SpotLight Project
In the last few years, Scotland’s cultural scene has been hit hard, leaving young creatives with fewer opportunities than ever before. Boldly brewed for good times, Tennent’s Light is shining a spotlight on Scotland’s brightest upcoming talent, with 3.4% of every can sold going towards supporting, developing and promoting the country’s grassroots creative talent.
Scotland’s soundest pint
We have now revealed our five Scottish creatives who will be the first recipients of the Spotlight Project.
Out of more than 800 promising applicants, five creatives have been chosen, spanning industries including music, sustainable fashion, film, photography and skateboarding: Danny Aubrey, Katie Doyle, Jubemi Iyiku, Jonny MacKinnon and Michael Rankin. The five winners showed great ambition, creativity and unique perspectives, exciting the judges with their potential and talent.
Meet the team
Danny Aubrey
After leaving college, Danny Aubrey founded re:ply, a sustainable initiative which upcycles and recycles skateboards. Danny has done some incredible work already and he’d like re:ply to be a full-time career - this funding is his first step.
Meet the team
Kitti
Katie Doyle, known as Kitti, is a singer / songwriter influenced by soul and jazz music. The next stop on her creative journey is her debut album, which she will record in Stornoway using her SpotLight Project funding.
Meet the team
Bemz
Up-and-coming hip hop artist Jubemi Iyiku, known as Bemz, will be using the Tennent’s Light SpotLight funding to fulfil his ambition to record, collaborate and eventually go on tour.
Meet the team
Jonny MacKinnon
Jonny MacKinnon makes woven textiles inspired by science and sustainability. He’ll be using his SpotLight funding to grow his studio and weave a career within Scotland’s fashion and textile design industry.
Meet the team
Michael Rankin
Film photographer, Michael Rankin, has been taking photos using his grandad’s camera for years. Now, his work is influenced by his local neighbourhood in Glasgow, with an ambitious photography project ‘Inside Maryhill’, which aims to challenge preconceptions about the area.
The prize
Each winner will receive a grant of £5,000 to go towards their projects as well as the opportunity to showcase their work at a dedicated Tennent’s Light SpotLight event in September.
In addition, they will receive one-to-one mentoring sessions from three leaders on Scotland’s cultural scene – fashion designer Hayley Scanlan, comedian and TikTok star Bash The Entertainer and DJ and Producer Nightwave.
The three will offer advice, and guidance on how to progress, how to grow and ultimately how to succeed in the creative industries.
Meet the mentors
Bash the Entertainer
Bash (full name, Bachala Mbunzama) isn’t afraid to tackle racial abuse and stereotyping in his comedy, and he often draws on his childhood experiences of coming to Scotland as an asylum seeker from the Democratic Republic of Congo. His infectious trademark laugh, sense of fun and sharp eye for satire have gained him over 5 million devoted followers on TikTok.
Meet the mentors
Hayley Scanlan
Born in Dundee, womenswear designer Hayley has been dubbed ‘Scotland’s coolest designer’ by none other than Vogue. She’s worked with Hollywood fashion icon Jeremy Scott, dressed pop legends Jessie J and Pixie Lott, received an honorary doctorate from the University of Dundee, and runs her own successful brand, ‘H.S’.
Meet the mentors
Nightwave
Glasgow-based DJ and producer, Nightwave is a major international presence in electronic music. As well as playing DJ sets around the world, this Slovenian-born artist is also a prolific producer, vocalist, and remixer bringing her unique sound to projects with Franz Ferdinand, Django Django and D Double E. When she’s not doing that, she’s a club promoter, record label boss and also co-runs Producergirls, an initiative to improve gender equality in the music industry.