Author: davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer

Milestone move as National Galleries of Scotland to host the Scottish Portrait Awards 2026

The Scottish Portrait Awards 2026

National Galleries Scotland: Portrait

Exhibition will run from Autumn 2026 – Spring 2027

Entries can be made 1 September 2025 and close 15 January 2026 at scottishartstrust.org/portrait

The Scottish Portrait Awards are back and bigger than ever, as the Scottish Arts Trust and National Galleries of Scotland announce a landmark move that will see the 2026 awards hosted at the Portrait gallery in Edinburgh for the first time

This exciting new home for the 2026 awards will bring deserved attention to the many talented contemporary portrait artists in Scotland today. Applications to participate in the 2026 Scottish Portrait Awards will open on 1 September 2025 and close 15 January 2026. Submissions are open to anyone over the age of 16 on 1 November 2026 and born or living or studying in Scotland, regardless of experience.

The Scottish Portrait Awards are excited to welcome television presenter and journalist Kirsty Wark as Guest Judge. With an impressive broadcast career, Kirsty presented BBC Two’s Newsnight for 30 years before going on to anchor BBC Radio 4’s arts and culture programme, Front Row. Kirsty joins a stellar line-up of highly respected artists and photographers who will select the works for the exhibition.

Joining Kirsty will be Guest Photography Judge Albert Watson OBE, one of the world’s most successful fashion photographers. Known for his iconic portraits including those of Alfred Hitchcock and Steve Jobs, Watson’s portrait of Sir Sean Connery is part of Scotland’s national collection.

Also joining the panel is Calum Stevenson, who was shortlisted for the Scottish Portrait Awards in 2020. Calum went on to be the youngest artist and first Scot to win Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year in 2021.

Organised by the Scottish Arts Trust, the Scottish Portrait Awards are a celebration of Scottish talent and creativity. Around 120 works will be selected for the fine art and photography exhibitions which will be held in National Galleries Scotland: Portrait from Autumn 2026 – Spring 2027.

All entries will be in the running for cash prizes totalling £16,000 which will be presented by the Scottish Arts Trust along with the opportunity to win one of two commissions for works that will join Scotland’s national collection.

The Scottish Arts Trust also runs a bursary scheme that will provide free entry to a number of artists who require any assistance. Details on the bursary scheme and how to enter the awards and can be found at scottishartstrust.org/portrait

The Scottish Portrait Awards exhibition will also include 50 works selected from the free-to-enter Scotland Now! Phone Portrait Award. Anyone aged 16 years or over and living in Scotland can enter with recent phone portraits taken in Scotland of someone who lives in Scotland. The Scotland Now! Award, which also carries a cash prize, launched in 2024 and attracted over 1,500 entries in its first year.

The Scottish Portrait Awards has been running since 2017 and is organised by the Scottish Arts Trust, a small charity largely managed by volunteers. Since its inception, the awards have discovered and recognised almost 500 incredible artists whose work features in the Scottish Portrait Awards online archive.

Many of the artists have continued to advance their careers with exhibitions and commissions. Previous award winners include many celebrated artists including Helen Wilson, Robin Gillanders and Graeme Wilcox.

National Galleries of Scotland have a longstanding relationship with the Scottish Portrait Awards with former judges from the galleries including Imogen Gibbon, Deputy Director and Chief Curator, Portraiture and Ben Harman Senior Curator, Photography. Michael Youds was working as a gallery attendant at the National Galleries of Scotland when he won the Scottish Portrait Award in Fine Art in 2019. Youds now has two works in Scotland’s national collection.

As well as celebrating contemporary Scottish artists, the awards also provide an opportunity to shine a light on some of the stories of the sitters in the portrait. Last year saw Jennifer Charlton become the first female winner of the MPB Scottish Portrait Award in Colour Photography with her winning photograph from a series titled A Hidden Community.

The sitters in her images were all volunteers – a mixture of friends and strangers who each courageously shared their stories on mental health, demonstrating how we live in a hidden community where mental health doesn’t discriminate. Since winning the award, Jennifer has become a media spokesperson for Women’s Aid.

Kirsty Wark, Scottish Portrait Awards Guest Judge said: “The Portrait gallery in Edinburgh is home to contemporary portraits and famous faces from Scotland’s past. It’s really exciting to have the opportunity to shine a spotlight on some Scotland’s amazing up and coming talented artists.

“I am thrilled to be part of the judging panel and to be supporting the great work of the Scottish Arts Trust.”

Sara Cameron McBean, who is a Scottish Arts Trust trustee and had the original idea for the Scottish Portrait Awards, said: “Ten years ago, a group of us were sitting around a table planning the creation of this new platform that would celebrate and promote portraiture in Scotland.

“We had no money and no staff. Our dream was always that the Scottish Portrait Awards would eventually come to the Portrait Gallery.”

Imogen Gibbon, Deputy Director and Chief Curator of Portraiture at National Galleries of Scotland said: “Portraiture can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. The success of the Scottish Portrait Awards lies in the multitude of stories behind and conveyed through each and every portrait.

“This will be one of the most ambitious exhibitions of contemporary Scottish portraiture of its time. We are making the announcement early because we want as many artists as possible to be aware of the opportunity to see their work hanging in the Portrait Gallery.”

Calum Stevenson, Scottish Portrait Awards Fine Art Judge, said: “The impact of the Scottish Portrait Awards are enormous, I was thrilled to have my self-portrait accepted for the exhibition in 2020 and I know that experience helped build my confidence when I entered and won the Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year in 2021.”

Gordon Mitchell RSW RSA RGI, Director, Scottish Portrait Awards and Fine Art Chair, said: “The Scottish Portrait Awards offer Scottish artists the best opportunities for exposure, engagement and recognition of work, and for some, career-changing impact.

“There couldn’t be a more fitting partner than National Galleries Scotland: Portrait to ensure more visitors have the opportunity to come face-to-face with the leading portraiture of the day.”

Simon Murphy, Chair of Photography, said: “The Scottish Portrait Awards is a fantastic opportunity for everyone to get involved regardless of experience.

“The resulting exhibition will give a unique insight into contemporary portraiture in all its diversity”

Entries to the Scottish Portrait Awards 2026 open 1 September 2025 and close 15 January 2026, find out more at Scottish Portrait Awards — Scottish Arts Trust

Gordon Macdonald MSP calls out Labour’s betrayal of 24,230 WASPI women across Edinburgh

Gordon Macdonald MSP has hit out at UK Labour government’s betrayal of WASPI women as figures from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) reveal 24,230 women across Edinburgh may have lost out on pension payments.

As a result of the DWP’s failure to inform them of changes to the state pension age, it is estimated that a total of 355,910 women across Scotland did not receive money they were entitled to.

Now, following their electoral victory in July last year, the UK Labour government have reneged on their promise to compensate these women. The SNP however continues to call for the WASPI Women to receive the compensation they deserve, doing so again in a Holyrood debate this week.

Commenting, Gordon Macdonald MSP said: “The Labour government’s betrayal of the WASPI Women is utterly shameful.

“As many as 24,230 across Edinburgh have lost out as a result of a UK government mistake, and many have tirelessly campaigned for decades to right this wrong.

“For the Labour Party – after mere months in power – to break their promise to compensate these women is wrong and an enormous breach of trust.

“The SNP will continue to campaign alongside the WASPI Women for the compensation they deserve. I urge the Labour government to see sense and u-turn on their decision.”

Based on NRS mid-year 2023 population estimates

Local authorityNumber
Aberdeen City11,360
Aberdeenshire16,560
Angus7,990
Argyll and Bute6,670
City of Edinburgh24,230
Clackmannanshire3,320
Dumfries and Galloway11,120
Dundee City7,820
East Ayrshire7,860
East Dunbartonshire7,480
East Lothian7,170
East Renfrewshire6,130
Falkirk9,500
Fife23,710
Glasgow City29,560
Highland16,430
Inverclyde5,490
Midlothian5,630
Moray6,240
Na h-Eileanan Siar1,890
North Ayrshire9,730
North Lanarkshire19,840
Orkney Islands1,520
Perth and Kinross10,500
Renfrewshire11,240
Scottish Borders8,740
Shetland Islands1,380
South Ayrshire8,610
South Lanarkshire21,140
Stirling5,400
West Dunbartonshire5,820
West Lothian10,070

Dangerous driving in Saughton Road North: Witness Appeal

Road Policing officers in Edinburgh are appealing for information and witnesses following an incident of dangerous driving in the Saughton Road North area.

Officers are aware of a video circulating on social media showing a Honda Civic speeding at 82mph and overtaking numerous vehicles into oncoming traffic.

Enquiries so far have established the video was uploaded on Monday, 6 January, 2025.

Enquiries to trace the vehicle and identify the driver are ongoing, and anyone with information is urged to come forward.

