What’s on in Edinburgh this week - The Edinburgh Reporter

MONDAY 18TH AUGUST 2014

Edinburgh Book Fringe 2014: John Menaghan and Andy Jackson. Prize-winning poet and playwright John Menaghan has published four books with Salmon Poetry (Ireland); four of his short plays have been staged in Los Angeles and one in Omaha. Menaghan teaches literature and creative writing at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where he also serves as the Director of Irish Studies and Summer in Ireland programmes. Andy Jackson takes his poetic inspiration from the most unlikely sources, from cult movies to the inner secrets of dentistry. He is from Salford but has lived in Scotland for over twenty years. His debut collection The Assassination Museum was published by Red Squirrel in 2010 and he is editor of Split Screen, an anthology of poems inspired by film and TV. A second poetry collection is due next year. 1pm, Word Power Books, 43-45 West Nicolson Street. All welcome! Admission free – donations also welcome!

Lunchtime Concert: Piano Speak. Will Pickvance performs popular piano improvisations and witty repartee. ‘A Bach fugue evolves into a bebop classic on its way to becoming a version of Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit.’ 12.15pm, St Giles Cathedral, High Street. Free.

Be Arty Be Healthy: a new six week photography project for people with experience of mental health issues, developed in collaboration with Outlook. The project will lead to an exhibition to be shown at Craigmillar Library during the Mental Health Arts and Film Festival in October. If you would like to be involved, or know someone who might be interested, get in touch with Tracy, Be Arty Be Healthy Project Coordinator, on 0131 669 8432 or email beartybehealthycca@gmail.com. 1-4pm,today and for the next five Mondays, Craigmillar Community Arts Centre, 58 Newcraighall Road.

Where Do I End and You Begin: informal curator’s tour of the exhibition and its themes, with Agnes Gryczkowska, curatorial assistant. 3pm, City Art Centre, 2 Market Street. Free and unticketed.

Edible Gardening Seasonal Advice: drop in to find out how to grow your own food, and take a look around the productive garden with the Edible Gardening Project team. 1-3 pm, Demonstration Garden, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Free, no booking required. Also available on Tuesday 19th August.

Free Fringe Music at The National Museum of Scotland. Today: The Erskine String Quartet. 2-2.40pm, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street.

Discover Islam Exhibition: friendly guides will show you round Edinburgh Central Mosque and exhibition and answer your questions. ‘A dynamic experience of knowledge, art and culture.’ Free admission, literature and refreshments. 12 noon – 5pm Saturday to Thursday, 2-5pm Friday, until 28th August 2014, Edinburgh Central Mosque, 50 Potterow. Part of Islam Festival Edinburgh, which is made possible by donations of the Muslim community and the Mosque.

Lunchtime concert: Louise Cournarie, piano. 1.10-1.50pm, St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place. Free: retiring collection.

Cityselfie Workshop: get hands-on with drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles – explore the city space above your head. 11.30am-1.30pm, Edinburgh College of Art, Main Building, Lauriston Place. Free but places are limited and must be booked via eventbrite. Part of ECA Masters Festival 2014.

Designers Talk: Problem Solving, Storytelling and Innovating. Join graduating Design students as they discuss their work before taking you on a guided tour of the degree show. 2-3.30pm, Edinburgh College of Art, Main Building, Lauriston Place. Free but places are limited and must be booked via eventbrite. Part of ECA Masters Festival 2014.

TUESDAY 19TH AUGUST 2014

War Poets Collection Guided Tours: Edinburgh Napier University houses a small special collection of material relating to the fascinating history of its Craiglockhart campus, which began life in 1880 as a Hydropathic establishment and was requisitioned by the military in 1917 as a hospital for shell-shocked officers (Seigfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen met here.) In the 1920s it became home to the Convent of the Sacred Heart and Craiglockhart College of Education. Catherine Walker will provide a guided visit and talk about the many interesting characters who have had links with Craiglockhart over the years. 11am-12 noon or 2-3pm, War Poets Collection Exhibition Area, Edinburgh Napier University Craiglockhart Campus, Glenlockhart Road. Free, but each tour is limited to 12 people, so please book by calling 0131 455 4260/4274 or emailing events@napier.ac.uk The War Poets Collection Exhibition is open to the public for viewing during campus opening hours – all welcome! There is more information about the War Poets Collection on its website.

Lunchtime concert: Neil Mantle (horn), Gillian Gray (piano.) 1.10-1.50pm, St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place. Free: retiring collection.

Titian as Draughtsman: Despite being a highly productive artist whose career spanned seven decades, Titian has left us remarkably few drawings. Chief Curator Aiden Weston-Lewis examines this problematic area of Titian’s work. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Trainspotting: special showing of this iconic film with an introduction by Dr Jonny Murray, Senior Lecturer in Film and Visual Culture at Edinburgh School of Art, who will explore the film’s assertion that ‘It’s sh** to be Scottish.’ Part of To See Oursels, a season designed to shine a spotlight on some of the key ways, past and present, in which Scotland has understood itself. 6pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets £8.20/£6 from the cinema or online. Please note this film has an 18 certificate.

Lunchtime Concert: Julian Layn (Switzerland), piano. 12.15pm, St Giles Cathedral, High Street. Free.

Introducing the Artist Rooms Research Partnership: Artist Rooms is an important public collection of international contemporary art. Find out more about the research and events taking place within this partnership. 12 noon-1pm, Edinburgh College of Art, Main Building, Lauriston Place. Free but places are limited and must be booked via eventbrite. Part of ECA Masters Festival 2014.

Free Fringe Music at The National Museum of Scotland. Today: Pure Brass – brass quintet.. 2-2.40pm, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street.

eBook Surgery: get help with downloading free eBooks, audiobooks and emagazines. 2-3.30pm, Central Library, George IV Bridge. No appointment necessary.

A Bird is Not a Stone: Maya Abu Al-Hayyat, Christine de Luca and others read from A Bird is Not a Stone, an anthology of contemporary Palestinian poetry. ‘A rare opportunity to discover the range and variety of extraordinary voices in contemporary Palestinian poetry translated by Scotland’s most acclaimed poets.’ A Bird is Not a Stone is a unique cultural exchange, giving both English and Arabic readers an insight into the political, social and emotional landscape of today’s Palestine. 1pm, Word Power Books, 43-45 West Nicolson Street. All welcome! Admission free – donations also welcome! See The Edinburgh Reporter’s review of the launch of A Bird is Not a Stone here.

Edinburgh Hacklab Open Night: Edinburgh Hacklab is a hackerspace: it has open nights every Tuesday and Thursday – drop in, bring along a project to tinker with, ask for some electronics help, hack some code or just have a chat and see what’s happening. 7pm, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall Place. Free, no booking required. More details at edinburgh.hacklab.com

WEDNESDAY 20TH AUGUST 2014

Titian in Ten: ten minute pop-up talks delivered by NGS staff. Gain an exclusive insight as staff from across the galleries offer different perspectives on Titian’s masterpieces. 2pm, Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Edinburgh Napier University Postgraduate Web Chat: if you are from the UK and have applied to start postgraduate study at Napier this September, this is the perfect opportunity to ask questions you may have about the university, your application or the city of Edinburgh. Talk online to staff and other potential postgrad students. 4-6pm – register in advance here.

Lunchtime concert: Clare Treacey (soprano), Seho Lee (piano.) 1.10-1.50pm, St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place. Free: retiring collection.

Rocks: through video, photography and live performance, Rocks presents the journey of rocks from beach to stage, and the trajectory of a poem from idea to communication. 6-6.15pm, Edinburgh College of Art, Main Building, Lauriston Place. Free; no booking required. Part of ECA Masters Festival 2014. Also at same time on Thursday 21st August.

Guided Tour of the National Library of Scotland: tour of the building and introduction to the library’s collections and history. 10.30-11.15am (approx), National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free, but numbers limited so booking essential. Book online via website or call 0131 623 3734. Please notify the library of any special access requirements.

Edinburgh Book Fringe 2014: Andrew Ladd and Andres Neuman. Andrew Ladd’s debut novel What Ends is ‘an exquisitely conjured elegy for a vanished way of life.’ In 1980 the McCloud family welcomes its third child, the last to be born on Eilean Fior, a small west coast island. Life there is grim, the population has fallen to thirty, but the McClouds stubbornly maintain their guest house business. Then a plague of rats threatens to wipe out the island’s last remaining hopes. What Ends follows each of the McClouds as they navigate their increasingly fragile lives. Andres Neuman’s latest novel Talking To Ourselves concerns Lito, whose seriously ill father Mario takes him on a road trip to try to create a life-long memory for his son, while Lito’s mother Elena tries to find solace in books, and soon embarks on a precarious adventure of her own. ‘A story about how we are transformed by loss, physically and emotionally.’ 1pm, Word Power Books, 43-45 West Nicolson Street. All welcome! Admission free – donations also welcome!

Free Fringe Music at The National Museum of Scotland. Today: Robyn Stapleton and Claire Hastings, traditional vocal duo. 2-2.40pm, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street.

Lunchtime Concert: Fresh SOLOs. 12.15pm, St Giles Cathedral, High Street. Free.

Lunchtime concert: Louise Cournarie, piano. 1.10-1.50pm, St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place. Free: retiring collection.

Nitekirk at Greyfriars Kirk: a place of peace, an open sacred space welcoming people of any age, background and belief. Drop in for candlelit contemplation, music, art, refreshment, poetry and a sense of space in the midst of the Fringe.. An opportunity for welcome, reflection and community. 8.30-11.30pm, Greyfriars Kirk, 1 Greyfriars. Free. Nitekirk is supported by Greyfriars’ local ecumenical partners.

THURSDAY 21ST AUGUST 2014

Live Music Now: Andrew Waite and Seth Tinsley. The accordion, voice and guitar duo perform a mixture of traditional and self-penned songs and tunes in response to John Ruskin’s artworks and other portrayals of the Scottish landscape. 6-6.30pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed.

The Drawing Room: an informal, artist-led drawing session. Developed by contemporary artists, each session is inspired by the GENERATION exhibition and also reflects concerns in the artists’ own work. All materials supplied, no experience necessary. This session will be led by Robert Baldock and Emma Bowen. 5.30-6.45pm, Royal Scottish Academy, (Scottish National Gallery), The Mound. Free and unticketed. Part of GENERATION By Night.

Lunchtime concert: Charles Eliasch (baritone), Sofia Dimitrova (soprano) Will Shaw (piano.) 1.10-1.50pm, St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place. Free: retiring collection.

Free Fringe Music at The National Museum of Scotland. Today: Andrew Waite and Seth Tilsey, accordion, guitar and vocals. 2-2.40pm, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street.

Lunchtime Concert: Julian Layn (Switzerland), piano. 12.15pm, St Giles Cathedral, High Street. Free.

Informal Concert: Piano Speak. Will Pickvance performs popular piano improvisations and witty repartee. ‘A Bach fugue evolves into a bebop classic on its way to becoming a version of Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit.’ 1.30pm, St Giles Cathedral, High Street. Free.

Conserving Stephen Campbell: Kirsten Dunne and Sarah Laing discuss the labour of love involved in installing Campbell’s immersive installation On Form and Fiction (1990). 6pm, Royal Scottish Academy, (Scottish National Gallery), The Mound. Free and unticketed. Part of GENERATION By Night.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh presents Writers At The Fringe: every Thursday during the festival Blackwell’s invites a selection of Scottish performers to give a taste of their work. New and unpublished works stand alongside established writers. This week Sarah Sheridan, Jake Walker Curley, Jim Hall, Nicola White and Matthew Zajac. 5.45-7.45pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets available from the shop’s front desk or by calling 0131 622 8216, or from the Fringe Box Office.

Edinburgh Book Fringe 2014: Scotland ’44 – Ideas for a New Nation. Dominic Hinde, Lee Bunce, Oliver Escobar-Rodriguez and Laurie MacFarlane launch their new publication, which proposes ideas for a fairer, greener and more decentralised society for Scotland over a thirty year period, 2014-2044. 1pm, Word Power Books, 43-45 West Nicolson Street. All welcome! Admission free – donations also welcome!

iBeacons Camera Workshop: Otherie. Come and try an app that enables you to attach photos to specific places inside buildings and then share them with other people who visit the same places. Invent a game that can be played with this set-up! 11.30am-1.30pm, Edinburgh College of Art, Main Building, Lauriston Place. Free but places are limited and must be booked via eventbrite. Part of ECA Masters Festival.

Gayfield Twilight Talks: Garden in Mind – designing for health and well-being. Annie Pollock, Director of Landscape Design and Architecture at the University of Stirling’s Dementia Services Development Centre and Celine Sinclair, Chief Executive of The Yard, discuss the role of landscape design in creating health-giving environments. Introduced by leading architect Richard Murphy OBE. 6-8pm, The Yard, 22 Eyre Place Lane. Free tickets can be booked via eventbrite.

FRIDAY 22ND AUGUST 2014

Make Your Own Kelpie….and bring it to life in a story. Craft event for ages 7-11. 2-3pm, Central Children’s Library, George IV Bridge.

Edinburgh Book Fringe 2014: Sally Heathcote, Suffragette. Costa award winners (Dotter of her Father’s Eyes) Mary and Bryan Talbot and acclaimed illustrator Kate Charlesworth discuss their new graphic novel, a gripping inside story of the campaign for votes for women. ‘A tale of loyalty, love and courage set against a vividly realised backdrop of Edwardian Britain, it follows the fortunes of a maid-of-all-work swept up in the feminist militancy of the era.’ 1pm, Word Power Books, 43-45 West Nicolson Street. All welcome! Admission free – donations also welcome!

Lunchtime Concert: Julian Layn (Switzerland), piano. 12.15pm, St Giles Cathedral, High Street. Free.

Lunchtime concert: The City of Edinburgh Music School 1.10-1.50pm, St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place. Free: retiring collection.

Pop 3D: 3D Printing Workshop. Come and join an interactive workshop using simple apps to download and create 3D objects that will be printed. 1-5pm, Edinburgh College of Art, Main Building, Lauriston Place. Free but places are limited and must be booked via eventbrite. Part of ECA Masters Festival.

Holly Webb at Morningside Library: reading, signing and craft session with children’s writer Holly Webb, author of The Secret Puppy, Alone in the Night, and many others. Event hosted by The Edinburgh Bookshop for ages 7-12 (approx.) 2pm Morningside Library, Morningside Road. Places are limited so must be booked by calling 0131 447 1917 or emailing mail@edinburghbookshop.com

Edinburgh Napier University Campus Tours: come along to view the fantastic facilities and meet some Student Ambassadors. The tours will run simultaneously at all three campuses, starting at 2pm at each of Merchiston (10 Colinton Road), Craiglockhart (Glenlockhart Road) and Sighthill (Sighthill Court) Campuses. Tours are free but fill up fast, so reserve your place here.

Free Fringe Music at The National Museum of Scotland. Today: Zi Lan Liao, Chinese harp. 2-2.40pm, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street.

SATURDAY 23RD AUGUST 2014

Lunchtime concert: Judy Brown (soprano), John Bryden (piano.) 1.10-1.50pm, St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place. Free: retiring collection.

GENERATION Tours at Modern ONE: free, discussion-led tours of the GENERATION exhibition, focusing on key themes and artists. 11-11.45am or 1-1.45pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free and unticketed.

Lunchtime Concert: The Pilgrim Singers (Liverpool) 12.15pm, St Giles Cathedral, High Street. Free.

Here, Right Now: Art Writing Readings. Readings by Edinburgh-based artists and writers presenting new work. In collaboration with Cooper Gallery, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, Dundee. 2-3pm, Edinburgh College of Art, Main Building, Lauriston Place. Free but places are limited and must be booked via eventbrite. Part of ECA Masters Festival.

A Glittering Highland Ball (workshop): make traditional highland costumes for peg dolls, with dresses, kilts and bagpipes, and you’ll be ready to take your partners for a reel or Strathspey. Some basic sewing skills required. A family event suitable for children 6+ years. 10.30am-12.30pm or 1.30-3.30pm, Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South. £5 per person – bookings must be made via the Usher Hall Box Office, in person, online or by calling 0131 228 1155.

Free Fringe Music at The National Museum of Scotland. Today: Zi Lan Liao, Chinese harp. 2-2.40pm, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street.

Zoo Arts Extra Film Screening: see the results of the Summer Animation Project and animations created at Jupiter Artland in June. Transport to and from The Filmhouse and refreshments provided: meet at North Edinburgh Arts, 15a Pennywell Court at 10am. The screening will be followed by Drawing and Guerilla Art Making with visits to two Edinburgh Art Festival exhibitions, returning to NEA by 4.30pm. Free – recommended donation £3. Call NEA on 0131 315 2151 or pop into the NEA box office for more information and to book your place. More information also here.

Introduction to Ceramics: two part course. Today: learn techniques then design and create your own piece of ceramic art. On 30th August, come back to glaze your artwork. 10am-12 noon, The Gallery On the Corner, Northumberland Street. £40 per person, includes 1kilo of clay, all glazes & refreshments. To book call the Gallery on 0131 557 8969. Also available on dates in October and December – see the Gallery’s Facebook page for details.

Edinburgh Book Fringe 2014: The Darkest Days: The Truth Behind Britain’s Rush to War, 1914. Historian Douglas Newton presents a new dramatic narrative, interleaving the stories of those pressing for a choice for war with that of those resisting Britain’s descent into calamity. ‘There was no democratic decision for war.’ 1pm, Word Power Books, 43-45 West Nicolson Street. All welcome! Admission free – donations also welcome!

Recycled Cities: popular family drop-in workshops, taking inspiration from the Where Do I End and You Begin exhibition. Suitable for the whole family working together. 1.30-3.30pm, City Art Centre, 2 Market Street. Free and unticketed. Please meet at reception.

SUNDAY 24TH AUGUST 2014

At Home with Mrs Reid: don your top hat or pearls and enjoy a grand visit to Mrs Reid’s Lauriston Castle, then switch roles and work with the cook in the old castle kitchen to prepare refreshments for Mrs Reid’s invited guests. Family event with Jo Scott. 10.30am-12.30pm, Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South. £5 per person – bookings must be made via the Usher Hall Box Office, in person, online or by calling 0131 228 1155.

Garden Sculpture Walk: join Alexander ‘Twig’ Champion for a summer walk through the garden as he leads a meditative tour around the outdoor sculpture collection, which includes major works by Ian Hamilton Finlay, Andy Goldsworthy, Barbara Hepworth and Alan Johnston. 2-3pm, Inverleith House and Garden, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Free, no booking required, suitable for all ages. Meet at Inverleith House Reception at 1.55pm to join.

Celebrity Organ Recital: Donald Hunt, Assistant Organist, St Mary’s Cathedral, plays St Mary’s magnificent ‘Father’ Willis organ. 4.45-5.45pm, St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place. Free: retiring collection.

Meet the Ancestors: World War One Scottish Tales of Adventure. Hear all about battle in the trenches, battleships and aircraft as best-selling author and historian Allan Burnett brings the First World War vividly to life with costumes and amazing real-life stories. For ages 7+ and their families. 2pm, 2.45pm and 3.30pm (45 minute sessions), Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed. Supported by the Friends of NGS.

GENERATION Tours at the Academy Building: free, discussion-led tours of the GENERATION exhibition, focusing on key themes and artists. 11-11.45am or 1-1.45pm, Royal Scottish Academy, (Scottish National Gallery), The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Lego Swapshop Six! Do you collect Lego Minifigures? Do you have any doublers, or any you don’t want? Are you looking for that one specific figure to complete your collection? Come along to the Sixth Lego Swapshop, join in the competitions, enjoy the atmosphere and maybe win some Lego as well. 3-5pm, Waterstones Cameron Toll. Call 0131 666 1836 for more information.

Free Fringe Music at The National Museum of Scotland. Today: Cherrygrove – Scottish quintet, and Live Music Now Scotland 30th anniversary event. 2-2.40pm, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street.

St Giles At Six: The Zemlinsky Trio. Nino Rota Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano (1973), Zemlinsky Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano, Op 3 (1896) 6pm, St Giles Cathedral, High Street. Free: retiring collection.