Belhaven pubs invites unsigned local talent across the country to take to the stage this summer and win a career-changing music prize as part of its 2026 nationwide music competition celebrating grassroots musicians.
DATE: Belhaven pubs is cranking up the volume this summer in Scotland as it launches a nationwide music competition celebrating grassroots musicians.
2025 winner: Falkirk’s Jasmin Jet performing at the music competition’s live final in London
Local solo artists, duos and bands, have until 6th July to enter the search for Scotland's best unsigned live music talent. Local Paisley musicians can enter by registering here to enter the first round at The Gabriels pub.
The leading pub company is calling on aspiring Paisley musicians to enter the first ever Belhaven Untapped – a competition exclusive to unsigned acts in Scotland ready to showcase their talent in their hometown pubs.
Open to solo artists, bands and duos, the competition gives Paisley superstars in the making the chance to perform at The Gabriels pub to win a career changing £5,000 by entering via Belhaven’s website.
Entrants will perform in a series of gigs held in Belhaven pubs across Scotland in August.
The winner of Belhaven Untapped will then progress to the UK-wide final of Greene King Untapped, held in London in September, and will have the chance to win an additional £10,000, a mentoring session with an award-winning artist, and a session in a recording studio.
In 2025, Falkirk singer-songwriter Jasmin Jet was crowned the winner of Greene King Untapped, receiving a career changing prize of £10,000.
This year, she’s encouraging local talent to sign up to the new competition dedicated to Scotland, which offers acts more opportunities to make it to the UK-wide final in London:
“I felt every emotion all at once, winning Greene King Untapped 2025. Taking part in the competition has opened doors and created opportunities that I don’t think would have been possible, including £10,000 to invest in my singing career, recording my own EP, and opening for Sam Ryder!
“This is something I will definitely carry with me forever and I wholeheartedly encourage any Paisley grassroots artists to take that chance because you never know just how far it might take you.”
The key dates for Belhaven Untapped are:
Entry deadline: 6 July
Competition kicks off: 14 August
Belhaven Untapped final: 28 August at the City Walls in Stirling
Greene King Untapped live final at The George in Southwark, London in September
Andrew Gallagher, Brand and Marketing Director at Belhaven pubs, said: “With last year's winner from Scotland, and the country’s strong musical heritage, it made perfect sense to expand the competition and give Scotland a stage of its own ahead of the UK wide Greene King Untapped competition.
“The response we had last year was incredible and reinforced how important grassroots venues are in supporting live music and making it affordable and accessible to all. We know that so many musical superstars have started up in Scotland – so this year, we wanted to showcase and celebrate that phenomenal talent even further.
“There’s something truly special about experiencing live music in a Scottish pub, from the atmosphere amongst the crowd to the rush of discovering someone new. This year, we’re making that stage bigger and better with Belhaven Untapped, giving Scottish musicians a dedicated competition, shining a spotlight on new talent that creates that buzz.”
To further support grassroots music Greene King pubs has continued its partnership from last year with Music Venue Trust, a charity which protects, secures and improves UK Grassroots music venues and Jack Daniels.
Think you’ve got what it takes to be one of the hundreds of musicians performing in pubs up and down the country this summer? Or do you know a local act ready to be discovered? Visit here to submit your entry and learn more.