The touring exhibition of a selection from the 2021 Scottish Portrait Awards continues at the Glasgow Art Club, featuring over sixty fine art and photographic works by both established artists and newcomers working in a variety of styles. Inevitably, many of the works reflect the turbulent times we have been living through, while family, the environment, black lives, women’s empowerment and mental health issues are also reflected.

Now in their fifth year, the SPA’s offer Scotland’s biggest awards for portrait art. 

Following the announcement of nominees in October 2021, the winners of the 2021 Scottish Portrait Awards were announced on 17th November. The £5,000 Scottish Portrait Award in Fine Art open competition winner is Saul Robertson for his painting Journeys, and the £3,000 Richard Coward Scottish Portrait Award in Photography, open to entries in black and white only, was awarded to Peter Iain Campbell for his photo Photographer Laurence Winram, meditating on a history of tidal erosion. Both Awards offer a series of generous cash prizes for runners-up. The Youth Award (under 25) winners are (Photography) Blair Kemp for Grandpa and (Fine Art) Maksymilian Kulczycki for Onion Grandma.

An exhibition was launched in Edinburgh on 30th October, running to 27 November at the Scottish Arts Club, 24 Rutland Square. The show will move to Dumfries (15th January to 19th March) at the Gracefield Art Centre, 28 Edinburgh Road, and thence to Glasgow (26th March to 26th April) at the Glasgow Art Club, 185 Bath Street.

Thank you to Sara Cameron McBean, the Awards’ Co-ordinator for supplying Artmag with images: