SCOTLAND achieved a hat-trick of successes in art's most prestigious award when Martin Boyce won the Turner Prize.

The Glasgow-based sculptor was announced as the winner of the £25,000 award for his piece Do Words Have Voices? in a live televised ceremony at the Baltic gallery in Gateshead, the first time the event has been held outside London in its 27-year history.

He follows fellow Scots artists Susan Philipsz and Richard Wright, who won last year and in 2009 respectively.

Boyce, 43, said after accepting his award from Mario Testino that he had not expected to win, after a "brilliant year for the prize with a brilliant shortlist".

Asked if the win might change his career, Boyce said: "I quite like my career at the moment – I just won the Turner Prize."

Boyce, whose sculptural installations are influenced by modernism and architecture, was the bookmakers' favourite among the four finalists.

The others were Hilary Lloyd and George Shaw and Boyce's fellow Scot Karla Black.

Boyce's triumph marks the extension of a remarkable run of Turner Prize successes for Scottish or Scottish-based artists. Since Douglas Gordon in 1996, there were four other winners before Boyce, including Martin Creed in 2001 and Simon Starling in 2005.

Martin is also the third graduate of Glasgow School of Art's MFA course to be awarded the prize in recent years.

Professor Seona Reid, the school's director, said: "We are delighted that Martin's work has been recognised by this accolade.This is another feather in the cap for the visual arts community in Glasgow that offers such a supportive and creative environment in which to make and show work.

"Perhaps the time is right for the Turner Prize to come to Scotland."

Andrew Dixon, chief executive of Creative Scotland, added: "'Martin's career is going from strength to strength. Tonight's success confirms his place as one of Scotland's outstanding talents.'"