Guthrie Award


The Guthrie Award is awarded annually with few exceptions to at most two recipients by the Royal Scottish Academy and is one of the most prestigious art awards in Scotland. It is named after the artist James Guthrie.

Foundation of award

The award was founded in 1920. It was to commemorate the presidency of the Royal Scottish Academy by James Guthrie. It is awarded for the most outstanding work adjudged in the Royal Scottish Academy exhibition of the year to artists under the age of 35.

Scottish-based

It is usual for the award to go to a painting and its artist, but occasionally sculptures and sculptors have also won. In 2021 the award was won by the artist and film-maker Emily Beaney for an experimental documentary. The award is open to any nationality, but the exhibition participants must be based and active in Scotland. The 1994 winner Joe Fan was originally from Hong Kong; the 2008 winner Trine Pedersen was originally from Denmark; the 2023 winner Daniel Nelis is originally from Ireland.

Members and non-members of the RSA

The under 35 age requirement and the sheer number of exhibits - now around 600 annually - mean that the Guthrie Award is difficult to win more than once; however this has been done: by Heather Ross in 2006 and 2007; and by Julie-Ann Simpson in 2014 and 2019. Non-members of the RSA can apply to be in the Open exhibition, although around only a couple of hundred non-member exhibits make it through annually from the thousands of applications received, as around 400 exhibits are reserved for members.

Prize monies and medals

Usually the award is awarded singularly, but on occasion the award has gone to joint winners. The award, originally made by an anonymous donor but in 1930 revealed to be the late Earl of Moray, who gave a monetary value on the capital endowment of £1000 as well as the honour of the award. Nowadays a medal is also presented. In its early years, the monetary award was £50. Today the award monies stand at £750. If the award is shared, the prize monies are also shared.

List of Guthrie Award winners

The List of Guthrie Award winners is a list of artists who have won the award.
YearWinning Artist 1Work 1Winning Artist 2Work 2Notes
1920Kate Campbell MuirheadElizabethDavid Macbeth SutherlandThe Painting StudentMuirhead's work was a bust sculpture, Sutherland's work a painting.
1921Cecile WaltonTo Nobody Knows Where
1922John Rankine BarclayThe Artist's Wife
1923James Wallace FergusonA Visitor
1924Donald MoodieAutumn DayGeorge William SalvesenThe DanceMoodie for a painting, Salvesen for a sculpture.
1925Laelia Armine CockburnA Rough Lot for Sale
1926David Shanks EwartThe Toilers
1927Ancell StronachThe Unexpected Meeting
1928William CrozierThe 'Cello PlayerMargaret FindlayThe BathersFindlay's work a sculpture, Crozier's work a painting.
1929William LambFerryden Fisher WifeA sculpture.
1930Robert SivellMiss Jean O. H. Morton
1931Ian CampbellSelf Portrait
1932Alister MaitlandAlice AnnHe was noted at the time as the youngest winner, aged 21.
1933Thomas WhalenThe AmazonFor 3 sculpture works The Amazon, Mother's Kisses, and Torso.
1934William WilsonThe Alcazar, SegoviaFor a group of Wilson's work. The named piece was a drawing. Wilson was a noted engraver.
1935James McIntosh PatrickMarion
1936Alexander George OliphantDavid Kerr Esq.
1937Mary Nicol Neill ArmourCantaloupe
1938Ian FlemingThe Painters: McBryde and Colquhoun
1939William Drummond BoneLeisure
1940Scott SutherlandLabor VincitA sculpture.
1941David Abercrombie DonaldsonAlfred
1942James Alan DavieBrenda Mark
1943Alberto MorroccoLeonColin GibsonLisbeth
1944Margaret Kennedy MackenziePietaGordon Stewart CameronBoy with AppleMackenzie's work was sculpture, Cameron's work was a painting.
1945Robert Henderson BlythWinter in Walkerburn, 1939
1946George William Lennox PatersonFrank Tweedie and the Birds
1947James HillocksPortrait of my Mother
1948Sinclair ThomsonThe White Shawl
1949Alistair J. T. PatersonStill Life
1950Tom M. MacnairJean HannanA terracotta sculpture of a head.
1951Robin PhilipsonBrenda, Spring Portrait
1952Ellen MalcolmPortrait of a Young Man
1953William Alexander BurnsSunday
1954Ann HendersonCompositionA sculpture.
1955Brenda CloustonYouthA sandstone sculpture.
1956David McClure?McClure exhibited five works:- Harbour, Millport; The Green Hill; Trees, Millport; Self portrait; and Flowers At A Window.
1957Brenda MarkFigures In Moonlight
1958Margot SandemanThe Walk Across The Fields
1959Jean Fleming?Landscape painting
1960John HoustonPigeons and VillageDavid Alan Redpath MichieRed Flower
1961William Hunter LittlejohnPainting 1960Littlejohn had 3 paintings at the exhibition; the other two being White Glass and Green Bottle, each a still life work. Littlejohn considered that it was his abstract work Painting 1960 that had won the Guthrie Award.
1962Elizabeth BlackadderStill Life on a White TableBlackadder had another two works: Auray; and Breton Church.
1963Alex CampbellRehearsal
1964Bill ScottSeated FigureA sculpture.
1965Robert CallenderLudo
1966George Alexander Macpherson?
1967Archibald Dunbar McIntosh?
1968John KnoxSwing and Stool - After Uccello
1969Alexander FraserShankar at the Blue Piggery
1970Leon MorroccoFigure in a Bedroom
1971Ian McKenzie SmithReflections
1972Frances PellyGreenheart Woman
1973George DonaldVirginia's QuiltA padded canvas work.
1974??
1975??
1976Award withheld.-
1977Barbara RaeSea Dreamers
1978Ian HowardMisdirection
1979Ronald Forbes?Forbes exhibited two works: All Set; and Scarecrow
1980??
1981Martin ChurchillPalace Hotel
1982John Mooney?
1983Ian Robertson?
1984Lennox DunbarSweep
1985David CookFooled You
1986??
1987Fiona DeanStill Life With Work Objects
1988??
1989Jacqui Miller NixonWarrior
1990Joseph Davie?Davie submitted two works:- A Journal Of The Blackout: Unwelcome Heroes; and The Spirit Of The Community
1991??
1992??
1993David Hosie?
1994Joe FanIn Evil Hours
1995Philip Braham?
1996Robbie BusheLaughing Boys, Tomorrow They Will Be Gone
1997Stephen Mangan?
1998Barry McGlashan?
1999Alasdair WallaceField
2000Delia BaillieFantasies of the Dustbin
2001Kevin Dagg?A sculpture.
2002??
2003??
2004Steven MacIver?
2005??
2006Heather Ross?
2007Heather Ross?
2008Trine Pedersen?
2009Sharon Thomas?
2010??
2011Briony Anderson?
2012??
2013??
2014Julie-Ann SimpsonAmong Silver Birches
2015Georgia Rose MurrayRainbow Trout Cormorant Noir
2016Emily MooreFirst Lift, Last Lift
2017Kristina ChanLeith Theatre, The StageA laser etched woodcut.
2018Ed CompsonShutterstock Infinity KleeAn oil & laser etching on board.
2019Julie-Ann SimpsonStings To Be Gathered
2020Online exhibition due to coronavirus pandemic
2021Emily BeaneyBreaking the FallA trilogy of experimental documentaries.
2022Claire MooreThe Murder of Mr Muster
2023Daniel NelisDark Turned Fields
2024Rae-Yen SongSong Dynasty BeastSculptural costume
2025James HowdenTyrantSculpture