YOUNG SCOTS 2017 ARTS INSPIRATIONAL BRIGHT YOUNG THING
COMMUNITY DIVERSITY
40 Sunday Mail
Bearsden, Glasgow After violinist Laura and cellist Sarah posted a classical version of Mark Ronson’s hit Uptown Funk on YouTube, he invited them to Abbey Road studios to collaborate on a new cover of the song, which was played at the Brit Awards.
The Scots-Egyptian duo – who have performed at festivals and concerts in Europe and the Middle East – shot to No1 in the classical charts with their song Melodies from Scotland.
Joe Gardner, 19
Clarkston, Glasgow The comedian set up Glasgow’s Teenage Comedy Night in January 2016 after becoming the first winner of the Gilded Balloon’s Edinburgh Fringe Class Clowns competition.
Receiving his prize from comic Jo Brand, the ex-Williamwood High School pupil was tipped as the next Kevin Bridges.
Joe has now made it his life’s mission to make comedy more accessible to young people by encouraging other teenagers to give stand-up a go.
Charlie Stewart, 22
Glenfarg, Perthshire The fiddler won this year’s Celtic Connections Young Traditional Musician of the Year title.
Charlie, who is in his second year of a degree in music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, plays in two folk bands – Dosca and Levack Stewart Irving – and has played all over Europe.
In 2015 he reached the semi-finals of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards.
Dured Alhalabe, 21
Inverurie, Aberdeenshire Volunteering at the local food bank, helping at the Christmas lights switch-on and making up hampers – Dured can’t do enough for the community who gave him a home.
This time last year the 21-year-old was living in a refugee camp in Jordan after fleeing from the war-torn Syrian city of Homs. Grateful to the people who welcomed his family, Dured has been doing everything he can to give something back.
Angela Tortolano, 23
Cranhill, Glasgow Over the past few years Angela has set up several youth clubs which have benefited hundreds of young people, including one in the Beacon, a housing scheme where
Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire This youth group offer a host of services for young people in Clydebank and the surrounding area.
From a Mums and Munchkins group, which gives support to single mothers, to a Wrecked & Wasted substance misuse initiative helping teens struggling with drug and alcohol abuse, Y Sort It is at the heart of the West Dunbartonshire community.
Bernadette Williamson, 21
Balloch, West Dunbartonshire As a member of the Young Gypsy/ Travellers’ Lives project, Bernadette has spent the past five years raising awareness of the rights of the travelling community.
She has presented to academics about the rights of young gypsy/ traveller women in Scotland. Her presentation has been made into a learning guide fo projects across Europe and her views have been represented at UN level.
Glasgow From volunteering at the Commonwealth Games to deliverin