FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday April 9th, 2026

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Windsor, Ontario — For the first time in its history, the Scottish Studies Society of Canada will host its Scot of the Year Award celebrations outside the Greater Toronto Area, bringing the 2026 honour to Windsor and naming Philip Lindsay McLeod as this year’s recipient.

The award will be marked by a two-day public celebration held in conjunction with Tartan Day, on Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11, 2026. The events commemorate Scotland’s enduring cultural legacy and the April 6, 1320 signing of the Declaration of Arbroath, Scotland’s historic declaration of independence. Tickets will be limited to 100 attendees, offering an intimate, immersive experience rooted in community.

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“Taking Scot of the Year outside the GTA for the first time is intentional,” said Jamie Lees, President of the Scottish Studies Society. “Phil McLeod represents exactly what this award stands for… not just artistic excellence, but a lifetime of building spaces where culture, generosity, and community thrive together. There is no better place to celebrate that than SHŌ, the space he created.”

 

The celebrations begin Friday evening, April 10, with a Scottish Cèilidh at SHŌ Art, Spirit & Performance, the multidisciplinary arts centre founded by McLeod. The evening will feature live music, scotch tasting, Scottish country dancers, poetry, storytelling, visual art, small bites, and a bar. Doors-open time will be announced.

 

On Saturday, April 11, the official Scot of the Year Award Ceremony will take place at Willistead Manor. The program will include Highland dancing and a ceremonial tartan parade led by a pipe band, followed by stories of Walkerville, and a Hiriam Walker whisky tasting.

 

Both events are hosted by the Scottish Studies Society of Canada. The Society is the fundraising arm of the Scottish Studies Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to preserving the Scottish tradition in Canada at the academic level, including support for programs such as the Scottish Studies Program at the University of Guelph.

 

Past recipients of the Scot of the Year Award include Canadian actor R.H. Thomson, Nobel Prize–winning author Alice Munro, and Jean Watson, whose tireless advocacy was instrumental in establishing Tartan Day across Canada and internationally.

 

Born in Windsor in 1952, McLeod is a professional artist, illustrator, designer, fabricator, and cultural collaborator whose Scottish heritage has shaped his work for more than six decades. A founding member of Theatre Alive, he has designed productions across Ontario, led a successful creative firm for over 20 years, and received the Windsor Mayor’s Arts Award for his contributions to the arts.

 

His most enduring achievement is the transformation of a former industrial building into SHŌ Art, Spirit & Performance, now a 35,000-square-foot arts hub housing 30 working studios and multiple event spaces, and a recognized cultural anchor in Walkerville and beyond. SHŌ’s current phase is supported by a newly expanded board structure focused on raising the visibility of Windsor-Essex arts and championing creative projects with national and international reach, responding to a growing desire for genuine human creativity in an increasingly AI-saturated world.

 

“I’m honoured to stand in the company of past Scot of the Year recipients,” said McLeod. “This weekend is about coming together… opening the doors and sharing what’s possible when creatives are given space, trust, and community.”

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The Scot of the Year Award recognizes individuals who have meaningfully advanced Scottish culture, heritage, and community life in Canada. McLeod was selected for his lifelong dedication to the arts, his mentorship of emerging creators, and his lived commitment to Scottish tradition within a contemporary Canadian context.

 

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Jamie Lees
President, Scottish Studies Society
Phone: 519-817-1506
Email: jamie@jank.ca
Event information: www.scottishstudies.com