The Stirling Council-run venue beat out stiff competition from Dundee’s Caird Hall, the Lyth Arts Centre in Wick and the Breascleit Hall in Lewis, to be crowned the best place for traditional Scottish music in the country.
The awards were decided by a public vote with the Tolbooth being crowned at the ceremony held in Dundee on Saturday evening (2 December).
'Marvellous achievement'
Stirling Council Leader Cllr Chris Kane said: “Winning this national award is a marvellous achievement for the Tolbooth and its staff.
“The Tolbooth is one of Stirling’s much-loved venues that hosts a diverse array of concerts and events. It’s a fantastic stage for trad music and this major honour is well deserved.
“The award being decided by the biggest public vote to date is a testament to the high regard the Tolbooth is held in among fans and artists across Scotland, as well as its reputation for offering a platform to new and established talent both locally from the Stirling area and beyond.”
Once the city’s court and jail, Tolbooth Stirling was transformed into an award-winning music and arts venue in 2002 following a significant restoration and redesign.
The Tolbooth’s technical team were also shortlisted for the Technician of the Year Award on the night for their work behind the curtain to help deliver high quality live music performances.
'Engaging authentic experiences'
Tara McLoughlin, Artistic Director and Venue Manager for Tolbooth Stirling said: “Winning this award is an incredible honour for us all at Tolbooth. We have a wonderful hardworking and dedicated team, and it’s fantastic to see them recognised in this way.
“At Tolbooth we’re really passionate about providing engaging authentic experiences for our community and visitors, and a win like this lets us know we’re on the right track.
“We‘re working on some exciting plans for the future, including a new series beginning in Jan 2024 ‘New Noise‘ which celebrates new original music from Stirling, The Forth Valley and beyond.”