About the Saltire Society

Celebrating the Scottish imagination…

What is the Saltire Society? 

The Saltire Society is one of Scotland’s leading supporters of culture. For almost 90 years we have been committed to Scottish innovation and creativity, from social housing design and literature to public art and emerging creatives. Today, the Saltire Society upholds its founding principles of inspiring culture and platforming responsible debate for contemporary Scotland. The Society has a broad international outlook and is not affiliated with any political party. 

The Saltire Society is a Scottish-registered charity - Scottish Charity Number: 044731

What does the Society do? 

The Saltire Society acts as a catalyst to make things happen in Scotland. We want to champion the best new ideas and help bring them to fruition.

Our awards programme includes The Fletcher of Saltoun Awards, rewarding the contributions of individuals working in Arts and Humanities, Science, and Public Life, and the Outstanding Women of Scotland and 40 Under 40 communities, through which we work to promote specific contributions to Scottish life.

The Saltire Literary Awards were inaugurated in 1937 with the specific aim of raising awareness of Scottish literary talent, and today serve as Scotland's National Book Awards. Past Book of the Year winners include the cream of Scottish literary talent, from Neil Gunn and Muriel Spark to William McIlvanney, Michel Faber and John Burnside. The First Book Prize was introduced in 1988 and serves as a reliable barometer for major new talent, with past winners including Clare Hunter, Mick Kitson and Chitra Ramaswamy.

We host events, such as our annual Fletcher Lecture, support the work of other organisations and deliver other projects and programmes. 

How can I get involved?

Join - The Society is a membership organisation and that support means a great deal to us. You can join a branch or HQ here and join us at our events throughout the year.

Nominate - A great way to engage with the Society is to submit to our awards or make a nomination when we issue a call for submissions. 

Volunteer - If you’d like to volunteer, please get in touch to find out about current opportunities. 

Engage - You can help us reach wider audiences by following us on social media and spreading the work of the Saltire Society further.  

“The Scottish Government places great importance on culture and heritage as they make an invaluable contribution to our quality of life, bringing real social and economic benefits to people and communities in our towns and cities. I welcome the Saltire Society’s continued focus on building upon its position as an independent and authoritative voice in Scotland’s cultural landscape. The Society continues to promote and encourage new developments which can strengthen and enrich our cultural life – a tradition it has built up over 80 years.” 

Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon