Creatives of Colour wins national award for championing diverse voices
Published: 28 August 2026
A pioneering Arts & Humanities initiative championing the voices and creativity of people of colour has won a major Scottish award.
Creatives of Colour, a pioneering University of Glasgow initiative championing the voices and creativity of people of colour, has won a major Scottish award.
Led by the College of Arts & Humanities, the project won in the Social Environment category at the Scottish Association of Minority Ethnic Educators (SAMEE) Appreciation & Recognition Awards. It was also finalist in the Building Bridges category.
The Social Environment category is awarded for work or initiatives that instigates “positive changes that address social injustice and challenges in society, schools, colleges, universities”. The ceremony was held on 27 August 2026.
Creatives of Colour was founded in 2024 by Dr Kevin Leomo and Dr Zahra Khosroshahi. The annual Creatives of Colour Festival aims to celebrate the collective identity of people of colour (PoC), as well as the intersectionality and diversity of their stories, cultures, and art forms.
Dr Leomo and Dr Khosroshahi said: “We are deeply honoured that Creatives of Colour has been award the SAMEE Social Environment award, recognising the significance and necessity of our work.”
They added: “It's been an absolute privilege and joy for us both to develop and grow Creatives of Colour over the past few years as part of our work at UofG’s College of Arts & Humanities. We've worked to support and advocate for creatives of colour, showcasing a breadth of practice across the arts from staff, students, alumni, and external artists. It’s been challenging but so rewarding to bring our anti-racist and decolonial work and activism to the intersection of higher education and the arts.”
Accepting the Social Environment award, Dr Leomo and Dr Khosroshahi dedicated it to former UofG colleague, the late Professor Jason Arday.
The project is also finalists in the Inspiring City Awards, supported by The Herald and Glasgow Chamber of Commerce. They are shortlisted in the Community Impact Award - Neighborhood & Grassroots with ceremony being held on 17 September 2026.
The Creatives of Colour Festival offers a range of creative events including performances of music, poetry, and theatre, as well as screenings and workshops which centre the voices, experiences, and creativity of people of colour in Glasgow.
Creatives of Colour Festival 2026 is supported by Thinking Culture, School of Culture & Creative Arts and is funded by UofG’s Ferguson Bequest.
First published: 28 August 2026