join electrotrad group Valtos, Gaelic vocal trio Sian, Orkney folk quartet Gnoss, Spodo Komodo and BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2026, Rachel Groves.
Valtos and Sian have both made the Scottish Album of the Year longlist. Valtos also performed at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.
Mary Ann Kennedy and Alistair Heather will return as hosts.
Scots Trad Music Awards organiser Simon Thoumire said: “Paisley is a powerhouse of cultural creativity so we’re hugely excited to be taking the Trad Awards back to the town this year! The awards are an opportunity for Scotland’s traditional music scene to gather under one roof and recognise the energy, ingenuity and talent that exists. Traditional music is an important cultural asset for Scotland, which continues to find new audiences, and it’s vital that we champion this. We also want to hear from fans about what organisations and acts have inspired them this year – come and let us know who deserves to be honoured, or better yet, come along to Paisley and celebrate the best of Scotland’s trad music with us.”
Martyn MacDonald of Valtos said: “The Trad Awards are always a highlight of our year and it’s an honour to be asked to play to a room full of our peers while they’re being celebrated for their many talents. It’s always a brilliant evening bringing together acts and artists from the full cross-section of the Traditional, Gaelic, and Scots Music worlds and we look forward to finding out, and supporting, all of the nominees.”
Siobhan Anderson, Music Officer at Creative Scotland, said: “It’s fantastic to see Na Trads return to Paisley this year, with all of the town’s character, culture and heritage on offer. The night will bring folk-lovers and performers together to celebrate the colourful variety, depth and talent of Scotland’s thriving traditional music scene. Every nomination from the public is a huge support to their favourite artists, events, organisations and individuals helping them to reach the next steps in their career and development.”
Lorna Macaulay, Director of Partnerships and Development at MG ALBA, said: “As headline sponsor of the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards, we are proud to celebrate the exceptional talent, creativity and ambition that define Scotland’s traditional music community. From grassroots projects and youth initiatives to world-class performances on global stages, artists continue to innovate while keeping Gaelic language, heritage and culture at the heart of their work. Through our longstanding partnership and coverage on BBC ALBA, MG ALBA is delighted to help bring these remarkable voices, stories and music to audiences across Scotland and beyond.”
The awards are organised by Hands Up For Trad, with funding and support from Creative Scotland and MG ALBA.
A two-hour highlights programme will be broadcast on BBC ALBA at 9pm on Sunday, 6th December.
Nominations can be submitted at the Scots Trad Music Awards website. Tickets are available from Renfrewshire Box Office.
Headline photo: Trad Awards 2025 at Aberdeen Music Hall.