Liz Clark
Champion of Celtic Culture
I’m Liz Clark, Director and Presenter of the Danny Kyle Open Stage. For more than 26 years I’ve supported over 5,000 emerging artists at Celtic Connections and beyond. As a Director and Presenter at Celtic Music Radio, and with over four decades in Scotland’s music community, my work is dedicated to championing new talent and helping the next generation be heard.
I’m Liz Clark, and for over 26 years I’ve had the privilege of directing, producing and presenting the Danny Kyle Open Stage (DKOS). Created in 1999 in memory of the late Danny Kyle and hosted each year at Celtic Connections, DKOS has grown into one of Scotland’s most respected platforms for emerging talent. In that time, I’ve brought more than 5,000 artists onto the stage and worked year-round to support them through live performances, social media, our dedicated website and radio broadcasts.
In addition to my work with DKOS, I’ve been a Director, Company Secretary and Presenter at Celtic Music Radio since 2013, after introducing the station to DKOS in 2008 to broadcast our showcases live. I present two weekly programmes and continue to help steer the station’s development, giving new voices a space to be heard.
In 2024, I registered DKOS as a charity and invited colleagues Iain Copeland and Isla Duncan to join me as trustees. This step ensures we can keep expanding our support, mentoring and opportunities for both new artists and the growing family of DKOS alumni.
I’ve spent more than forty years serving Scotland’s music community through various committees, boards and organisations—including the Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland, Performing Rights Glasgow, the Strategic Music Forum, Celtic Music Radio and Friends of Possilpark Greenspace.
My commitment has always been to uphold the spirit of Danny Kyle: to welcome, encourage and champion emerging musicians, and to help their work reach the audiences it deserves.
