Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award

“Glasgow defies description. Many great men and women have tried to describe its spirit and failed miserably. What do you say about a town that dances, sings, plays and jokes differently from everybody else? The winner of this Award will have to be a nutter like me…”

Sir Billy Connolly

The Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award is the only official award given by Glasgow International Comedy Festival. It celebrates the people who make our festival, and our city, special.

Launched in 2023, past winners include Janey Godley (2023), Susie McCabe (2024), and Rosco McClelland (2025). This year we’re delighted to be once again working with Sir Billy to recognise someone who, like the Big Yin himself, embodies the spirit of Glasgow.

WHO CAN WIN?

Anyone involved in the festival. That means performers, promoters, producers, venue staff, technicians, volunteers – absolutely anyone who contributes to GICF.

It’s not about one show or one performance. It’s about the person and how they reflect Glasgow’s spirit. You can read more in our eligibility statement. 

AWARD CRITERIA

The Spirit of Glasgow is defined by:

1. Resilient – warm but tough

2. Open – accessible for all

3. Unapologetic – proud and unpretentious; curious and challenging; mould-breaking

4. Gallus – bold and brave; self-starting

5. Funny – above all else, an ability to make people laugh

Your application or nomination will be scored against these five criteria, so keep this in mind and ensure you touch on each of them as best as possible.

HOW TO APPLY OR NOMINATE?

There are two ways to get involved:

1. Apply for yourself – tell us why you should win.
2. Nominate someone else – put forward a person you think deserves it.

Most nominations in previous years have been comedians nominating fellow comedians. You don’t need an agent, manager, or big backing to be considered. This award is open to everyone at the festival.

You can also watch this video, which goes through how to submit your application or nomination online. 

WHAT TO INCLUDE

To help judges understand you, your application should include:

• A ‘to camera’ style video or voice recording of you talking through how you or how your nominee meets each of the criteria points.
  • This should last no more than 10 minutes. We’d suggest between 5 and 10 minutes of content. 
  • Don’t worry about the quality of this, as long as you are audible

If you’re more of a writer, and would prefer a written application to video/audio:

• Please write approx 500-1000 words talking through how you or your nominee meets each of the criteria points. 

As an optional extra, please feel free to include:

• Performance clips, photos, or any other media that help show who you are and why you or your nominee deserve to win.

HINTS AND TIPS

To make the most of your submission, take note of these hints and tips:

• Judges will score each application from 1 to 4 against every criteria. The more detail you share, the better they can understand your story.
• The judges are expected to spend no more than 15 minutes on each application, so ensure that the total of what you submit can be consumed in around 10-15 minutes. That includes any extra clips, writing or media that you want the judges to watch or listen to.
• Ideally, please do film a video or a voice recording talking through your application. It’s the best way to get your point across. However if you feel more comfortable writing then do what makes you happiest. 
• Nominations are judged on quality, not quantity.

TIMELINE

• Applications and nominations open: November 2025
• Deadline: 5pm, Wednesday 14th January 2026
• Shortlist announced during the festival
• Winner revealed at the GICF Comedy Gala, King’s Theatre, Sunday 29th March 2026

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Once applications close:

• Festival Directors will create a longlist of around 10-12 people
• Judges will review these applications using a scoring matrix
• A shortlist will be announced during GICF
• Sir Billy Connolly will confirm the final winner, who will be announced at the Gala

HOW TO APPLY

Complete this form here to apply.

If you have any questions about the award, please contact katie@glasgowcomedyfestival.com to discuss.

Sir Billy Connolly Spirit of Glasgow Award – Eligibility Statement

The Spirit of Glasgow Award is about celebrating people, not shows. If you’ve been part of the Glasgow International Comedy Festival in any way, you are eligible.

Who is eligible?

• Performers – stand-up comedians, sketch acts, improv groups, character acts, cabaret artists, musicians who perform at GICF.
  
• Behind-the-scenes contributors – promoters, producers, venue staff, technicians, stage managers, volunteers, bar staff.
  
• Community & cultural partners – anyone involved in making GICF happen, from grassroots organisers to those bringing comedy into new spaces.
  
• First-time participants – you don’t need to be established or represented to apply. Independent and emerging voices are just as welcome.
  

Who is not eligible?

• Anyone not involved in GICF the year of the award.
  
• Members of the judging panel.
  
• GICF core staff and directors.
  

What kind of nominations do we encourage?

• Self-nominations – if you feel you embody the Spirit of Glasgow, tell us why.
  
• Peer nominations – many of last year’s nominations came from comedians nominating fellow comedians, but this is open to everyone.
  
• Grassroots nominations – if you’ve seen the impact of someone working behind the scenes or supporting comedy in Glasgow, put them forward.
  

What you don’t need

• You don’t need to be a comedian.
  
• You don’t need an agent, manager, or company behind you.
  
• You don’t need to have a show at the festival – your contribution might come in another form.