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 over 85 years we have been committed to every part of Scottish life, from social housing and literature to public art and emerging creatives. Today, the Saltire Society upholds its founding principles of inspiring culture and provoking 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? 

We work for Scotland. With our awards programme we reward excellence in literature, publishing, housing and art in public places. Through the Outstanding Women of Scotland community, we work to promote the contributions of women in Scotland. With the Fletcher of Saltoun Awards, we celebrate the contributions of individuals working in Arts and Humanities, Science, and Public Life. 

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. We host events, such as our annual Fletcher Lecture, support the work of other organisations and offer funding through our bursaries. 

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 nominate someone for the Outstanding Women of Scotland when we make a call for submissions. 

Volunteer - If you’d like to volunteer, we are looking for enthusiastic individuals with an interest in archiving, culture or writing for web. 

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.” 

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon