Social Justice and Self-Portraiture: Edinburgh Schools Photography Competition 2026

We are excited to display the finalists of the Edinburgh Schools Photography Competition. This year's theme was "Social Justice and Self-Portraiture".

Launched by the City of Edinburgh Council to coincide with the UNESCO International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, students drew inspiration from the life of Frederick Douglass. Douglass was the most photographed man in America during the 19th century and used self-portraiture as a powerful tool in the fight for justice and emancipation.

Students were asked to consider the power of self-portraiture to challenge stereotypes.

We will have a digital display of the National Library of Scotland's related resources, including interactive maps of Frederick Douglass in Scotland and Edinburgh. Copies of our latest pamphlet in our printed Struggles for Liberty series will also be available to take home.