Constable Alexander Marshall, from the Edinburgh Road Policing Unit, said: “This was an extremely irresponsible and reckless act, not only to be speeding at over 80mph in a 20mph zone, but to also use a mobile phone filming yourself while doing so.

“Putting the public at risk in such a manner will not be tolerated.”

“We are asking for anyone who may have witnessed the Honda Civic in question, or can help identify the driver, to please contact police on 101, quoting incident 0555 of 14 January, 2025. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, if you wish to remain anonymous.”

Commons Committee to investigate Glasgow’s pilot Safer Drug Consumption Facility

Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee has launched an inquiry examining the pilot Safer Drug Consumption Facility (SDCF) which opened in Glasgow’s East End yesterday.  

The facility, on Hunter Street, is the UK’s first official consumption room for illegal drugs. Known as ‘the Thistle,’ the facility will enable people to consume illegal drugs under medical supervision.  

By doing so, the facility aims to reduce overdoses and associated public disorder, whilst also offering health reduction services to people who do not receive other health and social supports.  

The inquiry will focus specifically on the legal and policy challenges faced in setting up and running the facility, its current legal position and the challenges this presents, as well as the facility’s effectiveness in reducing drug-related deaths in Scotland.  

The inquiry will consider what legal changes at UK level might be necessary to enable the facility to operate sustainably beyond its three-year pilot. 

The inquiry will also follow up on relevant aspects of the Scottish Affairs Committee’s previous work on this issue in the 2017-19 Parliament.  

Chair of the Scottish Affairs Committee, Patricia Ferguson MP, said: “Scotland has the highest rate of drug deaths in Europe, and Glasgow is at the centre of this crisis. It’s vital that things change and that both Governments work together to tackle problem drug use and stop people dying.  

“In 2019, a predecessor Scottish Affairs Committee recommended that the UK Government should support a pilot drug consumption room like this in Glasgow. Since then, policy and legal developments have made the facility a reality.  

“This new inquiry is an important opportunity for us to look closely at how the facility reduces the harm caused by problem drug use, and what legal changes might be needed if the facility is to be made permanent.” 

Terms of reference  

The Committee welcomes written submissions on some or all of the following points by  13th February 2025:  

1. Why is a pilot Safer Drugs Consumption Facility (SDCF) being opened in Glasgow, and how is it intended to reduce harm from problem drug use in the area? 

  • What were the key legal, policy and political barriers to opening the pilot facility? 
  • How can the medical effectiveness or impacts of the pilot facility be measured, and what does ‘success’ look like? 
  • What lessons can be learned from international contexts, when considering the medical effectiveness of the facility? 

2. What is the current legal position of the SDCF in Glasgow? 

  • Is the SDCF’s current legal position sustainable to enable the effective operation of the facility in the long-term?  
  • How would the Lord Advocate’s decision that it would “not be in the public interest” to prosecute users or facilitators of Glasgow’s SDCF operate in practice?  
  • What issues could be presented by the facility’s current legal position, including in respect of civil liability?  
  • What implications does the facility have for local policing?  

3. What does a long-term, sustainable legal framework for a SDCF look like? 

  • What legal and/or policy changes would be required from the UK Government to implement such a model? 
  • What lessons can be learned from international contexts, when considering a sustainable legal model for a SDCF.

Making Waves: Edinburgh Leisure expands Swim Programme with 750 new spaces

Edinburgh Leisure, the city’s leading sports and leisure provider, is expanding its swim programme by creating 750 additional swimming lesson spaces for participants ranging from pre-school children to adults.

The expansion comes at a critical time. While learning to swim remains a vital life skill with significant benefits for social development, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted swimming coaching, causing many teachers to leave the profession.

In response, Edinburgh Leisure has strategically focused on recruiting and training new coaches to restore and enhance its swimming programme.

“Everyone should be able to enjoy Scotland’s beautiful waterways safely and with confidence,” says Angela McCowan, Coaching Programme Manager. “Our Learn to Swim programme gives children and adults the opportunity to develop critical water skills in a supportive environment.”

As part of the Learn to Swim Framework—a collaborative initiative between Scottish Water and Scottish Swimming—Edinburgh Leisure is dedicated to creating inclusive, welcoming spaces where individuals of all abilities can learn alongside their peers.

Key highlights of the programme include:

  • 750 new swimming lesson spaces across multiple venues
  • Fully accredited swim teachers following the Scottish Swimming Learn to Swim Programme
  • Focus on building water confidence for all age groups
  • More spaces and lessons are now available across the city, with the largest increases at Ainslie Park, Drumbrae Leisure Centre, Warrender Swim Centre, and the Royal Commonwealth Pool.

“Our recent coaching customer survey confirmed the high demand for swimming lessons,” McCowan adds. “These additional spaces will make it easier for participants to progress through our programme levels.”

Spaces are expected to fill quickly, particularly at entry levels. Interested individuals are encouraged to book their lessons promptly.

Book Now: 

https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/activities/coaching-courses/swimming

Scottish Government: Support with energy costs

Statement to the Scottish Parliament about support with fuel costs in winter

More than 456,000 people are due to receive Winter Heating Payments totalling £26.8 million this winter, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville will tell MSPs today (Tuesday 14th Jan).

Updating the Scottish Parliament on support with fuel costs for people on low incomes, Ms Somerville will confirm the Scottish Government is forecast to invest more than £65 million in our three Winter Heating Benefits this year, providing vital support to more than 630,000 people with their energy bills.

The Winter Heating Payment guarantees everyone eligible will receive a payment every year, rather than the UK Government approach of requiring a sustained period of cold weather, which previously resulted in no Cold Weather Payments being made to many low income households across Scotland.

The Scottish Government benefit, which replaced the UK Government’s Cold Weather Payment, provides a targeted, reliable and guaranteed annual payment of £58.75 to support people on low incomes with the cost of heating over the winter months.

The UK Government’s Cold Weather Payment previously provided £25 per cold spell only when the average of the mean daily temperature recorded was equal to or below zero degrees for seven consecutive days.

The Child Winter Heating Payment provides help to disabled children and young people and their families who have higher energy needs due to a disability or a health condition.

This benefit is not available elsewhere in the UK. So far 37,000 payments have issued totalling £9.3 million so far this year, to support more than 33,000 children, young people and their families.

Pension Age Winter Heating Payment helps people of pension age who receive certain benefits to pay their heating bills, and is providing payments of £200 or £300 to people in receipt of a qualifying benefit, depending on their age, this year.

For next year, the Scottish Government will bring forward regulations to ensure every pensioner household receives at least £100 – support which is also not available anywhere else in the UK.

Ms Somerville said: “When we asked people they told us they overwhelmingly supported the removal of the ‘cold spell’ requirement for the UK Government’s Cold Weather Payment.

“Our Winter Heating Payment breaks the link with arbitrarily-defined weather dependency and provides financial support, no matter the weather. This means low-income households will automatically be paid and  do not have the uncertainty of waiting for weather readings for seven consecutive days before receiving a payment.

“More than 453,000 people got Winter Heating Payments last winter from the Scottish Government thanks to an investment of £25 million. This winter we will invest even more – £26.8 million – for Winter Heating Payment.

“That more than triples the £8.5 million provided on average by the Department for Work and Pensions in each of the last seven years prior to the introduction of our Payment.

“Our Winter Heating Payment is a very clear example of how this Scottish Government is doing more to support the people of Scotland throughout the long, cold winter months.”

Story Circle at St Columba’s

New Class Alert!

Starting Wednesday 22nd January, join us at Story Circle to share, create, and explore stories together. Whether you bring a moment from your life, a story you’ve written, or simply want to work with a prompt or story provided, there’s a place for you here.

No need for perfect words—just bring your curiosity. You’ll be supported and guided as we see where our stories take us!

This group is open to all Hospice patients, including those from the community, as well as to families and carers. Sessions are facilitated by our Dramatherapist, Sally, and will take place in our Art Studio from 11.00am-12.30pm.

Book your place today https://bit.ly/SCHCwellbeing

📧 wellbeing@stcolumbashospice.org.uk

☎ 0131 551 1381 (option 4)

Exclusive dance workshop comes to Edinburgh

ASPIRING dancers in Edinburgh are set to experience a transformative day of contemporary dance training with leading professionals.

Leading contemporary dance artists Errol White and Davina Givan, bring their acclaimed Elite Intensive to Dance Base on Saturday 18th January offering a rare opportunity to train with industry professionals.

As course leaders for The Scottish Institute’s (The SI) pioneering BA (Hons) Contemporary Dance degree, Errol & Davina will share their expertise through an immersive day of training, focusing on the creative processes and that define their celebrated repertoire.

This exclusive session will guide participants through company class, focusing on skeletal alignment, core stability, and fluid movement.

Dancers will also engage in choreographic exercises, delving into group work and solos from White & Givan’s repertoire, offering insights into professional company work and the artistry of contemporary dance.

The pair said: “The Elite Intensives are a fantastic way to connect with the next generation of dance artists. We aim to provide an inspiring and rigorous experience that offers a glimpse into professional training and performance.

“Embedding White & Givan as artists in residence within the Institute is a rare opportunity within the educational world for practicing artists and students to evolve together.

“Passion in sharing knowledge lies at the heart of what we do, and we are extremely proud to play an integral role in developing a new generation of dance artists.”
 
With over 25 years of experience collaborating as performance artists, Errol and Davina have built an acclaimed body of work that engages audiences on a physical and emotional level.

The duos appointment as artists-in-residence at The SI creates a unique bridge between professional practice and education, offering a opportunity to share their expertise and passion for dance with the next generation of dancers.

“The inclusion of sport science and the role it plays in the training of young dance artists at the Scottish Institute is vital, preparing them for a long and fulfilling future career as successful dance practitioners.” White & Givan added.

Dance Base is Scotland’s National Centre for Dance. As a creative charity it aims to see people across Scotland engaging in dance as an art form, a way to exercise and a way of life. 

It supports Scottish dance artists to develop successful careers and develops opportunities for dance to be used to support people’s health and wellbeing. 

The SI is set to welcome its first cohort in September 2025, making it the only higher education provider in Scotland to offer a course that is led by professional dance artists specifically tailored to contemporary dance.

Students will benefit from The SI’s state-of-the-art technologies and professional-grade studios, as well as access to the renowned Howden Park Theatre.

The degree will couple sport science and dance training and is poised to produce well-rounded, successful dance practitioners prepared for long and fulfilling careers.

Mark Langley, Principal of The SI, said: “Having White & Givan as artists in residence creates an extraordinary environment where practicing artists and students evolve together. 

“Our students won’t just learn about the profession – they’ll be immersed in it, working alongside industry specialists, performing in professional venues, and developing their craft through a carefully structured progression from core techniques to professional practice.

“The Scottish Institute was created by professionals to educate the next generation of professionals, and this new BA (Hons) Contemporary Dance program exemplifies that mission.”

The Scottish Institute is Scotland’s only fully CDMT accredited performing arts institution, also holding accreditations from Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), Council of Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre (CDMT) and Imperial Society for the Teachers of Dance (ISTD).

The session is free of charge, offering a rare opportunity for Scotland’s emerging dance talent to work closely with two of its most prominent contemporary artists.

To book a slot at the Elite Intensive day, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/white-givan-elite-intensive-edinburgh-tickets-1137763133159

If you have additional questions on the course, contact: admissions@thesi.co.uk

Sue Bruce confirmed as Chair of Creative Scotland review

Survey launches to seek views of cultural sector

Dame Sue Bruce will chair the review of Creative Scotland, Culture Secretary Angus Robertson has announced.

The review will examine Creative Scotland’s remit, functions and how it can best support the culture sector’s ambitions for renewal. It will be the first review of Creative Scotland since its establishment in 2010, as part of a wider commitment to review how the culture sector is supported.

Culture Secretary Angus Robertson welcomed the “wealth of experience” Dame Sue Bruce will bring to the review, with previous roles in Scotland’s arts and local government sectors.

Mr Robertson said: “I’m delighted that Dame Sue Bruce has agreed to chair the Creative Scotland review. She brings a wealth of experience from previous roles in the arts and local government sectors, making her well-placed to conduct a thorough and independent review into how Creative Scotland supports the arts in Scotland.

“The 2025-26 Scottish Budget includes a record £34 million uplift for culture. I am determined to maximise the impact of every penny of that. The review will consider the diversity of potential sources of funding, such as philanthropy, for culture – to underpin a more sustainable and resilient cultural sector in the years to come.

“The intention of this review is to ensure views the length and breadth of Scotland are heard swiftly and the vitally important contribution that artists and cultural organisations do for our nation and our identity is recognised, valued and well-supported.

“The Scottish Government has also today launched a new survey seeking views on how culture and the arts are currently supported in Scotland and areas for change. The responses will help inform the scope of the review so I would encourage all those with an interest to respond to our survey.”

Dame Sue Bruce said: “Culture and the arts reflect our values, aspirations and history as a country and the people who work in the sector make an invaluable contribution to our society and our economy.

“I look forward to working with the sector and Creative Scotland to ensure that it’s remit and functions continue to be relevant for the culture sector today, recognising that there has been much change in the sector since 2010 when Creative Scotland was first established.”