More than 180 artists, from Orkney to Dumfries and Galloway and beyond – including some who have never publicly shown their work before – have been shortlisted for the Scottish Portrait Awards 2026. The featured artists, selected from 2,500 entries, capture imaginations and in collaboration with their sitters, shine a light on diverse stories and experiences in today’s society. The exhibition, which opens on 18 November at National Galleries Scotland, will feature dynamic works from vibrant paintings of family members, to moving photographs of athletes, uplifting moments of celebration, unique fashion portraits and snapshots of the LGBTQIA+ community. Capturing a glimpse of what it means to live in Scotland today, the show celebrates the artists who manage to capture these moments in time.
Katy Bridgestock
Glasgow-based creative Katy Bridgestock works across portraiture, drawing and stop motion animation. The artist was winner of The Guardian’s travel photography competition in July 2018, and was subsequently featured in the publication with images taken during her journeys in Japan and Taiwan. She was shortlisted for the portrait of musician Ademola Odedina, a tuba player who was attending Blackpool’s Spring Festival. The annual brass band competition has been running for more than a century, welcoming 1,500 musicians to the iconic seaside town to compete and celebrate traditional brass music.
Stuart Edwards
Photographer Stuart Edwards captured the figures of Glasgow’s Barras Market. His shortlisted portrait is of David, who the artist describes as “ a familiar face” at the market. “I usually see him on Sundays, often looking for Celtic memorabilia, and over time I’ve photographed him whenever I see him. On this visit, he seemed particularly at ease, quiet, stead and self-contained. Modest in stature, David has a resilient presence and sharp eyes, and once he feels comfortable, his warmth quietly emerges. I wanted to capture him as he is, in the moment, with his hat and sweater reflecting his character.”
Jude Bytheway
Jude Bytheway specialises in cycling photography, based in Scotland but “going where the bikes go.” Beth Morrow rides for the Alba Development Road Team, and this featured image captures the moments after a Melton Mowbray race. The portrait is a documentation of Morrow’s hard work, dedication and grit. According to Bytheway, “you have to be tough to compete as a cyclist. It’s even harder to progress if you are a woman…I wanted to capture the emotion after the race, when all the training, the excitement and the effort is over. The portrait is in that moment of exhaustion and vulnerability.”
Andrew Johnston
Working out of Glasgow, Andrew Johnston creates timeless images using both digital and analogue techniques. The artist captures portraits that feel natural, authentic and full of character. With a focus on detail and storytelling, his photographs bring out the personality of every subject. KRAVV documents a local artist of the same name, wearing her signature colour of red. He says: “Over the past year I’ve drawn a lot of inspiration from painting, particularly artists like Vermeer, Rembrandt and Petrus Christus, and those influences were very much in mind when we made this portrait.”
David Boni
David Boni has over 30 years’ experience creating cinematic, character-driven visual stories. The artist began as a still life photographer, with Irving Penn as his pervading influence, before moving into portraiture. He says: “For more than 25 years, I’ve captured faces, some famous and some not so famous but everyone extraordinary in their own way. What I’ve learned is that every person carries a story, which deserves to be seen. I love faces of every age and shape, lined with experience, lit with confidence, uncertainty, curiosity and hope. A good portrait doesn’t hide any of that. It lets you recognise yourself.”
The Scottish Portrait Awards 2026 is at National Galleries Scotland, Edinburgh from 18 November – 11 April: nationalgalleries.org
Words: Emma Jacob
Image Credits:
1&6. David Boni, Mondo Love I.
2. Katy Bridgestock, Ademola Odedina, Spring Festival, Blackpool.
3. Stuart Edwards, David, Barras Market.
4. Jude Bytheway, Beth, After the Race.
5. Andrew Johnston, RAVV.
