LIST YOUR EVENT FOR FREE

Unique artist design will ring bell for SAY Award winners

Some of the biggest stars in Scottish music are heading to Paisley – and will walk away with a prized memento created by a local artist!

Article Source: Renfrewshire Council
Last Updated: 26 June 2016 14:33

The Scottish Album of the Year Award ceremony – one of the most prestigious dates in the country’s musical calendar - will take place in Paisley Town Hall on Wednesday 29 June, as part of the push towards the town’s UK City of Culture 2021 bid.

And each of the ten shortlisted acts – including big names such as Franz Ferdinand and Sparks, CHVRCHES and Young Fathers – will receive a unique contemporary ceramic bell designed by Karen Hanvidge as part of the SAY Design Commssion.

Fittingly, given the musical connection, Karen can claim to be Straight Outta Compton – having been born and grown up in the LA city, before eventually settling in Renfrew. And it has been a long road towards her brush with stardom.
Having failed to get into Glasgow School of Art when she was 17, she refused to give up on her dream and the mum of two finally graduated with an honours degree in ceramics as a mature student in 2012, after 30 years working in the civil service.

Karen is now working with Renfrewshire Council’s InCube business incubator scheme which provides funding and support to creative businesses – with her work on sale as a guest artist at the InCube shop in Gilmour Street, Paisley.

She said: “The SAY Award commission is a fantastic thing to be involved in – I’m a big music fan so this is a great honour.

“I thought a ceramic bell was fitting as bells were traditionally used to bring people together, and music does that too.

“InCube has been very helpful – I just love being a part of a little community of artists It has given me a foot in the door to start getting my work out there.

“I had been painting all my life but wanted to work with clay so did night school and then a part-time degree in ceramics.

“I have now set up a studio in my garage at home, having worked in a shed at bottom of my garden for eight years before that – I think I spent half my life in that shed.”

Karen met up with Renfrewshire Council Leader Mark Macmillan outside the SAY Award ceremony venue where she showed off some of her Paisley-Pattern-inspired designs.

And Councillor Macmillan said: “It was great to meet Karen and find out more about this very special award commission – Paisley’s bid for UK City of Culture is all about helping to showcase the huge depth of local artistic talent Renfrewshire has.

“We are thrilled to be hosting the SAY Award here in Paisley for the first time it has ever left Glasgow in its five-year history.

“Being able to attract an event of this calibre shows we are on the map as a key destination on Scotland’s music calendar.

“Just this week we announced the bill for The Spree festival in October, which has hosted the most recent winners of the SAY Award in each of the past two years.”

Stewart Henderson, Director of the SAY Award, said: "It's fantastic to have Karen produce our SAY Awards for this year, not only because it's a first for us to have a designer working with ceramics but because Karen's bell designs are another great example of how music can inform and inspire creativity across a range of artforms: the very reason The SAY Design Commission exists."

The Scottish Album of the Year award, which began in 2012, is run by the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA). The most prestigious music prize in Scotland, the winner receives £20,000, equal in prize terms to the Mercury Music Prize. Previous SAY Award winners are Kathryn Joseph (2015), Young Fathers (2014), RM Hubbert (2013) and Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat (2012). Visit www.sayward.com for more info.

Sponsored Links

Latest Renfrewshire News

Call for volunteers to help restore riverbanks

Call for volunteers to help restore riverbanks

Environmentally conscious individuals are being asked to volunteer for a new community taskforce to help protect Renfrewshire's rich riverbank habitats.

READ MORE
Have some fun this Spring in Paisley town centre!

Have some fun this Spring in Paisley town centre!

Paisley's Spring Farmyard Trail is coming to Paisley town centre from Friday the 29th of March until Monday 15th of April.

READ MORE
Historic sites across Scotland get ready to reopen their doors

Historic sites across Scotland get ready to reopen their doors

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has announced that over twenty sites across the country are set to reopen their doors to visitors this weekend.

READ MORE
Diabetes Scotland will host a virtual event for young people 11 to 25 living with type 1 diabetes

Diabetes Scotland will host a virtual event for young people 11 to 25 living with type 1 diabetes

Join Diabetes Scotland for a virtual event about an exciting new programme supporting children and young people 11 - 25 living with type 1 diabetes - Together Type 1.

READ MORE
Iconic Noughties stars make cheeky comeback to launch limited edition IRN BRU flavours

Iconic Noughties stars make cheeky comeback to launch limited edition IRN BRU flavours

Noughties stars The Cheeky Girls, Gareth Gates and S Club 7's Bradley McIntosh have taken a sip back in time to mark the release of IRN-BRU's new 2000s-inspired flavours!

READ MORE
Playsport in East Kilbride is set to welcome a new state of the art racing simulator centre GP Racing Simulators

Playsport in East Kilbride is set to welcome a new state of the art racing simulator centre GP Racing Simulators

GP Racing Simulators will incorporate 10 professional grade racing simulators, each equipped with a racing seat, steering wheel, pedals and a 43" monitor, alongside a licensed bar and dining complex.

READ MORE
Renfrewshire Provost rewards inspirational community members

Renfrewshire Provost rewards inspirational community members

Renfrewshire has honoured local groups and volunteers for their work in the community at the Provost's Community Awards.

READ MORE
Free activities this Easter at Dobbies

Free activities this Easter at Dobbies

Dobbies is welcoming families along to 68 of its stores this Easter to enjoy an array of free activities, including its Little Seedlings Club workshop and Easter Holiday sessions.

READ MORE
Deadline looms for 30th Scottish Thistle Awards public nominations

Deadline looms for 30th Scottish Thistle Awards public nominations

The search is on to find the best of the best in Scottish tourism as the Scottish Thistles Awards returns.

READ MORE
Learning and Cultural Hub wins national award

Learning and Cultural Hub wins national award

Paisley's Learning and Cultural Hub has won a national award. The new home for Paisley Central Library won the physical category at the EDGE Awards.

READ MORE
Hop along to Cardwell Garden Centre for some Easter Weekend fun

Hop along to Cardwell Garden Centre for some Easter Weekend fun

The Easter weekend is going to be eggs-tra special at Cardwell Garden Centre this year.

READ MORE
Springfest is back this April... with all things foodie as well as a host of entertainment and things to do!

Springfest is back this April... with all things foodie as well as a host of entertainment and things to do!

This year's FREE Springfest is playing host to two great Scottish chefs – Niall Murray and Rohan Wadke, who will inspire visitors with their FREE cooking demonstrations.

READ MORE
Fun family favourites leap into action on the big screen this Easter break at Vue

Fun family favourites leap into action on the big screen this Easter break at Vue

A host of brand-new family favourites are landing at Vue this Easter, meaning there are plenty of opportunities to spend quality family time at the big screen during the holidays.

READ MORE
Paisley Museum and Kairos Women+ win big at the Smiley Charity Film Awards

Paisley Museum and Kairos Women+ win big at the Smiley Charity Film Awards

Groups connected with the refurbishment of Paisley Museum are celebrating today after picking up an honour at the Smiley Charity Film Awards in London.

READ MORE
A taste of what is to come at Paisley Food and Drink Festival

A taste of what is to come at Paisley Food and Drink Festival

Spring is in the air and with it comes the return of one of Scotland's largest outdoor food and drink festivals to Paisley!

READ MORE
Saturday Winter Connections event in Paisley bringing people together

Saturday Winter Connections event in Paisley bringing people together

Dozens of people gathered together for a song and a chat at a Saturday Get-Together event in the Methodist Central Hall, Paisley.

READ MORE
National Theatre of Scotland announce full cast and creative team for Maggie & Me

National Theatre of Scotland announce full cast and creative team for Maggie & Me

Full cast and creatives announced for the tour of Maggie & Me, the first stage adaptation of Damian Barr's award-winning memoir touring UK in May and June!

READ MORE
Paisley Museum succeeds in major global competition to win prestigious international award

Paisley Museum succeeds in major global competition to win prestigious international award

The refurbishment of Paisley Museum has won a prestigious international award, recognising the significant role the project is playing in the town and wider region’s cultural regeneration.

