Tuesday July 28th 2026
New Scots Screiver Claire White (photo by Jonathon Butler)
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
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.
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