Scottish Portrait Awards 2026
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Start date
November 28, 2026 11:00 am
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End date
April 11, 2027
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Scottish National Portrait Gallery
1 Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 1JD
The Scottish Portrait Awards 2026 comes to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery on Queen Street from 28 November 2026 to 11 April 2027. This free exhibition brings together contemporary portrait painting and photography by artists connected to Scotland.
Established in 2017 and organised by the Scottish Arts Trust, the awards include fine art, photography, and a separate phone-portrait category. For the Edinburgh display, the judges have selected roughly 120 fine art and photographic works, alongside 60 works from phone entrants.
Key Event Details
| Dates | 28 November 2026 to 11 April 2027 |
| Times | Daily, 10am–5pm. Free admission. |
| Location | Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh |
| Price | Free |
What to Expect
The exhibition offers different approaches to the familiar subject of a human face. Some portraits are formal, while others focus on family, friendships, everyday life, or wider communities. Among the artists shown on the gallery’s preview are Jude Bytheway, Robyn Jenkins, Verity Child, James Klinge, and Kieran Dodds.
Planning Your Visit
This is the first time the Scottish National Portrait Gallery has hosted the awards. The gallery is open daily from 10am to 5pm, and admission to this exhibition is free. Allow time to look around the rest of the portrait collections in the same building.
Full dates, access information, and any changes are published on the official event page.