READ MORE
Dobbies invites nominations for national community initiative

Dobbies invites nominations for national community initiative

Dobbies today launches Dobbies Community Gardens, to offer support for community and charity groups across the UK to help transform, restore or start their indoor or outdoor green spaces.

READ MORE
Scottish stovies and strange sheep are announced as the winning entries for The Glencairn Glass crime short story competition

Scottish stovies and strange sheep are announced as the winning entries for The Glencairn Glass crime short story competition

A sinister story involving 'stovies' and a grisly tale about the strange sheep of Greshornish have been chosen as the winning and runner-up stories in The Glencairn Glass crime short story competition

READ MORE
Easter fun for every bunny with the National Trust For Scotland

Easter fun for every bunny with the National Trust For Scotland

The National Trust for Scotland is going hopping mad for Easter and hosting a bumper 35 Easter egg trails at the special places in its care this spring.

READ MORE
Record breaking parasport festival held in Linwood

Record breaking parasport festival held in Linwood

More than one hundred children attended the West of Scotland's Parasport Festival, which took place at On-X Linwood on Monday 4th March.

READ MORE
Inspiring runners demonstrate transformative power of running

Inspiring runners demonstrate transformative power of running

Great Run 2024 series highlights inspirational stories from runners around the UK.

READ MORE
Dobbies invites families to hop along to its breakfast event

Dobbies invites families to hop along to its breakfast event

Dobbies, the UK's leading garden centre, is bringing back its much-loved Easter event, inviting families to hop along to their nearest store and enjoy an Easter Bunny Breakfast egg-stravaganza.

READ MORE
Celebrate International Womens Day at Vue with these iconic stories

Celebrate International Womens Day at Vue with these iconic stories

Friday 8th March marks International Women's Day and to celebrate Vue is set to screen four inspiring films which follow the achievements of incredible female leads.

READ MORE
Scottish trad music is on the rise

Scottish trad music is on the rise

New research released by VisitScotland reveals the growing popularity of Scottish traditional music, finding that over a third of Scots (34%) are listening to it more often in the past year.

READ MORE
Time for a Big Spring Clean!

Time for a Big Spring Clean!

Renfrewshire's Big Spring Clean is back for another year, with litter picks set to take place throughout March and April.

READ MORE
The 5th Paisley Book Festival programme is announced

The 5th Paisley Book Festival programme is announced

A stellar line-up of authors are set to take Paisley by storm at this year's Paisley Book Festival in April!

READ MORE
Last chance to secure an Earlybird Entry for the AJ Bell Great Scottish Run

Last chance to secure an Earlybird Entry for the AJ Bell Great Scottish Run

The AJ Bell Great Scottish Run is back on Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th October, and the Earlybird offer to save up to £8 off your entry ends this Friday 1st March at 10am.

READ MORE
OneRen Spring Kids Camps are back!

OneRen Spring Kids Camps are back!

OneRen's Spring Kids Camps are set to return, bringing plenty of fun-filled action for children and young people during the school holidays.

READ MORE

Sponsored Links

Sponsored Links

Go Radio | Number 1 for Glasgow & The West - Listen on DAB, Online or on your Smart Speaker, just say "Launch Go Radio"

Popular Events

Oh What A Night!
Oh What A Night! at the Beacon Arts Centre will take you back in time on a musical journey through the incredible career of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons!
Heaven 17
LNP Promotions have announced that Synth-pop icons Heaven 17 will perform a special show at Paisley Town Hall on Friday 9th August!
Paisley’s Spring Farmyard Trail
Paisley's Spring Farmyard Trail is coming to town from Friday 29th March until Monday 15th April, can you find all 10 animals which are hiding around town?
Weegie Hink Ae That?
The Weegie Boys, Glasgow's best loved comedy sketch ensemble, bring a fast-paced, witty show to The Bungalow on Friday 10th May!
PACE Easter Fest!
Jam-packed with unique and varied creative performance experiences for ages 3-21, PACE is excited to announce the return of PACE Easter Fest!

Popular Listings

Beacon Arts Centre Braehead Arena Johnstone Town Hall Old Swan Inn Paisley Paisley Abbey Paisley Arts Centre Paisley Town Hall Robertson Park Renfrew The Bungalow Paisley Venue Paisley