New Scots Scriever Appointed from Shetland

Claire White has been appointed as the Shaetlan Scriever, where she will take up a year-long residency with the National Library of Scotland.

In partnership with Creative Scotland, the residency aims to support the creation of original writing in Scots, as well as the promotion of the language with communities throughout Scotland. The post follows successful appointments in previous years with Taylor Dyson as Dundee and Angus Scriever 24/25, Susi Briggs as Dumfries and Galloway Scriever in 23/24, Shane Strachan as Doric Scriever in 22/23, and Alison Miller as Orcadian Scriever in 21/22. This year, the Library specifically sought applicants from Shetland to be the Shaetlan Scriever.

The residency gives White the opportunity to explore the richness of the National Library’s Scots language collections, as well as the space and time to produce original work in Shaetlan.

Claire White is a songwriter and traditional fiddle player from Shetland. She has been writing award-winning songs, mostly in the Shaetlan language, since 2010, and released the album ‘Lasses Trust In Providence’ in December 2018. Since 2020 she has produced and presented BBC Radio Shetland 60-minute winter programmes including a series about local language entitled ‘Midder Tongue’. She said:

“A’m so very blyde ta hiv bön appointed da Shaetlan Scriever d’year. Da National Library o Scotland’s resources’ll be a acht in researchin an writin sangs i’da newly offeeshil Shaetlan language. A’ll be sharin me creative practice an feenished wark as I geng alang an A'm luikin forwird ta spaekin wi aabody aboot da place o Shaetlan an Scots language i’wir lives. Wir midder tongue is dear ta mony fock an hit’s winderfil ta celebrate hit trowe dis residency.”

White has delivered song and storytelling workshops in almost all Shetland schools over the past four years. She has also been working with the Scots Language Centre on developing Scots song school learning resources for national use, as well as Scots song films to be accessed online.

Màiri McAllan, Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic, said:

“Scots is woven through our education, culture and community life – which is why the Scottish Government gave it official status for the first time through the Scottish Languages Act. 

“Scrievers have come from all over the country, demonstrating the richness and diversity of Scots in its regional forms. I look forward to seeing what Claire brings to the role as a talent in the Shaetlan dialect.”

Peggy Hughes, Director of Engagement at the National Library of Scotland, said:

“We are delighted to continue such a deep working relationship with Shetland, having landed there as part of our OUTWITH programme in April this year. And this way, we get to feel like we’ve never left. Ms White is a consummate professional in the Scots language and has worked tirelessly in Shaetlan’s promotion and preservation. As a storyteller and performer, we feel she will really elevate the outputs from this residency and we can’t wait to see what she comes up with.”

As the Shaetlan Scriever, White will produce original written work in the local language, as well as contribute to raising the profile, understanding and appreciation of the Scots language in general.

The 12-month post is funded by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland. White will begin her residency in August 2026.

 

New Scots Scriever Appointed fae Shetland

Claire White is bön appointed as da Shaetlan Scriever, beginnin whit will be a year-lang residency wi da National Library o Scotland.

A pairtnership wi Creative Scotland, da residency aims tae support da creation o original writin in Scots, as weel as da promotion o da language wi communities aa owre Scotland. Da pöst comes efter successful appointments in years geen by wi Taylor Dyson as Dundee an Angus Scriever 24/25, Susi Briggs as Dumfries an Galloway Scriever in 23/24, Shane Strachan as Doric Scriever in 22/23, an Alison Miller as Orcadian Scriever in 21/22. Dis year, da Library specifically luikit fir applicants fae Shetland tae bi da Shaetlan Scriever.

Da residency gies White da opportunity tae explore da richness o da National Library’s Scots language collections, as weel as da spaece an time tae makk original wark in Shaetlan.

Claire White is a sangwriter an traditional fiddle player fae Shetland. She haes been writin awaard-winnin sangs, maestly in da Shaetlan language, fae 2010, an released da album ‘Lasses Trust In Providence’ in December 2018. Fae 2020 she haes produced an presented BBC Radio Shetland 60-meenit winter programmes, includin a series aboot Shaetlan caad ‘Midder Tongue’. She said:

“A’m so very blyde ta hiv bön appointed da Shaetlan Scriever d’year. Da National Library o Scotland’s resources’ll be a acht in researchin an writin sangs i’da newly offeeshil Shaetlan language. A’ll be sharin me creative practice an feenished wark as I geng alang an A'm luikin forwird ta spaekin wi aabody aboot da place o Shaetlan an Scots language i’wir lives. Wir midder tongue is dear ta mony fock an hit’s winderfil ta celebrate hit trowe dis residency.”

White haes delivered sang an storytellin wirkshops in nearly aa da Shetland schules owre da hidmaest fower year. She haes also been wirkin wi da Scots Language Centre on developin Scots sang schule lairnin resources fir national use, as weel as Scots sang films tae be accessed online.

Màiri McAllan, Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic, said:

“Scots is woven through our education, culture and community life – which is why the Scottish Government gave it official status for the first time through the Scottish Languages Act. 

“Scrievers have come from all over the country, demonstrating the richness and diversity of Scots in its regional forms. I look forward to seeing what Claire brings to the role as a talent in the Shaetlan dialect.”

Peggy Hughes, Director of Engagement at the National Library of Scotland, said:

“We are delighted to continue such a deep working relationship with Shetland, having landed there as part of our OUTWITH programme in April this year. And this way, we get to feel like we’ve never left. Ms White is a consummate professional in the Scots language and has worked tirelessly in Shaetlan’s promotion and preservation. As a storyteller and performer, we feel she will really elevate the outputs from this residency and we can’t wait to see what she comes up with.”

As da Shaetlan Scriever, White will produce original written wark in da local language, as weel as contribute tae raisin da profile, understandin an appreciation o Scots language in general.

Da twal-mont pöst is funded bi da National Lottery trowe Creative Scotland. White will begin her residency in Aagist 2026.