Scotland’s national music prize, The SAY Award, launches its eighth campaign to find the Album of the Year, with artists, record labels and music fans asked to submit long players for consideration.

This year will also see The SAY Award relocate east, with Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms home to the announcement event taking place on Friday 6 September, when the winning artist will collect the £20,000 cash prize, along with nine £1,000 prizes awarded to shortlisted releases.

The announcement of the 20-strong Longlist will also take place in the capital, at the Queen’s Hall. Its CEO, Evan Henderson, said: “The Queen’s Hall has long supported both emerging and established talent of all genres over our 40 year history. The SAY Award – won by Edinburgh’s Young Fathers in 2018 – shines a spotlight on the creative heart and the burgeoning new music scene growing in this city and throughout Scotland.”

The call for nominations sets the selection of the winner under way, with albums released between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2019 eligible for consideration. Unlike other music competitions, no fee is required, and digital as well as physical releases which fulfil the criteria are also valid.

Submissions close at midnight on 31 May 2019. The winner will join the list of impressive Scottish-based talent which has previously taken the prize, including Young Fathers, Sacred Paws, Aidan Moffat and Bill Wells, Anna Meredith, RM Hubbert, and Kathryn Joseph.

Anna Meredith (pictured) said: “The SAY Award looks for quality, excitement and innovation across genres and across different stages, it’s not just looking for the most popular or the biggest fan club or what might make the best news story. For me, winning The SAY Award gave us the chance to tour in the States which is something I’ve always wanted to do but wouldn’t have be able to do to otherwise.”

Submit albums, view eligibility criteria and guidelines at www.sayaward.com.