A NEW annual award celebrating Scots language has been launched.

The Scots Language Awards ceremony hosted by National columnist Alistair Heather and Frieda Morrison will celebrate the country’s national language spoken by more than 30% of the population,

Held by the United Nations Year of Indigenous Language, Hands Up for Trad, and Creative Scotland, the awards will be presented at Glasgow’s Mitchell Theatre on September 27. Nominees for the 11 awards include singer songwriter Gerda Stevenson, singer Sheena Wellington who opened the Scottish Parliament in 1999, author Chris McQueer and National columnists Rab Wilson and Thomas Clark.

Simon Thoumire of Hands up for Trad said: “The verra first Scots Leid Awards wull tak place on the 27th September 2019 in The Mitchell Theatre, Glasgow. There wull be 10 categories an 1 Lifetime Achievement Award. The thocht ahint the awards is tae heighlicht the Scots Leid.”

Deputy First Minister, John Swinney, said: “We know the important role that the language has for many across Scotland who use it every day and these awards go some way to recognising this.”

The panel of judges are Fife poet Willie Hershaw, songwriter Susi Briggs, broadcaster Billy Kay and Scotland’s National Network for Traditional Arts & Culture boss Donald Smith.