A competition has been launched this week which celebrates songs from Celtic and Scots language communities. Singers and song-writers are invited to send entries to Nòs Ùr - the first song contest to be held in Inverness as part of four regional finals held across Europe.

Meaning 'New Style' in Gaelic, the Nòs Ùr competition expects songs to be entered from languages such as Scottish Gaelic, Scots, Ulster Scots, Irish, Manx, Welsh, Cornish and Breton. The winner of the West European competition will be entered into the final of the pan-European Liet Lavlut competition which takes place in Lulea, Sweden this October.

The contest is the only song competition of its kind in Europe and follows a similar format as the Eurovision Song Contest with singers and bands representing a particular country, or in this case a minority language.

By gathering interest from singers from minority languages communities, the competition aims to promote the cultural and musical diversity to a large international audience.

Event organiser and Inverness-based musician Brian Ó hEadhra is managing the project for goEvents, working closely with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) to promote and develop creative arts in the Highlands and Islands.

Brian hopes that the competition will attract both young and more experienced song writers as well as inspire a new generation of Celtic and Scots language composers. He said: "We hope the event will raise awareness of the needs of minority language song writers and we would like to help them realise that there is a huge national and international interest in our indigenous languages and cultures, both traditional and contemporary. Artists have two months from today to send in their application forms and to be in with a chance of being selected as a finalist in Nòs Ùr in June."

It is proposed that Inverness will host the pan-European final in 2010. The Celtic and Scots regional final would then be held in another part of western Europe, such as Ireland or Wales.

A reception will be hosted by Highland Council at the Town House, June 20 for those who are attending Nòs Ùr at Eden Court, Inverness, June 21 2008.

The competition will also coincide with UHI Millennium Institute's "Voices of the West" conference on minority languages, featuring journalist and broadcaster Lesley Riddoch and Derrick McClure from Aberdeen University's department of English.

A website http://www.nos-ur.eu has been created which includes more information about Nòs Ùr and were application forms can be downloaded or alternatively Brian Ó hEadhra can be contacted on 01463 241 622. The deadline for applications is March 14.

Support for the event is coming from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Highland Council, Colmcille, Scottish Arts Council, Gaelic Media Services and UHI Millennium Institute.